Course Descriptions

TPSS offers a broad range of interesting courses taught by our knowledgeable, caring faculty and staff. They include Science, Horticulture, Sustainable Production Systems, Organic Crop Production, Sustainable Landscaping Practices, Horticultural Practices. Ornamental Plant Materials, Sustainable Food Crop Production, Flower & Foliage Crop Production for Sustainability. Our specialized courses include Plant Physiology, Plant Propagation, Plant Transformation and Tissue Culture, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Postharvest Physiology, Turfgrass Management, Nursery Management and Weed Science. Students enrolled in these courses gain valuable experience working in the industry through our internship program.

TPSS 120 (Alpha) Plants for People (1)

The origins: social, cultural, and ceremonial traditions that focus on sustainability; culture; food and nutritional properties. Processing of a variety of tropical horticultural plants are presented, with tasting sessions and optional field trips. Topics will rotate among (120B) beverage crops (eg. coffee, tea, chocolate, kava, fruit juices); (120C) herbs, spices, and flavoring (selection of examples to be determined); (120D) tropical fruits (assortment offered depends on availability during semester); (120E) ornamental plants (flowers, houseplants, popular landscape plans, bonsai, ethnic ornamentals). Does not count towards TPSS major. Pre: consent. DB

TPSS 200 Agriculture, Environment, and Society (3)

Relation of plants, nutrients, and environment, cultural practices to sustain tropical crop production. DB

TPSS 220 Organic Food Crop Production (2)

Combined lecture/lab on the theory and practice of certified organic food production. Field visits to organic farms/markets included. Open to non-majors. (Fall only) DY

TPSS 300 Tropical Production Systems (4)

(3 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Comparisons and contrasts of crop management systems, techniques, and technologies in protected and open field production of tropical crops for sustainability and environmental protection. Pre: 200 or consent. DB

TPSS 304 Fundamentals of Soil Science (4)

(3 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Origin, development, properties, management of tropical soils that are sustainable and protect the environment; classification of Hawaiian soils. A-F only. Pre: one of CHEM 151, CHEM 161, CHEM 171 or CHEM 181A; or consent. (Cross-listed as NREM 304) DP DY

TPSS 311 Current Topics in Plant Science (1)

Undergraduate seminar that provides the presentation and discussion of topics of current relevance to students preparing for careers in applied plant sciences. Oral focus designation. A-F only. Pre: 200 or NREM 210, or consent. (Cross-listed as NREM 311)

TPSS 322 Farm and Food Marketing (3)

Problems, agencies, functions, costs, prices, regulations affecting marketing: proposed improvements. Pre: ECON 130, NREM 220; or consent. (Alt. years) DS

TPSS 336 Renewable Energy and Society (3)

Combined lecture/discussion regarding the ability of renewable energy technologies to meet local, national, and global energy demands and their potential sustainability and impacts on the environment and society. Pre: consent.

TPSS 341 Accounting and Financial Analysis (3)

Principles and methods of agricultural accounting. Preparing and interpreting financial statements. Sources and costs of credit, capital budgeting, tax management, estate planning. Repeatable one time. A-F only. Pre: ECON 130 or NREM 220, or consent. (Cross-listed as NREM 341) DS

TPSS 350 Tropical Landscape Practices (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Concepts and techniques of sustainable landscape installation and management in the tropics. Pre: 200 and 369; or consent. DB

TPSS 351 Enterprise Management (3)

Introduction of practical concepts and methods used in business management for economic sustainability. Introduce broad range of business strategies. Understand the critical role each strategy plays. Facilitate student’s practice of analytical and critical thinking through case studies. (Cross-listed as NREM 351)

TPSS 352 Landscape Architecture History, Theory, and Practice (3)

Surveying the development of landscape architecture as an art form from Mesopotamia to present. Exploring the theory, profession and art of landscape architecture in the world by physical, social, economic, political, and cultural environmental factors for a sustainable living environment. (Alt. years)(Cross-listed as ARCH 352) DH

TPSS 353 Landscape Graphics Studio (3)

Basic skills of landscape graphic communication through a creative process model. Learning free hand and technical drafting techniques to creative effective landscape graphics. Pre: consent. (Alt. years) (Cross-listed as ARCH 353) DA

TPSS 364 Horticultural Practices (2)

(1 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Techniques of culture and management of horticulture crops that minimize inputs and protect the environment. Pre: 200 (or concurrent). DB

TPSS 369 Ornamental Plant Materials (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Identification, origin, use, and cultural requirement of trees, shrubs, vines, and groundcovers used in Hawaiian landscapes. The desirability of a particular species in landscapes is dependent upon it sustainability and lack of invasiveness. Pre: 200 or consent. DB

TPSS 371 Genetics: Theory to Application (3)

Fundamentals of genetic theory using biotechnological procedures in sustainable control of insect and plant pathogen, and plant and animal breeding as practical applications. Repeatable one time. A-F only. Pre: BIOL 172 and CHEM 162, or consent. (Cross-listed as PEPS 371)

TPSS 401 Vegetable Crop Production (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Crop biology, requirements, and production techniques for sustainable commercial vegetable production in Hawai’i will be stressed. Pre: 300 or consent. DB

TPSS 402 Flower and Foliage Crop Production (4)

Biology and the sustainable production of cut flowers, blooming potted plants, foliage plants under field and protected cultivation in Hawai’i and globally. Pre: 300 or consent. DB

TPSS 403 Tropical Fruit Production (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Botanical aspects and sustainable horticultural management practices of selected tropical and subtropical fruit crops, with emphasis on small scale commercial production in Hawai’i. Pre: 300 or consent. DB

TPSS 405 Turfgrass Management (4)

(3 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Adaptability and selection, establishment, and cultural practices of grasses for various types of turf. Pre: 200 or consent. DB

TPSS 410 Soil and Plant Health Management

Provides knowledge and understanding of soils, agroecology, and sustainable approaches for plant health management, and prepares students for applied research in various tropical cropping systems. A-F only.

