Undergraduate Catalog
Plant Science
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Plant science is a diverse major offered by the departments of Agronomy and Plant Pathology. Various specializations are available. Potential careers include various aspects of production agriculture, agribusiness sales and marketing, private consulting in crop production and plant protection, environmental policy and regulation, international agriculture, and field or laboratory technical support as well as preparation for graduate school. Students should meet with an undergraduate coordinator(s) as early as possible in their academic careers.
To remain ‘on track’ for this major, a student must meet the following critical tracking criteria. The critical tracking courses appear in bold.
Plant Science |
Semester 1:
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
- Complete 2 of 6 critical courses – excluding labs CHM2045, CHM2045L, MAC1147, AEB3103 or ECO2013, BOT2010C, BOT2011C, PHY2004, PHY2004L
Semester 2:
- Complete 1 additional course of the 6 courses – excluding labs
Semester 3:
- Complete 2 additional course of the 6 courses – excluding labs
Semester 4:
- Complete 1 additional course of 6 courses – including associated labs
Semester 5:
- Complete all 6 critical tracking courses – including associated labs
All Specializations
**Select one: MAC 2233, STA 2023 or CGS 2531.
Agronomy
This specialization provides an understanding of the scientific fundamentals and applied principles associated with production and improvement of agronomic crops. Field and forage crops provide the major food and fiber requirements for the world’s population and are becoming increasingly important in soil conservation and sustainability, energy production and environmental issues. This specialization offers two options: science and technology and sustainable crop production and management.
Science and Technology Option
This basic sciences option is designed for a technical career or graduate school.
|
Semester 5 |
Credits |
|
AGR 3005/3005L Principles of Crop Science and Lab |
4 |
|
AGR 3931C Plant Science Information |
2 |
|
SOS 3022/3022L Intro Soils in the Environment and Lab |
4 |
|
PLP 3002C Fund. of Plant Pathology |
4 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
14 |
|
Semester 6 |
Credits |
|
AGR 3303 Genetics |
3 |
|
BOT 3503/3503L Phys. and Molec. Biol. of Plants and Lab |
5 |
|
CHM 2200 and 2200L Organic Chemistry and Lab* |
4 |
|
Electives* |
4 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
16 |
|
Semester 7 |
Credits |
|
BCH 3025 Fundamentals of Biochemistry |
4 |
|
AGR 4321 Plant Breeding |
3 |
|
PLS 4601C Weed Science |
3 |
|
Approved communications |
3 |
|
Approved electives** |
2 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
15 |
|
Semester 8 |
Credits |
|
AGR 4210 Field Crop Science |
3 |
|
AGR 4231C Forage Science and Range Management |
4 |
|
Approved electives** |
8 |
|
Total |
15 |
*or CHM 2210, CHM 2211, CHM 3211L
**Approved elective. See adviser for suggested electives consistent with the student’s interests and goals.
Sustainable Crop Production and Management Option
|
Semester 5 |
Credits |
|
AGR 3005/3005L Principles of Crop Science and Lab |
4 |
|
PLP 3002C Fundamentals of Plant Pathology |
4 |
|
SOS 3022/3022L Intro to Soils in the Environment and Lab |
4 |
|
BCH 3023 Elem. Organic and Biological Chemistry |
3 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
15 |
|
Semester 6 |
Credits |
|
AGR 3303 Genetics |
3 |
|
AGR 4210 Field Crop Science |
3 |
|
ALS 3133 Ag and Environmental Quality |
3 |
|
Approved sustainable agriculture electives |
3 |
|
Approved electives* |
3 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
15 |
|
Semester 7 |
Credits |
|
PLS 4601C Weed Science |
3 |
|
AGR 4321 Plant Breeding |
3 |
|
AGR 3931C Plant Science Information. |
2 |
|
ENY 3005C Principles of Entomology |
4 |
|
Approved electives* |
3 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
15 |
|
Semester 8 |
Credits |
|
AGR 4231C Forage Science and Range Management |
4 |
|
SOS 4116 Environmental Nutrient Mngmt. |
3 |
|
Approved electives* |
8-15 |
|
__ |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
15 |
*See adviser for suggested electives consistent with the student’s interests and goals. Two courses offered during the summer are strongly encouraged Applied Field Crop Production (AGR 4214C) and Sustainable Agricultural Systems Analysis (AGR4268C).
Plant Pathology
This specialization trains students to diagnose plant diseases, to identify microbes and the environmental factors that cause disease in plants, and to study the molecular and genetic principles governing infection and development of plant disease and disease epidemics. It prepares students to work in laboratory and field settings and to develop and prescribe environmentally safe methods and materials for avoiding or treating plant diseases in agricultural and urban environments.
