Courses

Undergraduate | Graduate


The following descriptions are for the courses offered by the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. For a description of courses offered by other departments, see the MSU Schedule of Courses.


Undergraduate Level Courses

AT 291 - Turfgrass and Landscape Calculations
Fall, 2 credits. Basic math skills that are directly applicable to landscape and turfgrass management including volumetric, linear, fertilizer, pesticide, and flow calibration calculations. Instructor: Thom Nikolai

CSS 101 - Introduction to Crop Science
Fall, 3 credits. Principles of crop management, improvement, and fertilization. International and sustainable agriculture. Water quality issues. Instructor: Karen Renner

CSS 105 - Agricultural Industries Seminar
Fall, 1 credit. Preparing students to succeed academically and professionally and introducing them to opportunities in the agriculture industry. Instructor: Kara Schut

CSS 110 - Computer Applications in Agronomy
Fall, Spring, Summer, 2 credits. Open only to students in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Not open to students with credit in CSE 101. Use of computers in agriculture. Basic computer operating systems. Management and use of storage media. Laboratory experience in word processing, spread sheets, data bases, programming languages, networking, and software related to agriculture. This course is available on-line via the MSU Virtual University (http://www.vu.msu.edu). Instructor: Dave Krauss

CSS 120 - Agricultural Industry Issues
Fall, 3 credits. Issues facing the agricultural industry. Role of government in addressing these issues. Instructor: Kara Schut

CSS 124 - Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Fall, Spring, 1 credit. Description: Impact of agricultural and social sciences on our food system. Contemporary research and movements involving agricultural and food system sustainability. Interdepartmental with Horticulture, Environmental Studies and Agriscience. Administered by Crop and Soil Sciences. Instructor: Julie Cotton

CSS 135 - Crop Scouting and Investigation
Spring of every year, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101. Crop production, pest scouting and other production problems, and field diagnoses. Interaction with agriculture clientele. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructors: Karen Renner and Kara Schut

CSS 151 - Seed and Grain Quality
Spring, 2 credits. Principles and practices of producing, conditioning, testing and marketing field crop seed. Grain grading and quality evaluation. Offered the first ten weeks of semester. Instructor: Larry Copeland

CSS 171 - Turfgrass Operations Budgeting
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 066 and CSS 067. Institute of Agricultural Technology. Fundamental business skills and techniques for golf course and other turfgrass operations. Budgeting, financial analysis, and purchasing/materials management. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructor: David Remick

CSS 178 - Turfgrass Irrigation
Spring, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 232. Turfgrass irrigation systems. Installation and maintenance including water management. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructor: Thom Nikolai

CSS 181 - Pesticide and Fertilizer Application Technology
Spring, 3 credits. Effective and efficient application of pesticides and fertilizers to turf; pesticide handling, legal, and environment concerns. Calibration of equipment. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructors: David Gilstrap and Kara Schut

CSS 192 - Professional Development Seminar I
Spring, 1 credit. Open only to students in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Career development, critical issues analysis, resume writing, scientific presentations and public speaking in crop and soil sciences. Instructor: Karen Renner

CSS 201 - Forage Crops
Fall, 3 credits. Forage crop production, management, and utilization. Crop identification. Soil fertilization. Planting and harvesting of grasses and legumes. Instructor: Richard Leep

CSS 202 - The World of Turf
Fall, 2 credits. Role of turf in society and the environment. Principles underlying establishment and maintenance of turf on athletic fields, parks, home lawns, and golf courses. Aesthetic, safety, and economic aspects of turfgrass management practices. Instructor: David Gilstrap

CSS 203 - Applied Turf Management
Fall, 1 credit. Prerequisite: CSS 202 or concurrently. Not open to students with credit in: CSS 232 Principles and practices for establishing and maintaining turf in residential and commercial lawns. Field trips required. Instructor: David Gilstrap

CSS 210 - Fundamentals of Soil Science
Fall, Spring, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CEM 141. Agricultural and natural resource ecosystems: soil, vegetation and ground water components. Energy, water and nutrient cycles. Soil classification and mapping. Land management and use issues. Interdepartmental with Forestry. Administered by Crop and Soil Sciences. Instructor: Jim Crum

