PLANT SCIENCES 360: HORTICULTURAL FOOD CROPS

Dr. Asunta (Susie) Thompson

Office: Loftsgard 370F

Phone: 231.8160

Cell: 701.799.8536

Potato Storage: 231.1051

Email: asunta.thompson@ndsu.edu

OFFICE HOURS
12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Please feel free to stop by anytime – if not in, check potato storage or try my cell.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Horticultural Food Crops explores the history, classification, culture, physiological principles, post-harvest handling, and marketing of major fruit and vegetable crops.

OBJECTIVES
Students will:

1. Discover the importance of commercial fruit and vegetable crops in U.S. agriculture, and their contribution to the national economy and the human diet.
   
2. Investigate the history, classification, culture, disease and pest issues, post-harvest handling, and marketing of selected fruits and vegetables.
   
3. Apply their knowledge regarding environmental and cultural requirements of a crop, and how those requirements impact the crops production and utilization by growers and industry personnel.
   
4. Identify fruits, vegetables, and plant parts.
   
5. Practice critical thinking, written and oral communication skills through experience presenting a vegetable or fruit lesson to the class, group projects, and reading log. Additionally, the sutdent may also to enhance their computer (power point useage; perhaps internet tools in acquiring useful information) and team skills.

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS

1. Swiader, J.M., and G.W. Ware. 2002. Producing Vegetable Crops, 5th edition. Interstate Publishers, Inc, Danville, Illinois. 658 pp.
   
2. Gordon, D. 1992 Growing Fruit in the Upper Midwest. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. 286 pp.

READING ASSIGNMENTS
Students are encouraged to read the assigned chapters and material prior to each lecture period. Reading text material and that found in additional references will aid in the understanding and retention of information presented during the lecture period. Students should keep a reading log. The log should include one discovery (‘ Eureka’!), one point of contention, and one question, that were stimulated by the reading. Additionally, you may add an experience (‘hands on’, field trip, additional literature, etc.) that might be interesting or appropriate to help you understand or practice a concept.

ADDITIONALREFERENCES
Books
Anon. 1987. Taylor’s Guide to Vegetables and Herbs. Houghton Mifflin Co., New York. 479 pp.

Childers, N.F., J.R. Morris, and G.S. Sibbett. 1995. Modern Fruit Science, 10th edition. Horticultural Publications, Gainesville, Florida. 632 pp.

Galletta, G.J. and D.G. Himelrick. 1990. Small Fruit Crop Management. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. 602 pp.

Holmes, R. (ed.). Taylor’s Guide to Fruits and Berries. Houghton Mifflin Co., New York. 451 pp.

Maynard, D.N. and G.J. Hochmuth. 1997 Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers, 4th edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 582 pp.

Nonnecke, I.L. 1989 Vegetable Production. AVI-Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 657 pp.

Rubatzky, V.E. and M. Yamguchi. 1997. World Vegetables: Principles, Production, and Nutritive Values. Chapman and Hall, New York. 843 pp.

Salunkhe, D.K., and S.S. Kadam. 1998. Handbook of Vegetable Science and Technology: Production, Composition, Storage, and Processing. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York. 721 pp.

Spittstoesser, W.E. 1990. Vegetable Growing Handbook, 3rd edition. AVI Publishing Co., Wesport, Connecticut. 362 pp.

Westwood, M.N. 1993. Temperate-Zone Pomology. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 523 pp.

Journals and Relevant Publications
Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science
HortScience
HortTechnology
American Vegetable Grower
The Grower
American Pomological Society Fruit Varieties Journal
Fruit Grower
The Packer
Fruit Grower News
The American Journal of Potato Research
Potato Research

PROJECTS
Individual Project
Each student will select a fruit or vegetable not discussed in class that they are interested in. A 15-minute (approximately) power point presentation on the crop will be made to the class at the end of the vegetable or fruit sections of the class. The project is worth 100 points. Information to present, may include, but is not limited to production statistics, botany, nutritional aspects for consumers, current cultivars and market classes, environmental requirements, cultural practices, plant protection requirements, harvest and handling information, storage regimen and marketing. Three to five study questions based upon the presentation should be turned in at time of the presentation.

Group Projects
Two projects will provide opportunity for the students to learn about facets associated with the vegetable and fruit industries. For each, the groups will provide a 10 minute presentation to the class based on a topic assigned or suggested. Power Point presentations are suggested; a copy of the presentation, or a paper, will be submitted following the presentation. Each project is worth 50 points and participation by all group members is essential.

Service Learning
Students will use a team approach to developing a service learning project for PLSC 360. Groups will research, make contacts, develop and tentatively carry out a project in the Fargo-Moorhead area. The project will be worth 50 points.

A 630-700
B 560-629
C 490-559
D 420-489
F <420

Late Assignments and Make-Up Exams
Each day an assignment is late 10% of the value will be deducted. If illness or a University activity interferes with an exam date or project deadline, please try to inform me prior to the event. A make-up exam will be scheduled.

HONOR SYSTEM
All work in this course must be completed in a manner consistent with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 335: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct (http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/335.htm). Students are reminded that all classes in the College of Agriculture are covered by the Honor System, our system of student self-government for academic honesty. Any indication of dishonesty will be referred to the Honor’s Commission composed of fellow students. Based upon evidence of dishonesty, I retain the privilege of deducting points from a test or project. Appropriate methods are available for appeal. For further information regarding the instructor and student responsibilities, means of appeal, etc., please refer to http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/academics/honor.htm.

SPECIAL NEEDS
Any students with disabilities who need special accommodation in this course are encouraged to speak with the instructor as soon as possible in order to make appropriate arrangements for these accommodations.

PLANT SCIENCES 360: HORTICULTURAL FOOD CROPS
Spring Semester 2007

LESSON SCHEDULE