ENV 311 - Technology of Sustainable Agriculture

2 credit(s)
Farming is one of the oldest professions on earth, and yet as we move into the 21st century, there are many ways in which technology can be and is currently applied in both traditional and modern agriculture systems to make them more sustainable. We will examine a myriad of technologies (both sophisticated and simple) used in agriculture, how they work, and why they are important to productive systems. Significant course time will be devoted to lecture and fieldwork on modern soil testing technology (such as ISE, XRF, NIR), plant testing technology (chlorophyll, tissue, sap, genetics), UAV’s, informatics resources, nutrient delivery systems, precision sensors, agricultural robotics, and more. We will also examine the impact of low-tech solutions often used in developing nations such as shade cloth, greenhouses, biofuels, nutrient extractions, and other low-impact technology.
Offered: Offered alternate years.

Prerequisite(s): ENV 201.