CRSC-CROP SCIENCE -- 2003-05 Catalog
Horticulture and Crop Science Department

CRSC 123 Forage Crops (4)

Forages as a world resource in food and animal production, soil and water conservation and sustainable agricultural systems. Forage use systems: pasture and range, green chop, silage, hay and cubes. Identification and management of limiting factors of forage plant growth. Botany of legumes and grasses. Grass, legume and weed identification. Forage crop improvement. Forage composition and quality. Antiquality factors. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

CRSC 131 Introduction to Crop Science (4)

Production principles for field and vegetable crops. Fundamental botany, taxonomy and cultural practices. Soil tillage, fertilization, seed selection, planting and harvesting methods, irrigation, weed control, pest control, and crop rotation. Production practices for cotton. A field trip to a major California production area is required. Not open to students with credit in CRSC 230. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

CRSC 132 Cereal Grain Production (4)

Production, adaptation, distribution, and utilization of major grain crops harvested by combine, including wheat, barley, oats, corn, rice, sorghum, rye, triticale, and millets. Field trips to major California cereal production areas. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 131 or CRSC 230.

CRSC 133 Row Crop Production (4)

Adaptation, distribution, production, processing, and utilization of major row crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, dry beans, and sugar beets. Special emphasis on working with beds and furrows. Field trip to a major California row crop production area required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 131 or VGSC 230.

CRSC 202 Enterprise Project (2–4) (CR/NC)

Beginning field experience in production and marketing of an agronomic crop, under faculty supervision. Project participation is subject to approval by the department head and the Cal Poly Foundation. Degree credit limited to 4 units. Credit/No Credit grading only. 1 lecture, variable practicum. Prerequisite: CRSC 201, or consent of instructor.

CRSC 230 Agronomic Crop Production (4)

Production, harvest, and use of important cereal and field crops in California. Production areas, crop rotations, disease and pest control. Field trip required. Not open to students with credit in CRSC 131. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.

CRSC 244 Precision Farming (4)

Precision agriculture applications. Integrating GIS, GPS, and remote sensing technologies with site-specific farming practices to optimize agricultural productivity. Field trip required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 230 or other plant production course.

CRSC 304 Plant Improvement (4)

Principles and techniques used to develop new plant varieties. Sexual reproduction, inheritance, selection and biotechnology methods useful in breeding of plants. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 131 and BIO 303.

CRSC 330 Advanced Forage Crop Production (4)

Three methods of producing, harvesting and utilizing forage species; grazing, haying and ensiling plant materials. Forage identification, hay grades and quality; preservatives to enhance quality. Grazing systems; forage mixtures versus single species; problems in pasturing, fencing, the silage-making process and silo structures. Field trip to a production area required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 123, CRSC 131 or CRSC 230 or consent of instructor.

CRSC 331 Commercial Seed Production and Conditioning (4)

Production and conditioning of field and vegetable seed. Seed technology, germination, quality control, seed enhancement, storage and handling of seed, and seed laws. Field trip to a seed conditioning/seed enhancement facility required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 131, CRSC 230 or VGSC 230, EHS 121 or consent of instructor.

CRSC 333 Greenhouse Vegetable Production (4)

Development, practices, history, and future of crop production in greenhouses. Research applications, commercial applications, production problems, marketing, and economics. Special emphasis on growing transplants in greenhouses and use of nutrient solutions. Field trips to a commercial greenhouse operation and/or analysis lab required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CHEM 111, CRSC 133, SS 221 or consent of instructor.

CRSC 402 Enterprise Project Management (2–4) (CR/NC)

Advanced experience in production of an agronomic crop. Development of a plan for field operations, a marketing plan, and a budget. Management decision-making. Project participation is subject to approval by the department head and the Cal Poly Foundation. Degree credit limited to 4 units. Credit/No Credit grading only. 1 lecture, variable practicum. Prerequisite: CRSC 202, and consent of instructor.

CRSC 410 Crop Physiology and Ecology (4)

Environmental, chemical, and biological interrelationships associated with the physiology of crop production. Field trip is required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 131, CRSC 230, FRSC 131, FRSC 230 or VGSC 230; and CHEM 212/312.

CRSC 411 Experimental Techniques and Analysis (4)

Principal experimental designs used in agriculture and methods of statistical analysis of data collected from each. Practice with statistical software. Field practice in planning and layout of typical experiments. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: Junior standing and MATH 117 or equivalent, and STAT 218 or consent of instructor.

CRSC 421 Oil and Fiber Crops (4)

Culture, harvest, grading, and marketing of cotton, soybean, sunflower, safflower, and other oil and fiber crops. Field trips to major centers of production and marketing required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: CRSC 133, PPSC 321 and BOT 121.

CRSC 422 Tropical and Subtropical Crop and Fruit Production (4) (Also listed as FRSC 422)

Production, distribution and utilization of major agronomic, vegetable, fruit and nut crops of economic importance in tropical and subtropical areas. Weather systems, climates, soils, and cropping systems of tropical and subtropical areas. Field trip required. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: 100/200-level plant production course, or consent of instructor.

CRSC 445 Cropping Systems (4)

Classification and description of agricultural systems of the world. Cropping systems as land management plans. Systems approaches to improvement of agricultural situations. Consideration of human factors and the agroecosystem in efforts to create a more sustainable agriculture. Field trip required. 3 lectures, 1 activity. Prerequisite: SS 121 and BOT 121, or CRSC 131, or BOT 326, or consent of instructor.

CRSC 521 Advanced Crop Production (4)
(Also listed as VGSC 521)

Production and management of crops under intensive and extensive cultural systems and low-input agriculture. Interaction between the various growth factors at various levels of production and interaction of cultural practices and plant requirements. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

CRSC 581 Graduate Seminar in Crop/Fruit Production (3)
(Also listed as FRSC 581)

Group study of current problems, trends and research results pertaining to production or marketing of field, vegetable or fruit crops. 3 seminars. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

CRSC 599 Thesis in Crop Science (1–9)

Systematic research of a significant problem in Crop Science. Thesis will include problem identification, significance, methods, data analysis, and conclusion. Students must enroll every quarter in which facilities are used or advisement is received. Degree credit limited to 6 units. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.