Specialization: Plant Biology
THIS SPECIALIZATION MAY BE TAKEN WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MAJORS: Environmental Biology and Life Sciences.
The Plant Biology specialization emphasizes the study of plants from their cellular structure to their role in the ecosystem.
You will examine the structure and development of plants in the context of their function as the primary producers on earth. You will learn about the physiology and biochemistry of plants from the basics of photosynthesis to the production of chemical compounds used for defense against herbivores, pests and pathogens.
You will also develop skills in plant identification, plant propagation, and molecular methods for studying plants and fungi. You will learn how natural selection has shaped the diversity of plants, explore the dynamics of plant communities in the ecosystem, and appreciate the role of plants in society as the source of food, fiber, fuel, medicinal compounds and ornamental.
Plant Biology (B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.)) (24 credits)
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences听(Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Program credit weight: 24
Program Description
This specialization emphasizes the study of plants from the cellular to the organismal level. The structure, physiology, development, evolution, and ecology of plants will be studied. Most courses offer laboratory classes that expand on the lecture material and introduce students to the latest techniques in plant biology. Many laboratory exercises use the excellent research and field facilities at the Morgan Arboretum, 9I制作厂免费 Herbarium, Emile A. Lods Agronomy Research Centre, the Horticultural Centre and the Plant Science greenhouses as well as 9I制作厂免费 field stations. Students may undertake a research project under the guidance of a member of the Plant Science Department as part of their studies. Graduates with the specialization may continue in post-graduate study or work in the fields of botany, mycology, molecular biology, ecology, conservation, or environmental science.
For information on academic advising, see:
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to . A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.
Required Courses (9 credits)
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| PLNT 353 | Plant Structure and Function. | 3 |
Plant Structure and Function. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The general anatomy and physiology of vascular plants with emphasis on how physiological processes influence function. |
| PLNT 358 | Flowering Plant Diversity. | 3 |
Flowering Plant Diversity. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Principles of classification and identification of flowering plants and ferns, with emphasis on 35 major families of flowering plants and the habitats in which they grow. |
| PLNT 426 | Plant Ecophysiology. | 3 |
Plant Ecophysiology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 This course investigates the complex interactions between plants and their environment, focusing on the mechanisms underlying plant physiological processes. Plasticity of plants to their ecological environment; topics include phytoremediation, plant stress responses, plant-symbiosis and plant-insect interactions. |
Complementary Courses (15 credits)
15 credits of complementary courses selected from:
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| ANSC 326 | Fundamentals of Population Genetics. | 3 |
Fundamentals of Population Genetics. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Population genetics mechanisms in mammals, birds and plant. Factors influencing gene, genotype, and phenotypic frequencies. Effects of different types of selection, Hardy-Weinberg, linkage and recombination, polymorphisms and heterozygosity, population size, random drift and inbreeding on gene and genotype frequencies. Relationship between quantitative genetic parameters and gene frequencies. |
| BINF 511 | Bioinformatics for Genomics. | 3 |
Bioinformatics for Genomics. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Bioinformatics methods and reasoning in relation to genomics, proteomics and metabolomics strategies with an emphasis on functional genomics data. The course will cover introduction to UNIX, Perl programming, data processing and integration, file parsing, relational database design and implementation, angled towards solutions relevant for genomics. |
| ENVB 313 | Phylogeny and Biogeography. | 3 |
Phylogeny and Biogeography. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Topics in the interface of evolution, phylogenetics, and biogeography, including tree thinking, phylogeny estimation, and the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity. The major scientific discoveries that demonstrated how Earth鈥檚 history affects the evolution of organisms, including the unheard voices of evolutionary biology. |
| PLNT 304 | Biology of Fungi. | 3 |
Biology of Fungi. Terms offered: Winter 2026 This course describes the various groups of fungi and explores in depth their biology and physiology, their ecological niches and the role in various ecosystems and their benefits and uses in industry and biotechnology. |
| PLNT 305 | Plant Pathology. | 3 |
Plant Pathology. Terms offered: Fall 2025 The theory and concepts of plant pathology, including the disease cycle, infection, symptoms, resistance, epidemiology and control. The biology and taxonomy of pathogens will be studied, including fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. Techniques of inoculation, isolation of pathogens from diseased plants, disease diagnosis and pathogen identification will be demonstrated. |
| PLNT 310 | Plant Propagation. | 3 |
Plant Propagation. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Principles and practical aspects of plant propagation are examined. The course consists of two parts. The first third deals with sexual propagation; the production, processing storage certification and analysis of seeds. The remaining two-thirds deals with vegetative propagation; cutting, budding, grafting, layering, and tissue culture. |
| PLNT 435 | Plant Breeding. | 3 |
Plant Breeding. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Principles and practices of plant breeding, including reproduction of crop plants; plant hybridization; sources of genetic variation; selection methods used for self- and cross-pollinated crops and for clonally reproduced crops; breeding for diseases and pest resistance; applications of biotechnology in plant breeding. |
| PLNT 460 | Plant Ecology. | 3 |
Plant Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Theory and practice of plant ecology with an emphasis on the interaction between patterns and ecological processes and the dynamics, conservation and management of plant populations and communities over a range of temporal and spatial scales. |
For more information, contact Professor Mehran Dastmalchi, Specialization Coordinator, Plant Biology
Specialization: Plant Production
The goal of this specialization is to give students an excellent background in the knowledge and skills relating to the biology and physiology, breeding, propagation, and management of domesticated plants. The plant industry, in both rural and urban settings, is a sector of growing importance to Canadian and global economies.
