Horticulture and Agronomy Graduate Group

The Graduate Group in Horticulture & Agronomy (GGHA) offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees for students interested in the science and management of agricultural crops, including rangelands, and their ecology, physiology, genetics, and post-harvest management, as well as the interaction of crops with the environment. Research and academic programs in GGHA integrate disciplines and focus on the scientific principles and applied practices of crop, soil and system to improve crop yield, quality, and resilience while conserving the resource base we depend upon. Our academic programs offer state of the art facilities to conduct your research, advising and mentoring as well as hands-on learning and coursework to equip students with the skills necessary for careers in research, academia, extension, industry and governmental and non governmental agencies. With an increasing global focus on food security and climate change adaptation, GGHA students and alumni play a critical role in advancing agricultural sustainability and resilience worldwide.

PhD students focus on one of five areas of emphasis: agroecology, crop improvement/plant breeding, crop production systems, plant physiology, and post-harvest biology/physiology.  Research may be conducted within these areas with an applied and/or basic focus in the context of a crop or cropping system (ie. rangeland, small grains, environmental horticulture, pomology, vegetable crops, viticulture and weed science). The M.S. program is designed to focus on a cropping system and student can specialize in one of a number of areas, including agroecology, biotechnology, breeding and crop improvement, crop physiology, crop production, floriculture, landscape horticulture, mineral nutrition, modeling, nursery production, pest management, plant growth and development, postharvest physiology, revegetation/restoration, and water relations.