CSS 4050 Field Crop Systems

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences

Cornell University

Welcome!

Field Crops are a very important part of the world's food supply, by direct consumption and indirectly through animal and microbial products. Wheat, rice and corn alone account for 75% of the world's grain production and 56% of the world's food energy. Field crops are becoming an important source of biofuels (ethanol, biodiesel, fiber, and pelleted grasses) in competition with our food supply. In this course, you will study these and the other seed and forage crops that feed the world. Environmental factors, crop management practices, harvesting and storage, nutrition and health, crop improvement, and responses to environmental stresses affecting a crop's growth, development, maturation, yield, and quality will be explored. Contempory field crop systems emphasized.

Course Catalog Description:

Crop and Soil Sciences 4050--Field Crop Systems-- Fall. 4 credits. MWF 10:10, MTW 1:25-4:25, 105 Bradfield Hall. Two to four field trips during lab periods (until 5 p.m. or on weekends!) Ralph L. Obendorf
Principles of field-crop growth, development and maturation, species recognition, soil and climatic adaptations, tillage systems, liming and mineral nutrition, cropping sequences, management systems, nutrition and health, and crop improvement are considered. Grain, protein, oil, fiber, biofuel and forage crops are emphasized. Laboratory utilizes living plants, and extensive crop garden. Lab report and term paper on contemporary field crop systems required.
Designed for professional students or advanced undergraduates. Credit for both CSS 4050 and CSS 2110 not permitted.

Required Text:

Martin, J.H., R.P. Waldren, and D.L. Stamp. 2006. Principles of field crop production, 4th edition. Pearson Prentice Hall, 954 pages. ISBN 0130259675. Mann Library call number: SB187.U6 M3 2006
Course packet (includes lecture outlines and lab outlines), available from The Cornell Bookstore
Abendroth, L.J., Elmore, R.W., Boyer, M.J., Marlay, S.K. (2011) Corn Growth and Development. PMR 1009. Iowa State University Extension, Ames, IA. March 2011. 29 pages. Color. $14.00
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/store/
Pedersen, P. (2009) Soybean Growth and Development. PM 1945. Iowa State University Extension, Ames, IA. Reviewed December 2009. 28 pages. Color. $4.00
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/store/
"Cornell Field Crops Handbook" may be downoladed from: http://hdl.handle.net/1813/4041.
Other textbooks will be used and will be on reserve.

Optional Text:

Barnes, R.F., Nelson, C.J., Collins, M. and Moore, K.J., editors. 2003. Forages, sixth edition, volume 1. Iowa State University Press, Ames, IA, 556 pages. ISBN 9780813804217. Mann Library call number: SB193.H89x 2003
Conner, D.J., Loomis, R.S., Cassman, K.G. 2011. Crop Ecology, second edition. Cambridge University Press. 568 pages. ISBN: 9780521744034 Available from Cambridge University Press web site or Amazon.com. Available in hard back, soft back, or electronic form (electronic book from Amazon.com, download free kindle app from Amazon for PC or Mac). A useful textbook for the first third of course.

Places to Go:

More about Crop and Soil Sciences 4050
- Lecture Schedule: Calendar of lecture topics and exam dates. ***Dates are subject to change depending upon coverage of topics during lectures***
- Laboratory Schedule: Calendar of laboratory topics and practicum dates. ***Dates are subject to change depending upon coverage of topics***
- Other important information: Instructors, meeting times, prerequisites, texts, grading, exam dates, etc.
Other useful pages

Suggestions or questions about this page should be addressed to Ralph L. Obendorf.

Last updated: August 19, 2011
First created: October 18, 2007