Plant Production (B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.)) (24 credits)
Offered by: Plant Science听(Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Program credit weight: 24
Program Description
This specialization provides students with the knowledge and skills relating to the biology and physiology, breeding, propagation, and management of domesticated plants. The plant industry, in both rural and urban settings, is a sector of growing importance to Canadian and global economies. Graduates are prepared for employment in horticulture or in field crop development, production, and management, in government services, extension, teaching and consulting; or for graduate and postgraduate studies. When taken in conjunction with the Major Agro-Environmental Sciences and the specialization in Professional Agrology, this specialization conforms with the eligibility requirements for the Ordre des agronomes du Qu茅bec.
For information on academic advising, see: http://www.mcgill.ca/macdonald/studentinfo/advising
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to . A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.
Required Courses (18 credits)
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| PLNT 200 | Introduction to Crop Science | 3 |
Introduction to Crop Science Terms offered: Fall 2025 Application of plant science and soil science to production of agronomic and horticultural crops. Use and sustainability of fertilization, weed control, crop rotation, tillage, drainage and irrigation practices. |
| PLNT 305 | Plant Pathology. | 3 |
Plant Pathology. Terms offered: Fall 2025 The theory and concepts of plant pathology, including the disease cycle, infection, symptoms, resistance, epidemiology and control. The biology and taxonomy of pathogens will be studied, including fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. Techniques of inoculation, isolation of pathogens from diseased plants, disease diagnosis and pathogen identification will be demonstrated. |
| PLNT 310 | Plant Propagation. | 3 |
Plant Propagation. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Principles and practical aspects of plant propagation are examined. The course consists of two parts. The first third deals with sexual propagation; the production, processing storage certification and analysis of seeds. The remaining two-thirds deals with vegetative propagation; cutting, budding, grafting, layering, and tissue culture. |
| PLNT 353 | Plant Structure and Function. | 3 |
Plant Structure and Function. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The general anatomy and physiology of vascular plants with emphasis on how physiological processes influence function. |
| PLNT 434 | Weed Biology and Control. | 3 |
Weed Biology and Control. Terms offered: Winter 2026 A study of the biology of undesirable vegetation as related to the principles of prevention and physical, biological, managerial and chemical control. Emphasis on the environmental impact of the different methods of weed control. |
| PLNT 435 | Plant Breeding. | 3 |
Plant Breeding. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Principles and practices of plant breeding, including reproduction of crop plants; plant hybridization; sources of genetic variation; selection methods used for self- and cross-pollinated crops and for clonally reproduced crops; breeding for diseases and pest resistance; applications of biotechnology in plant breeding. |
Complementary Courses (6 credits)
6 credits of complementary courses selected from:
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| AGRI 340 | Principles of Ecological Agriculture. | 3 |
Principles of Ecological Agriculture. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Focus on low-input, sustainable, and organic agriculture: the farm as an ecosystem; complex system theory; practical examples of soil management, pest control, integrated crop and livestock production, and marketing systems. |
| ENTO 352 | Biocontrol of Pest Insects. | 3 |
Biocontrol of Pest Insects. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Modern concepts of integrated control techniques and principles of insect pest management, with emphasis on biological control (use of predators, parasites and pathogens against pest insects), population monitoring, and manipulation of environmental, behavioral and physiological factors in the pest's way of life. Physical, cultural, and genetic controls and an introduction to the use of non-toxic biochemical controls (attractants, repellents, pheromones, antimetabolites). |
| PLNT 302 | Forage Crops and Pastures. | 3 |
Forage Crops and Pastures. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Ecology, management, and physiology of forage crops with emphasis on establishment, growth, maintenance, harvesting, and preservation; value as livestock feed in terms of nutritional composition and role in environmental conservation. |
| PLNT 307 | Agroecology of Vegetables and Fruits. | 3 |