CSS 211 - Turfgrass and the Environment
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 232. Open only to students in the Institute of Agricultural Technology. Pesticide and nutrient fate, site assessment, fuel use, equipment washing systems and criteria for recognizing sensitive sites. Conservation and best management practices to maximize protection of natural resources. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructor: Thom Nikolai

CSS 212 - Advanced Crop Production
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101. Systematic approach to production of field crops including: corn, soybeans, small grains, sugar beets and dry beans. Instructor: Kurt Thelen

CSS 222 - New Horizons in Biotechnology
Fall, 2 credits. Perspectives on biotechnology for safer food production, environmental quality, and improved human health. Impacts of biotechnology on the national economy. Political and ethical ramifications of applied biotechnology. Interdepartmental with Entomology. Administered by Crop and Soil Sciences. Interdepartmental with Entomology. Administered by Crop and Soil Sciences. Instructor: Mariam Sticklen

CSS 232 - Turfgrass Management
Fall, 4 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210 or concurrently, CSS 110 or CSE 101. Turfgrass utilization, identification, establishment and management principles. Responses to various cultural practices. Instructor: Trey Rogers

CSS 242 - Athletic Field Maintenance
Fall, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 232. Art and science of athletic field maintenance including root-zone modification, traffic wear management, field preparation techniques, wet weather strategies, safety concerns, legal issues, and crisis management. Field trips required. Instructor: David Gilstrap

CSS 251 - Organic Farming Principles and Practices
Spring, 3 credits. History and principles of organic farming. Farms as ecological systems. Certification process and agencies. Organic matter management, the soil food web, and nutrient availability. Biodiversity, crop rotations, plant competition, ground cover, and plant health. Integrating crops and animals. Organic animal husbandry. Field trip required. Interdepartmental with Horticulture. Administered by Horticulture.

CSS 262 - Turfgrass Management Seminar
Fall, 1 credit. Prerequisite: CSS 232 or concurrently. A student may earn a maximum of 2 credits in all enrollments for this course. Presentations by individuals involved in turfgrass and golf course management. Topics include golf course construction and operations, preparation for tournaments, and public relations. Instructor: Trey Rogers

CSS 264 - Golf Course Design
Fall, 2 credits. Concepts and theory of golf course design and construction including location, space, topography, clientele, and environmental concerns. Instructor: Judith Matthews

CSS 267 - Turfgrass Practices
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 232. Turfgrass establishment, renovation, and construction principles. Maintenance of golf course turf. Agronomic and management principles applied to golf course maintenance. Instructor: Trey Rogers

CSS 269 - Turfgrass Strategies
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 232. Issues in turfgrass management including employee relations, construction, and environmental problems. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructors: David Gilstrap and Trey Rogers

CSS 272 - Turfgrass Soil Fertility
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210. Not open to students with credit in: CSS 044 or CSS 342. Soil-plant relationships, soil acidity and alkalinity, macro- and micro-nutrients, fertilizer materials, soil fertility, evaluations, and fertilizer programming. This is a 10 week course. Instructor: Jim Crum

CSS 290 - Independent Study in Crop and Soil Sciences
Fall, Spring, Summer, variable from 1 to 3 credits. A student may earn a maximum of 6 credits in all enrollments for this course. Institute of Agricultural Technology. A student may earn a maximum of 6 credits in all enrollments for this course. Institute of Agricultural Technology. Planned learning experiences not part of regularly scheduled courses. Instructors: David Gilstrap and Trey Rogers

CSS 292 - Management of Turfgrass Weeds
Spring, 2 credits. Chemical, biological, and cultural methods of managing turfgrass weeds. Environmental considerations in weed management. Instructor: Ron Calhoun

CSS 294 - Issues in International Agriculture
Spring, 1 credit. Global issues related to food production, soil resources and sustainability of agriculture in developing and developed countries. Instructor: Russ Freed

CSS 302 - Principles of Weed Management
Fall of every year, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101 or PLB 105 or BS 111 or HRT 203 or CSS 232. Cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical weed management principles and practices. Environmental considerations. Instructor: Jim Kells

CSS 330 - Soil Chemistry
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210 and CEM 143. Organic and inorganic soil processes including mineralogy, adsorption, and precipitation. Chemistry of soil organic matter and inorganic soil components. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructor: Brian Teppen

