Classes I teach or co-teach:

PL BR 604 Methods of Plant Breeding Laboratory

Fall. 2 credits. Prerequisite: PL BR 403 or equivalent (may be taken concurrently). T R 1:25-4:15.
Field trips to plant breeding programs involve discussion of breeding methods used, overall goals, selection and screening techniques, and variety and germ plasm release. Additional labs include use of computers in plant breeding research and selection techniques for disease resistance. For a term project each student designs a comprehensive breeding program on a chosen crop.

PL BR 716 Perspectives In Plant Breeding Strategies

Spring-odd years. 3 credits. S-U grades optional. Prerequisite: PL BR 403. W 3:35-5:15, F 3:35-5:15.
Emphasis is on discussion and evaluation of selected benchmark papers and current literature. Selection techniques and breeding objectives, methods, and strategies for both self- and cross-pollinated crops are reviewed and discussed. Extensive outside reading is required. Grades are based on 4 short essays.

PL BR 717 Quantitative Genetics In Plant Breeding

Spring-even years. 3 credits. S-U grades optional. Prerequisites: PL BR 403 and BTRY 601 or equivalent. M W F 2:30-3:20. Offered even years. D. R. Viands and M. E. Sorrells.
Discussion about quantitative genetics and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for more efficient plant breeding. Specific topics include components of variance (estimated from various mating designs): theory and computer analysis for QTL, population structure, multiple locus regressions, and interval analysis; heritability; theoretical gain from selection; and genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients. During one period, plants in the greenhouse will be evaluated to provide data for computing quantitative genetic parameters.