TPSS 415 Extension Education & Outreach (2)

(Online 2 Lec) Introduces an essential component of the Land Grant Mission. Students will explore the foundational components of extension education including agent expectations, program development and evaluation, audience engagement, building partnerships and funding structures. Pre: None. DS

TPSS 416 Introduction to Social, Ethical and Political Issues Associated with Biotechnology (3)

Introduces concepts of biotechnology, fundamental issues associated with use of this technology, with special emphasis on agricultural biotechnology. A-F only. Pre: 200 or BIOL 171 or NREM 210, or consent. (Once a year)

TPSS 420 Plant Propagation (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Theoretical and applied aspects of seed and vegetative propagation technology involving fruits, flowers, vegetables, and landscape plants. Pre: 200 or consent. DB

TPSS 421 Tropical Seed Science (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Principles of seed science, seed physiology, seed production, and genetic modification. Hawai’i’s seed industry and biotechnology. A-F only. Pre: 200 or consent. DB

TPSS 430 Nursery Management (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Management practices in production and operations of commercial nurseries in Hawai’i. Pre: 200 and 364; or consent. DB

TPSS 435 Environmental Soil Chemistry (3)

Study of soil chemical processes such as weathering, adsorption, precipitation, and ion exchange; causes of soil acidity, alkalinity, and salinity; reactions between soils and fertilizers, pesticides, or heavy metals. Sustainable management strategies to minimize environmental contamination by nitrate, phosphate, and trace elements such as As, Pb, and Se. A-F only. Pre: 304 or consent. (Fall only) DB

TPSS 440 Tissue Culture/Transformation (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Application of plant tissue culture for plant scientists; study of the growth and development of plant tissues in culture as influenced by chemical and environmental factors, and the regeneration of plants following plant transformation by biolistics and other molecular approaches. Pre: 420 or consent. Recommended: BOT 410. DB

TPSS 450 Nutrient Management in Agrosystems (4)

(3 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Biological, chemical, and physical processes governing the cycling of nutrients in agroecosystems, crop and livestock production, and the effects on surrounding unmanaged ecosystems. Pre: 304 and CHEM 161, or consent. DB

TPSS 453 Plant Breeding and Genetics (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Unique aspects of plant genetics and applications to crop improvement, with emphasis on breeding plants in Hawai’i to reduce production inputs, are resilient and sustainable and reduce insect and plant disease impacts. Pre: BIOL 375 (or concurrent) or consent. DB

TPSS 460 Soil Plant Environment (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Bio-physical processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum that influence crop growth and development and impact sustainability. Methods to estimate the impact of soil and climate on crop performance. Use of crop models to simulate effects of planting date, plant spacing and density, fertilizer rate, rainfall or irrigation, and daily weather on crop yield and farm income. Pre: 304 and either PHYS 151 or PHYS 170, or consent. DB

TPSS 463 Irrigation and Water Management (3)

Basic soil-water-plant relationships, irrigation water requirements, irrigation efficiencies, different methods of irrigation, planning, design and management of an irrigation system, fertigation and impact of irrigation on soil and water quality. Pre: NREM 203 (or equivalent) and NREM/TPSS 304 (or equivalent), or consent. (Alt. years) (Cross-listed as NREM 463)

TPSS 470 Plant Physiology (3)

Integration of form and function from cellular to whole plant levels in processes from seed germination, through photosynthesis, growth, and morphogenesis, to flowering and senescence. A-F only. Pre: BIOL 171 and CHEM 152, or consent. DB

TPSS 470L Principles of Plant Physiology Lab (1)

(1 3-hr Lab) Principles of experimentation in plant physiology, includes individual investigations. A-F only. Pre: consent. DY

TPSS 473 Post-Harvest Physiology (3)

Comparative physiological and biochemical processes during growth, maturation, ripening, and senescence in fruits, vegetables, and flowers related to changes in quality and storage life. Tropical commodities emphasized. A-F only. Pre: 200, BIOL 171, or BOT 201; CHEM 152; or consent. DB

TPSS 481 Weed Science (3)

(2 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Weed classification, identification, adaptations for weediness; principles of sustainable weed control; properties, uses, and action of herbicides. Lab: pesticide application equipment and techniques, no-till farming, greenhouse and field experiments. A-F only. Pre: 200 and CHEM 152, or consent. (Fall only) (Cross-listed as PEPS 481) DB

TPSS 491 Experimental Topics (V)

Study and discussion of significant topics, problems. Offered by visiting faculty and/or for extension programs. Repeatable. Pre: consent.

TPSS 492 Internship (4)

Integration and application of academic knowledge and critical skills emphasizing professional development. Placement with an approved cooperating supervisor/employer. Pre: consent.

TPSS 499 Directed Studies (V)

Supervised individual instruction in field laboratory and library. Repeatable. CR/NC only. Pre: 364 or consent.