CSS 340 - Applied Soil Physics
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210. Soil physical properties including solids, water, air, and heat. Transport processes in soil. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructor: Alvin Smucker

CSS 350 - Introduction to Plant Genetics
Spring, 3 credits. Prerequisite: BOT 105 or BS 111. Not open to freshmen or sophomores. Fundamentals of plant genetics with applications to agriculture and natural resources. Instructor: Karen Cichy

CSS 360 - Soil Biology
Fall, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210. Overview of organismal diversity and biological soil processes. Role of macroorganisms and microorganisms in soil processing, including nutrient cycling. Instructors: Phil Robertson and Sieglinde Snapp

CSS 382 - Turfgrass Physiology
Spring, 2 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 232, completion of the Tier I writing requirement. Not open to students with credit in: CSS 282, CSS 332, or CSS 068. Physiological principles of turfgrass growth and development. Water relations, light, temperature, respiration, photosynthesis, mineral nutrition, and hormone action. Impact of mowing, cultivation, and traffic on turfgrass growth. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Offered first ten weeks of semester. Instructor: Suzanne Lang

CSS 404 - Forest and Agricultural Ecology
Fall, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210 and BOT 105 or BS 110. Ecological interactions crucial to the sustainable management of crop and forest ecosystems. Plant resources, competition, community development and dynamics, biodiversity, primary productivity, nutrient cycling, ecosystem structure and function, and impacts of global environmental change. Interdepartmental with Forestry. Administered by Forestry.

CSS 404L - Forest and Agricultural Ecology Laboratory
Fall, 1 credit. Prerequisite: CSS 210 and BOT 105 or BS 110 and FOR 404 or concurrently. Field studies and data analysis of ecological processes central to the sustainable management of forest and agricultural resources. Field exercises cover primary production, community structure, soil resources, biodiversity, succession, nutrient cycling, critiques of primary literature. Two weekend field trips required. Interdepartmental with Forestry. Administered by Forestry.

CSS 425 - Microbial Ecology
Spring, 3 credits. Prerequisite: MIC 301. Microbial population and community interactions. Microbial activities in natural systems, including associations with plants or animals. Interdepartmental with Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Administered by Microbiology.

CSS 426 - Biogeochemistry
Summer, 3 credits. Prerequisite: BS 110 or LBS 144 or LBS 148H or BS 111 or LBS 145 or LBS 149H and CEM 143 or CEM 251. Integration of the principles of ecology, microbiology, geochemistry, and environmental chemistry. Societal applications of research in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Interdepartmental with Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Geological Sciences, Zoology. Administered by Microbiology.

CSS 431 - International Agricultural Systems
Spring of even years, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101 and CSS 210. World food and fiber production capacities related to soil and climatic resources. Management and utilization of genetic resources for sustained production of human foods and animal feeds. Instructor: Russ Freed

CSS 440 - Soil Biophysics
Fall of even years, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210. Not open to freshmen or sophomores. Plant growth properties and soil physical conditions which influence productivity. Principles and applications of soil texture, structure, mechanical impedance, aeration and water. Root responses to the environment. Instructor: Alvin Smucker

CSS 441 - Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
Spring of even years, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 350. Plant improvement by genetic manipulation. Genetic variability in plants. Traditional and biotechnological means of creating and disseminating recombinant genotypes and cultivars. Interdepartmental with Forestry, Horticulture. Administered by Crop and Soil Sciences. Instructor: Russ Freed

CSS 451 - Biotechnology Applications for Plant Breeding and Genetics
Spring, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 350 or ZOL 341. Principles, concepts, and techniques of agricultural plant biotechnology. Recombinant DNA technology, plant molecular biology, transformation, cell tissue, and organ culture in relation to plant improvement. Interdepartmental with Forestry, Horticulture. Administered by Crop and Soil Sciences. Instructor: David Douches

CSS 452 - Watershed Concepts
Fall, Spring, Summer, 3 credits. Prerequisite: RD 324 and ZOL 355. Watershed hydrology and management. The hydrologic cycle, water quality, aquatic ecosystems and social systems. Laws and institutions for managing water resources. Interdepartmental with Resource Development, Biosystems Engineering, Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife. Administered by Resource Development.

