CRSC-CROP SCIENCE – 2005-07 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 132  California Field Crops (4)

Production, adaptation, distribution, and utilization of five economically significant field crops: alfalfa, corn, cotton, potatoes, and rice. Field trips to production areas. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: HCS 120.

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 231  Commercial Seed Production (4)

Production 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: HCS 120, CRSC 230 or VGSC 230, EHS  121 or consent of instructor.

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: HCS 120 or other 100-200 level CRSC/FRSC/HCS/VGSC course.

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 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 411  Experimental Techniques and Analysis (4)

Principal experimental designs used in agriculture and methods of statistical analysis of data collected from each. 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.