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Plant Sciences and Related Studies is a degree category that consists of the following common degrees:
- Read more about Agronomy
Agronomists, also known as crop scientists, are the link between the research community that studies crops and the farming community. They understand the genetic, biological, environmental, and economic impacts of agricultural processes. They are the experts that farmers turn to when their crops begin to fail.
Agronomists may spend hours examining a failing crop, looking for signs of what is killing the plants – is it a disease, an insect, a weed, or a problem in the soil? Degree programs in agronomy prepare students to answer questions like these, to be the next generation of experts in the relationships between crops and the soils they depend on.
- Read more about Horticulture
Horticulture is the branch of plant agriculture concerned with garden crops and ornamental plants. Degree programs in the field teach future horticulturists the science and art of cultivating both fruits and vegetables and flowers. The typical curriculum incorporates classes in:
• Environmental and Horticulture Biology
• Chemistry
• Entomology – the study of insects and their relationship to humans, the environment, and other organisms
• Floral Design – the seven principles of floral design: proportion, scale, harmony, rhythm, balance, unity, and emphasis
• Forestry
• Genetics
• Ornamental / Landscape Horticulture – the production and use of plants to beautify outdoor spaces
• Floriculture – the production and use of flowers, potted plants, and annual bedding plants
• Plant Pathology – the science of plant diseases
• Plant Physiology – the study of how different parts of plants function
• Plant Propagation – the process of creating new plants
• Plant Taxonomy – the science of identifying, classifying, and naming plants
• Soil Science – the branch of science concerned with the formation, ecology, and classification of soil
• Vegetable and Fruit Crops
• Weed Science – the study of vegetation management