UNL Distance Courses Cover Genetics, Precision Ag, Specialty Grains

UNL Distance Courses Cover Genetics, Precision Ag, Specialty Grains

December 14, 2007

For Spring 2008, the UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture is offering the following distance-delivered mini-courses for academic credit, noncredit professional development and CEU credit.

Visit the department's Distance Education and Life-Long Learning Program Web site for more information or contact Cathy Dickinson at (402) 472-1730. Individuals interested in taking courses for noncredit or CEU credit can register online through the ADEC eStore at: https://estore.adec.edu.

Crop and Weed Genetics: January 14 - February 18. Noncredit
Registration Fee: $150 ($200 after January 7)
This mini-course focuses on the genetic basis for variation observed in the field among crop varieties and weed populations, and provides insights into the development of new traits in crop varieties. Students learn how to apply classical and molecular genetic principles to explain variation observed in plant families and populations, and to intrepret information gathered from whole-plant trait observation and molecular analysis. Examples from genetic studies on both crop and weed species are presented for student evaluation, and the relationships between crops and weeds are discussed.

Turf Diseases: January 14 - March 7. Noncredit
Registration Fee: $150 ($200 after January 7)
In this mini-course, students are introduced to turf diseases, including current and emerging diseases. Emphasis is on diseases prevalent in the Great Plains area of the U.S.; concepts will apply to turf diseases occurring in other parts of the world. Topics include pathogen biology, disease cycles, epidemiology and plant health management strategies.

Animal, Food and Industry Uses of Grain: January 14 - February 29. Noncredit
Registration Fee: $150 ($200 after January 7)
This mini-course is an introduction to genetic development and production practices and procedures for drying, handling and storing grain intended for special end-uses. Topics discussed include the processing and utilization of corn and sorghum grain for animal, human and industrial uses; and grain quality characterstics for various end-uses and their measurement.

Production of Specialty Grain Crops: March 3 - April 18. Noncredit
Registration Fee: $150 ($200 after February 25)
This mini-course is an introduction to plant breeding and the production and handling of grain for animal, food and industrial uses. Topics discussed include the principles of plant breeding and molecular genetics; the influence of production practices on grain quality; and preservation of grain quality from field to processor, with emphasis on grain drying, strorage and handling practices on-farm and in the elevator. Case studies involving successful specialty grain entrepreneurs are also presented.

Specialty Grain Utilization Package (includes both of the above specialty grain courses): January 14 - April 18.
Registration Fee: $250

Spatial Variability in Soils: February 1 - May 2.
Registration Fee: $150.
Course begins with optional one-day workshop February 1 at the Midtown Holiday Inn in Grand Island. Topics discussed in this precision ag mini-course include: Why it's important to understand spatial variability; what's manageable, what's not; sources and scales of variability; spatial information resources, public and self-generated; spatial tools, such as GPS and GIS; and introduction to quantifying variability.

Advanced Plant Breeding Topics: February 6 - March 6.
Registration Fee: $150 ($200 after January 30)
This mini-course focuses on plant breeding for high- and low-yielding environments, selection versus evaluation environments, the concept of genotype by environmental interactions--what they mean and how they are measured, the importance of understanding crossover interactions, and breeding for "droughty" environments as an example of stressful, low-yielding environments.

Online Master of Science in Agronomy

With a focus on industry applications and research, the online program is designed with maximum flexibility for today's working professionals.

A field of corn.