Plant Agriculture
The MSc and PhD programs in the Department of Plant Agriculture offer specialization in four broad fields of the Plant Sciences:
- Plant Breeding and Genetics has long been a key focus of our faculty and students. Through breeding and biotechnology, Guelph researchers help society by developing new field-crop, fruit, ornamental and vegetable cultivars that are grown in Canada and worldwide. Also, Plant Agriculture faculty and students seek both to understand the fundamental mechanisms that enable plant improvements and to discover novel methodologies and technologies that will be the foundation for future advances.
- Plant Biochemistry and Physiology is a broad discipline. Faculty and students in this area study the response of plants to environmental change and plant development at the ecosystem, whole plant, and molecular levels. Students investigate ecologically friendly management strategies, study underlying molecular and biochemical mechanisms that regulate plant development, investigate how plant performance can be optimized in the field or closed environments, and contribute to cultivar development
- Crop Production Systems research seeks to develop or test agricultural management strategies for yield improvement and economically and environmentally sound production practices in field and horticultural crops such as ornamentals and turf. Students assist producers and industry in the control of weeds, insects and plant diseases, and investigate new management protocols for production of high quality crops.
- Bioproducts is a multi-disciplinary field and will deal with background sciences ranging from chemical engineering to plant science. Students deal with products and materials made from cellulose, oil, protein, starch and other compounds derived from various plant parts such as seeds, stalks/stovers, hulls and cobs of crop plants. Students will develop their expertise in analytical methods, factors affecting quality of plant-derived raw materials, engineering (including bioengineering of bioproducts) biomaterials and biocomposites.
Administrative Staff
Chair
Hugh Earl (314 Crop Science Building, Ext. 58568)
hjearl@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Coordinator
Istvan Rajcan (317 Crop Science Building, Ext. 53564)
irajcan@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Coordinator
Max Jones (4221 Bovey Building, Ext. 53016)
amjones@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Program Assistant
Tara Israel (1103 Bovey Building, Ext. 56077)
pagrad@uoguelph.ca
Graduate Faculty
This list may include Regular Graduate Faculty, Associated Graduate Faculty and/or Graduate Faculty from other universities.
Helen Booker
B.Sc., M.Sc. Guelph, PhD West Indies - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Gale G. Bozzo
B.Sc., M.Sc. York, PhD Queen's - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
John A. Cline
B.Sc. Guelph, M.Sc. Michigan State, PhD London UK - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Sylvie Cloutier
B.Sc. Laval, M.Sc. Guelph, PhD Montreal - Principal Research Scientist
Associated Graduate Faculty
Hugh J. Earl
B.Sc., M.Sc. Guelph, PhD Western Ontario - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Michelle Edwards
BSc, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, M.Sc. Dalhousie, PhD Guelph - Statistics Consultant, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph
Associated Graduate Faculty
Mehrzad Eskandari
B.Sc., Arsenjan Azad Univ., M.Sc., Karaj Azad Univ., PhD Guelph - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Duane E. Falk
B.Sc., M.Sc. Montana State, PhD Guelph - Professor Emeritus, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph
Associated Graduate Faculty
Christopher L. Gillard
B.Sc., M.Sc., Guelph - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Bruce Gossen
B.Sc., PhD, Saskatchewan - Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon
Associated Graduate Faculty
Bernard Grodzinski
B.Sc. Toronto, M.Sc., PhD York, MA Cambridge - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Xuiming Hao
B.Sc. Shandong Agricultural, M.Sc. Nanjing Agricultural, PhD Guelph - Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Harrow
Associated Graduate Faculty
David C. Hooker
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
A. Maxwell P. Jones
B.Sc., M.Sc. Guelph, PhD British Columbia - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Katerina S. Jordan
BS, MS Maryland, PhD Rhode Island - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Melanie L. Kalischuk
B.Sc. Lethbridge, M.Sc. Alberta, PhD Lethbridge - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Elizabeth A. Lee
B.Sc. Minnesota, M.Sc. Iowa State, PhD Missouri - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Lewis N. Lukens
B.Sc. Carleton College, PhD Minnesota - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Eric M. Lyons
B.Sc. Northern Iowa, PhD Pennsylvania State - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Mary Ruth McDonald
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Barry J. Micallef
B.Sc., M.Sc. Guelph, PhD UW Madison - Associate Professor
Graduate Faculty
Amar K. Mohanty
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Utkal - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Joshua Nasielski
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Robert Nurse
B.Sc. Western Ontario, M.Sc. Guelph, PhD Cornell - Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Harrow
Associated Graduate Faculty
Eric Page
B.Sc. Western Ontario, M.Sc. Washington State, PhD Guelph - Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Harrow
Associated Graduate Faculty
K. Peter Pauls
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Waterloo - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Curtis Pozniak
B.Sc., PhD Saskatchewan - Professor, University of Saskatchewan
Associated Graduate Faculty
Manish N. Raizada
B.Sc. Western, PhD Stanford - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Istvan Rajcan
B.Sc. Novi Sad (Yugoslavia), PhD Guelph - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Darren E. Robinson
B.Sc. Winnipeg, M.Sc. Manitoba, PhD Guelph - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Praveen K. Saxena
B.Sc. Meerut, M.Sc. Lucknow, PhD Delhi - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Arthur W. Schaafsma
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Retired Faculty, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph
Associated Graduate Faculty
Kimberley Schneider
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
Peter H. Sikkema
B.Sc., M.Sc. Guelph, PhD Western Ontario - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Jayasankar Subramanian
B.Sc., M.Sc. TamilNadu Agricultural (India), PhD Florida - Professor
Graduate Faculty
John Sulik
B.Sc., MS, PhD Florida State - Assistant Professor
Graduate Faculty
J. Alan Sullivan
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Laval - Retired Faculty, Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph
Associated Graduate Faculty
Clarence J. Swanton
B.Sc. Toronto, M.Sc. Guelph, PhD Western Ontario - University Professor Emeritus
Associated Graduate Faculty
Francois Tardif
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Laval - Professor
Graduate Faculty
Davoud Torkamaneh
B.Sc. Applied Science & Technology, M.Sc., PhD Laval - Research Assistant, Universite Laval
Associated Graduate Faculty
Cheryl Trueman
B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD Guelph - Technical Lead, Syngenta Canada Inc.