Agroecology of Vegetables and Fruits. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Application of ecological concepts and principles to the design and management of selected vegetable and fruit agroecosystems. Includes selection of varieties and management from seedling to harvest to storage. |
| PLNT 312 | Urban Horticulture. | 3 |
Urban Horticulture. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Selection, use and care of plants in urban environments for the benefit of urban populations: landscape design, turf and green space management, urban trees, green roofs and walls, design and management of community gardens, urban agriculture. |
| PLNT 322 | Greenhouse Management. | 3 |
Greenhouse Management. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The production of major flower and vegetable crops in greenhouses. Includes greenhouse design, heating, ventilation, lighting, hydroponics, irrigation, fertilization, scheduling and integrated pest management. |
| SOIL 535 | Soil Ecology. | 3 |
Soil Ecology. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Exploration of the unique soil habitat for organisms with a focus on the variables that affect the abundance, diversity and interactions of soil biota and, in turn, their influence on soil physicochemical properties, biogeochemical cycles and other factors impacting ecosystem sustainability. Topics include survey of soil fauna, soil food webs, microbial ecology, biological carbon and nitrogen cycling, plant-soil interactions, and the effects of human activities and management on soil ecology, including synthesizing concepts and a critical analysis and interpretation of primary scientific literature in soil ecology.
|
Specialization: Professional Agrology
Agrology focuses on the science and technology required for agricultural production; Students in this major wishing to become members of the Order of Agrologists of Quebec (OAQ) must complete two specializations.
Professional Agrology (B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.)) (24 credits)
Offered by: Plant Science听(Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Program credit weight: 24
Program Description
This Specialization is required for students who wish to qualify for membership in the Ordre des agronomes du Qu茅bec (OAQ). It cannot be taken alone; it must be taken with the Major Agro-Environmental Sciences and a Second specialization in Animal Production, Ecological Agriculture, Plant Production, or Soil and Water Resources. This Specialization focuses on working in the professional agrology industry and covers agricultural legislation as well as professional conduct.
The credits within this specialization may not count towards the student's Major or other Specialization. All of the 24 credits count only for this Specialization.
For information on academic advising, see: .
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to . A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.
Required Courses (15 credits)
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| AGRI 330 | Agricultural Legislation. | 1 |
Agricultural Legislation. Terms offered: Winter 2026 A study of Quebec legislation of importance to the agricultural sector, with emphasis on the reasons why these laws were implemented and on their net effects on this sector. Some Canadian laws will be covered but only inasmuch as they affect Quebec agriculture. |
| AGRI 410D1 | Agrology Internship. | 3 |
Agrology Internship. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Professional internship (stage) under the supervision of a practicing agrologist. |
| AGRI 410D2 | Agrology Internship. | 3 |
Agrology Internship. Terms offered: Fall 2025 See AGRI 410D1 for course description. |
| AGRI 430 | Professional Practice in Agrology. | 2 |
Professional Practice in Agrology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 This course introduces students to the professional aspects of the practice of agrology. Topics include understanding the responsibilities of agrologists, the broad context and functioning of the Qu茅bec agricultural industry, how to deal with clients, colleagues, and understanding legal and regulatory aspects of the profession in Qu茅bec. |
| AGRI 490 | Agri-Food Industry Project. | 3 |
Agri-Food Industry Project. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 Interdisciplinary team project in the agri-food industry. |
| PLNT 430 | Pesticides in Agriculture. | 3 |
Pesticides in Agriculture. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Pesticide science concentrating on pesticide discovery, pesticide chemistries, pesticide development, pesticide technologies, mitigation of risks due to pesticides use, national and international pesticide regulations, registrations, and compliances. |
Complementary Courses (9 credits)
Students choose 9 complementary credits, approved by the Academic Adviser, in agricultural sciences or applied agriculture to meet the requirements of the OAQ.
For more information, contact Professor Val茅rie Gravel, Specialization Coordinator, Professional Agrology