Biotechnology Option
This option is designed for students who plan to enter graduate school or to work in the research laboratories of biotechnological firms, universities or government agencies.
|
Semester 5 |
Credits |
|
AGR 3005 Principles of Crop Science |
3 |
|
CHM 2200 and CHM 2200L Organic Chemistry and Lab |
4 |
|
PLP 3002C Fundamentals of Plant Pathology (GE-B) |
4 |
|
AGR 3303 Genetics |
3 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
14 |
|
Semester 6 |
Credits |
|
MCB 2000 & 2000L Microbiology & Lab |
4 |
|
PLP 3103C Plant Disease Control (odd years) |
3 |
|
SOS 3022 and 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment and Lab |
4 |
|
Approved Electives |
4 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
17 |
|
Semester 7 |
Credits |
|
PLP 3653C Intro to Mycology (even years) |
4 |
|
PLP 4931 Seminar in Plant Pathology |
1 |
|
ENY 3005C Principles of Entomology |
3 |
|
AGR 4321 Plant Breeding |
3 |
|
Approved Elective |
4 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
15 |
|
Semester 8 |
Credits |
|
HOS 4304 Horticultural Physiology |
3 |
|
PLS 4242C Micropropagation of Horticultural Crops |
4 |
|
HOS 3305 Intro to Plant Molecular Biology |
3 |
|
BCH 3025 Fundamentals of Biochemistry |
4 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
14 |
Agricultural Technology Option
This option prepares students to work for commodity, seed and agri-chemical industries that diagnose or test for plant diseases. This option also prepares students to work as private practitioners and to enter graduate school.
|
Semester 5 |
Credits |
|
AGR 3005 Principles of Crop Science |
3 |
|
BCH 3023 Elem. Organic and Biochemistry |
3 |
|
PLP 3002C Fundamentals of Plant Pathology (GE-B) |
4 |
|
AGR 3303 Genetics |
3 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
13 |
|
Semester 6 |
Credits |
|
HOS 4304 Horticultural Physiology |
3 |
|
MCB 2000 & 2000L Microbiology & Lab |
4 |
|
PLP 3103C Plant Disease Control (odd years) |
3 |
|
Approved Elective |
5 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
15 |
|
Semester 7 |
Credits |
|
PLP 3653C Intro to Mycology (even years) |
4 |
|
PLP 4931 Seminar in Plant Pathology |
1 |
|
PMA 3010 Fundamentals of Pest Mgmt. |
3 |
|
SOS 3022 and 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment and Lab |
4 |
|
Approved Elective |
4 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
16 |
|
Semester 8 |
Credits |
|
NEM 3002 Principles of Nematology |
3 |
|
ENY 3005C Principles of Entomology |
3 |
|
AGR 4210 Field Crop Science |
3 |
|
PLS4601C Weed Science |
3 |
|
Approved Electives |
4 |
|
__ |
|
|
Total |
16 |
Plant Science Minor
Undergraduates whose major is not plant science can minor in plant science. This program is under the direction of the Agronomy Department and requires a minimum of 15 credits. Interested students are encouraged to consult plant science-agronomy advisers early in their academic careers.
|
AGR 3005 Principles of Crop Science |
3 |
|
Select two of these six courses for 5–8 credits: |
|
|
AGR 4210 Field Crop Science |
3 |
|
AGR 4231C Forage Science and Range Mgmt |
4 |
|
AGR 4614C Seed Technology |
3 |
|
AGR 4214C Applied Field Crop Production |
3 |
|
AGR 5277C Tropical Crops |
3 |
|
SOS 3022 and 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment and Lab |
4 |
Select one of the following three courses:
|
AGR 3303 Genetics |
3 |
|
AGR 4321 Plant Breeding |
3 |
|
AGG 5932 Principles of Genetics |
1–4 |
Select one of the following three courses:
|
AGR 5266C Field Plot Techniques |
3 |
|
PLS 4601C Principles of Weed Science |
3 |
|
PLS 5652 Herbicide Technology |
3 |
Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Minor
This interdisciplinary minor is co-sponsored and coordinated by the departments of Agronomy, Environmental Horticulture, Horticultural Sciences, Plant Pathology, and Microbiology and Cell Science. It is particularly appropriate for students majoring in horticultural science, microbiology and cell science, and plant science, although it is available to students in other majors.
This minor offers academic training and hands-on experience in current laboratory techniques. Students prepare for graduate school or lab positions in plant biotechnology.
|
Course requirements for the minor |
Credits |
|
HOS 3370 Introduction to Plant Molecular Biology |
3 |
|
BOT 2011C Plant Diversity |
3 |
|
CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry |
3 |
|
CHM 2211 Organic Chemistry |
3 |
|
Either BOT 3503 Introductory Plant Physiology (4) Or HOS 4304 Horticulture |
|
|
Physiology (5) |
4-5 |
|
Either AGR 3303 Genetics (3) Or PCB 3063 Genetics (4) |
3-4 |
|
BCH 4024 Intro. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Or CHM 4207 Intro. to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Or BCH 3025 Fund of Biochemistry |
4 |
|
|
|
|
Select one of the following three courses: |
|
|
MCB 4303 and 4303L Genetics of Microorganisms and Lab |
4 |
|
MCB 3020 and 3020L Intro. to Microbiology and Cell Science and Lab |
5 |
|
PLS 4242C Micropropagation of Horticultural Crops |
4 |
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