Rene C. Van Acker
B.Sc., M.Sc. Guelph, PhD Reading - Professor and Dean, Ontario Agricultural College
Graduate Faculty
David J. Wolyn
BS Rutgers, MS, PhD Wisconsin - Professor
Graduate Faculty
MSc Program
Admission Requirements
Applicants should have a baccalaureate degree in an honours plant science/biology program, or the equivalent, from a recognized university or college with an average academic standing of at least 'B' during the last two years of full-time study (or equivalent). To assist in identifying a suitable thesis advisor(s), applicants should submit a short statement of research interests. Supportive letters of reference are essential and should outline the applicant's strengths and weaknesses. Students may be admitted in the Fall, Winter or Summer semesters. The University of Guelph requires that applicants from some foreign institutions have a MSc (or equivalent) degree before they are considered for admission to the University of Guelph's MSc program.
Program Requirements
MSc students conduct basic and/or applied research on topics within the four program fields.
A program of prescribed courses (at least 1.50 credits of 6000 level courses) and additional courses is established with the student's advisory committee. All MSc candidates must complete a thesis and present a seminar in conjunction with the final oral examination. Students are required to participate in PLNT*6400 Seminar and in a Departmental Colloquium course dealing with current topics. Students are expected to participate in Departmental events, with particular emphasis on seminar series.
PhD Program
The Department of Plant Agriculture offers a PhD program in four broad fields of the Plant Sciences:
- Plant Breeding and Genetics;
- Plant Biochemistry and Physiology;
- Crop Production Systems; and
- Bioproducts.
Students conduct research on topics within these fields.
Admission Requirements
The usual requirement for admission into the PhD program is a MSc degree by thesis in a field appropriate to their proposed area of specialization with a minimum 'B' average and supportive letters of reference. Direct admission to the PhD program is permitted to applicants holding an honours baccalaureate degree and demonstrating extraordinary academic and research capabilities. It is also possible for a student to transfer from the MSc without completing the requirements for that degree if the student has an excellent academic record and has strong research progress that can be expanded to the doctoral level. The request for transfer must be initiated by the student and must be done no earlier than the end of the second semester and no later than the end of the fourth semester. Applicants should submit a statement of research interests, background experiences, and career goals to assist in the identification of an appropriate faculty adviser with the resources necessary to support the thesis research. Students may be admitted in the Fall, Winter or Spring semesters. In some instances, applicants who already hold a MSc may be required to initially register in the MSc program.
Program Requirements
The major emphasis in the PhD program is on research and the preparation and defense of an acceptable thesis. All PhD candidates must complete a thesis and present a seminar in conjunction with the final oral examination. Students are required to participate in PLNT*6400 Seminar and in a Departmental Colloquium course dealing with current topics. There are no other specific course requirements. It is usual for most students, in consultation with their advisory committee, to select some appropriate courses in preparation for the qualifying examination and thesis research. The qualifying examination is in two parts (written and oral) and evaluates the student's knowledge of their field of specialization and related topics. The qualifying examination is taken no later than the fifth semester. For students who have transferred from the MSc program or have been admitted directly to the PhD program from a BSc, the qualifying examination is taken no later than the seventh semester. The advisory committee is required to submit a written evaluation of the student's performance in research and the student's potential as a researcher. Upon completion of the qualifying examination, the student becomes a candidate for the PhD degree.
All students are expected to participate in Departmental events, with particular emphasis on seminar series.
Collaborative Specializations
International Development Studies
The Department of Plant Agriculture participates in the PhD collaborative specialization in International Development Studies (IDS). Please consult the International Development Studies listing for a detailed description of the PhD collaborative specialization.
