SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section
Our mission is to generate and communicate knowledge about agroecosystems and their sustainable management in the face of accelerating global change. We achieve this by educating students for stewardship of agro-ecosystems, conducting scientific research on sustainable land management, and using our extension and outreach programs for the benefit of our stakeholders.
Many faculty conduct programs focusing on New York and the northeastern United States region, as well as in many countries around the world having temperate, sub-tropical and tropical environments. Learn more about the history of our section and the vision of our school.
Soil & Crop Sciences
Our section addresses the challenge of developing environmentally sustainable agricultural systems to produce food for a growing world population, mitigating the impacts of climate change, increasing nutrient use efficiency and improving soil health.
Research Areas in Soil & Crop Sciences
Graduate and undergraduate training
Soil & Crop Sciences offers degrees and training opportunities at all stages of the educational pipeline
Graduate field of soil & crop sciences
Students interested in obtaining an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in the graduate field of soil & crop sciences can select from four concentrations.
- Agronomy
- Field crop science
- Soil science
- Environmental information systems
Master of Professional Studies
Our MPS programs are one-year, course-based degrees, ideal for individuals interested in in-depth study of the issues and advancements in plant and soil sciences. Choose from specializations in Controlled Environment Agriculture, viticulture, public garden leadership, hemp science, plant protection, geospatial applications and more.
Undergraduate — plant sciences major
Undergraduates majoring in the plant sciences can choose to concentrate in soil science, preparing them for careers in soil health, conservation and agriculture, whether in private industry or public government/university sectors.
Undergraduate — agricultural sciences major
Undergraduate students have the opportunity to major in agricultural sciences, an interdisciplinary program to which Soil and Crop Sciences faculty and staff contribute significant instruction and research opportunities.
Undergraduate — soil science minor
Undergraduate students in diverse majors can add a minor in soil science, and gain in depth knowledge of this discipline.
Undergraduate — crop management minor
Undergraduate students in diverse majors can add a minor in crop management, providing a strong foundation in this area.
Undergraduate research — Microbial Friends & Foes
Microbial Friends & Foes undergraduate research experience is sponsored by the Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease. Participants are placed in host labs at Cornell working on many different aspects of microbial interactions with plants and animals.
Undergraduate research — other
The Office of Undergraduate Research provides information about exploring the wealth of research opportunities at Cornell.
The Honors Program in Biological Sciences is designed to offer advanced training in laboratory and field research through the performance of an original research project under the direct guidance of a member of the Cornell faculty.
News from the SIPS Soil & Crop Sciences Section
Learn more about recent developments in our research, outreach, and education
Multimedia
News
During the 2021 season, Annika Rowland, a graduate student in Matthew Ryan’s Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab at Cornell University, conducted preliminary research on the use and efficacy of an inter-row mower in organic soybeans at the Musgrave...
News
Farmers interested in using the rolled cover crop organic no-till soybean system can now find techniques and tips in the new guide produced by the Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab at Cornell University. The guide is by Matt Ryan of Cornell...
News
Judiciously decomposing organic matter from 700 degrees Fahrenheit to 1,200 degrees F, without oxygen – a process known as pyrolysis, very different from incineration – and retaining nutrients from dairy lagoons can transform manure into a...
Field Note
This summer, the United States Department of Agriculture's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program published the fourth edition of Building Soils for Better Crops — arguably the most influential publication on soil health...