CSS 455 - Pollutants in the Soil Environment
Fall, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CEM 143 and completion of Tier I writing requirement. Open only to seniors or graduate students. Chemical and biological reactions of organic and inorganic pollutants in soils. Instructor: Steve Boyd

CSS 464 - Statistics for Biologists
Fall, 3 credits. Prerequisite: STT 421. Biological random variables. Estimation of population parameters. Testing hypotheses. Linear correlation and regression (prediction). Analyses of counted and measured data to compare several biological groups (contingency tables and analysis of variance). Interdepartmental with Statistics and Probability, Animal Science. Administered by Statistics and Probability. Instructor: Sasha Kravchenko

CSS 470 - Soil Resources
Fall, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 210. Not open to freshmen or sophomores. Evaluation of the properties, genesis, and classification of soil resources to assist in making land-use decisions. Field trips required. Instructor: Jim Crum

CSS 477 - Pest Mgt I: Pesticides in Management Systems
Fall, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CEM 143 or CEM 251 and BOT 405 and CSS 402 and ENT 404 or ENT 470 or FW 328. Chemistry, efficient use, and environmental fate of pesticides. Legal and social aspects of pesticide use. Interdepartmental with Entomology, Fisheries and Wildlife, Horticulture. Administered by Entomology.

CSS 478 - Pest Mgt II: Biological Components of Management Systems
Spring of even years, 3 credits. Prerequisite: ENT 404 or ENT 470 or BOT 405 or CSS 402 or FW 328 and completion of Tier I writing requirement. Principles of host plant resistance and biological control and their relationship to the design of agroecosystems. Classification of insect biological control agents. Interdepartmental with Entomology, Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife, Horticulture. Administered by Entomology.

CSS 480 - Soil Fertility and Management
Fall, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101, CSS 330, CSS 340, CSS 360, and CSS 470. Comprehensive management of agricultural soils. Soil fertility, including liming and fertilizer materials and other nutrient sources. Site specific management. Environmental impacts including soil erosion, runoff, and organic matter mineralization. Instructor: Lee Jacobs

CSS 486 - Biotechnology in Agriculture: Applications and Ethical Issues
Fall of even years, 3 credits. Prerequisite: BOT 105 or BS 111 and CSS 350 or ZOL 341. Not open to freshmen or sophomores. Current and future roles of biotechnology in agriculture: scientific basis, applications. Environmental, social, and ethical concerns. Interdepartmental with Horticulture, Forestry, Philosophy. Administered by Horticulture.

CSS 488 - Agricultural Cropping Systems: Integration and Problem Solving
Spring, 3 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101 and CSS 210 and completion of the Tier I writing requirement. Open only to seniors in CANR. Integration and synthesis of agronomic and related concepts in agricultural cropping systems. Problem solving and application of information. Instructor: Karen Renner

CSS 490 - Independent Study
Fall, Spring, Summer, variable from 1 to 4 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101 or CSS 210. A student may earn a maximum of 8 credits in all enrollments for this course. Approval of department; application required. Individual work on field, laboratory, or library research problem of special interest to the student.

CSS 491 - Special Topics
Fall, Spring, Summer, variable from 1 to 4 credits. Prerequisite: CSS 101 or CSS 210. A student may earn a maximum of 8 credits in all enrollments for this course. Topics from crop production, crop physiology, turfgrass management, organic soils, turfgrass soils, soil fertility, plant and soil relationships, genetics, biotechnology, environmental science, or sustainable agriculture.

CSS 492 - Professional Development Seminar II
Fall, 1 credit. Prerequisite: CSS 210 and CSS 342 or CSS 370 and completion of Tier I writing requirement. Open only to seniors in in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Synthesis, integration and application of agronomic principles to current issues in agronomy via discussion and oral and written communication. Instructor: Taylor Johnston

CSS 493 - Professional Internship in Crop and Soil Sciences
Fall, Spring, Summer, 3 credits. A student may earn a maximum of 6 credits in all enrollments for this course. Approval of department; application required. Supervised professional experiences in agencies and businesses related to Crop and Soil Sciences and Environmental Soil Sciences. Instructors: Jim Crum and Taylor Johnston

CSS 499 - Undergraduate Research
Fall, Spring, Summer, 3 credits. Approval of department; application required. Faculty supervised research in a selected area of crop and soil sciences or environmental soil science. CSS 499 application form is available here. Instructor: Alvin Smucker