HS 541 Plant Breeding Methods – Fall, every year.

Overview of plant breeding methods for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. Covers principles and concepts of inheritance, germplasm resources, pollen control, measurement of genetic variances, and heterosis. Special topics include heritability, genotype-environment interaction, disease resistance, and polyploidy. In-depth coverage on methods for breeding cross-pollinated and self-pollinated crops. Prepares students for advanced plant breeding courses

HS 590 Special Problems in Horticultural Science: Data Science Applications in Plant Breeding – Spring, every year.

This applied data science course is designed to broaden the analytical skills of graduate students already engaged in plant breeding research. While students typically develop a deep working knowledge of the specific projects required for their graduate work, this course provides structured opportunities to gain experience with diverse data science approaches beyond their primary research focus. By connecting students with real-world projects from faculty across Crop and Soil Sciences and Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University, the course develops versatile computational competencies valuable across modern plant breeding programs.

Computing Skills in Plant Breeding Workshop – Spring break, every year.

Computing skills are essential for plant breeders in various aspects of your work, enabling you to manage large genetic, phenotypic, and environmental datasets and conduct complex statistical analyses for decision-making. During this five-day, hands-on workshop, you will master computing skills that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and innovation in plant breeding, ultimately leading to the development of improved crop varieties.