About the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science
The faculty of the Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Department are among the best in the nation in teaching and research. Our faculty are superb instructors as well as nationally or internationally recognized experts in wide-ranging specialties. They are recognized for their scholarship and research-led teaching in agronomy, bioinformatics, crop production, entomology, genetics/plant breeding, horticulture, plant pathology, plant physiology, soil science and weed science.
The ultimate objective of the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science teaching and learning programs is to prepare graduates with distinctive attributes. Our course curriculum has been designed to provide students experiential learning opportunities that enable them to be highly competitive in the job market. Our faculty provide an atmosphere of intellectual excitement to stimulate the curiosity of our students. This provides students with a vibrant campus experience that will remain with them for a lifetime.
The department has a robust research program that consistently ranks at, or near, the top of departments at SDSU for research expenditures and productivity. Many of our faculty are nationally recognized for their achievements in teaching, research and Extension including two South 啵啵直播秀 Hall of Fame inductees.
Dissemination of science-based knowledge is a core mission of the Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science. Our faculty Extension specialists and our field specialists ensure that we meet this responsibility to the people of South 啵啵直播秀 and the region.
Vision
The Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science enhances engaged learning, inspires scientific discoveries, and delivers outreach that empowers sustainable management of plant biosystems and natural resources.
Mission
Discover and disseminate knowledge in the plant sciences to enhance economic development and quality of life in South 啵啵直播秀 and beyond.
Strategic Goals
- As a regional and national leader, we will impact society at all levels through innovative and excellent undergraduate academic programs in agronomy, horticulture and precision agriculture, and graduate programs in plant science.
- We will be a nationally recognized research leader in plant biosystems and natural resources.
- We will provide indispensable outreach and social engagement to the people of South 啵啵直播秀, the region and the world in the area of plant biosystems and natural resources.
- We will provide the human, fiscal and infrastructure resources needed for program success.
Department History
- 1886 鈥 First course in 鈥淧ractical Agriculture鈥 marks the beginning of agronomy instruction.
- 1887 鈥 Agriculture Experiment Station founded, initiation of crop research.
Aldrich joins faculty starts entomology instruction - 1895 鈥 N. E. Hansen joins faculty 鈥 starts horticultural instruction.
- 1897 鈥 First departments formed, these include geology-agronomy and horticulture-forestry.
- 1903 鈥 Department of Agronomy formed.
- 1920 鈥 Department of Entomology-Zoology formed.
- 1940 鈥 Buchholtz joins faculty and starts plant pathology.
- 1947 鈥 Department of Plant Pathology formed.
- 1955 鈥 Landscape design option added to horticulture-forestry.
- 1963 鈥 Parks management option added to horticulture-forestry.
- 1967 鈥 Department of Horticulture Forestry Landscape and Parks (HFLP) formed.
- 1969 鈥 Agronomy and plant pathology merge to form Department of Plant Science.
- 1979 鈥 Entomology joins Department of Plant Science.
- 2011 鈥 HFLP joins Department of Plant Science.
- 2016 鈥 Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science formed.