Toxicology
The Department of Plant Agriculture participates in the master's/doctoral collaborative specialization in toxicology. Please consult the Toxicology listing for a detailed description of the master's/doctoral collaborative specialization.
Courses
This course covers factors affecting biomass production and yield, with primary focus on phenomena measured at the whole canopy scale. Yield-limiting abiotic stresses (temperature, water deficit, nutrient deficiency) are considered in detail, as are technical aspects of instrumentation used in crop physiology research.
This course focuses on the epidemiology and management of plant diseases including infection cycles, host-pathogen interactions and disease progress curves, and how the science informs disease management strategies. Students will explore the scientific literature and participate in presentations and discussions.
The practical consideration of genetic theory and biological limitations to improving plant populations and developing cultivars are discussed. Current and emerging breeding methodologies and sources of variation used to achieve plant breeding goals are examined through lectures, paper discussion, site visits and invited talks.
The course is primarily intended to address science and technology aspects of fruits and vegetables, with specific reference to storage, packaging, quality, processing, products and ingredients, health regulatory properties and biotechnology issues. Methods of instruction include lectures and seminars. Students are evaluated during their seminar presentations, term papers and participation in discussions.
This course explores current concepts and approaches to managing pathogens and diseases in detail but other methods (e.g. genetic resistance) will be presented as well. Offered in conjunction with PBIO*4070. Extra work is required of graduate students.
Fundamentals of quantitative genetics. Topics include gene and genotype frequencies means, variances, covariances and resemblance among relatives. Lecture topics are expanded through discussion of classic and current papers.
This course provides a comprehensive study of the major herbicide groups. The various herbicide groups will be discussed under the following topics: herbicide uptake and translocation, herbicide mode of action, herbicide selectivity, weeds controlled and crop injury.
An open discussion course designed to review and critically analyze contemporary issues in plant physiology and biochemistry.
An open discussion course designed to review and critically analyze contemporary issues in crop production and management.
An open discussion course designed to review and critically analyse contemporary issues in plant genetics and breeding.
A lecture and discussion course examining the underlying principles of genetics and the recent advances in plant genetics. Topics include: structure of the genome, experiments to measure and experimentally describe phenotypes, population structures, and molecular basis of inheritance of a phenotype.
This lecture-based course critically analyzes the agroecosystem in field crop, horticulture, turfgrass and greenhouse industries. Agroecosystem design is considered in relation to key components such as crop rotation and management of soil, nutrient and water supply. The significance of plant function, soil properties, and nutrient and water cycles to agroecosystem design are examined. Metrics of productivity and environmental sustainability serve to focus discussion on agroecosystem optimization.
This course focuses on the ecological principles that are important in understanding the potential for a plant species to become invasive. Students are able to use this knowledge to facilitate management of these species under field conditions.
A lecture and discussion course examining classical and molecular genetic investigations to understand the genetic basis and regulation of physiological and developmental processes in plants.
A comprehensive examination of the metabolic mechanisms and versatility whereby autotrophic organisms sustain themselves. Emphasis is placed on our current understanding of the regulation and integration of metabolic processes in plants and their physiological and agricultural significance including available research methodologies. Students should have an undergraduate course in biochemistry prior to registering in the course.
A comprehensive analysis of the metabolism and roles of natural products in plants. Emphasis is placed on the distinction between secondary and primary processes, and the composition, detection, and regulation of the biosynthesis, modification and turnover of natural products. Key research methodologies and the roles of natural products in abiotic and biotic stresses and their effects on human health are discussed.
This course examines principles of plant breeding in self- and cross-pollinated crops. Additional topics include crop domestication, mating systems, heritability, gain from selection, disease resistance, polyploidy, marker assisted selection and government regulations. Offered in conjunction with MBG*4160. Extra work is required of graduate students.
All graduate students present a departmental seminar on their research proposal in their second or third semester. Each student is expected to participate in the seminars of colleagues and faculty.
A field course designed to increase student's knowledge of primary field and animal agricultural production systems, to explore the environmental and political issues related to international agriculture, and to understand the role of agri-business in the rural economy.
This course covers current methods for making use of large molecular data sets to identify the genes that control traits, to characterize genes' functions, and to infer genetic relationships among individuals. It focuses on case studies and current research in agriculture, environmental biology, and medicine to introduce molecular data analysis methods, including analyzing genome sequences, constructing nucleotide alignments, constructing phylogenies, and finding motifs and genes in biological sequences. Lab sessions include an introduction to Unix and Python/R for the biologist and hands-on use of several molecular data analysis problems. Offered conjunction with BIOL*3300. Distinct work is required of graduate students.
A study of selected contemporary topics in plant science. Proposed course descriptions are considered by the Department of Plant Agriculture on an ad hoc basis, and the course is offered according to demand.
Other Courses
UNIV*6020 Experimental Design and Applied Data Analysis for the Agricultural Sciences