Department Description

The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences is a part of The College of Natural Resources and the Environment on the UMass Amherst campus. Plant and Soil Sciences is the academic home to faculty, staff, and students interested in environmentally conscious and socially responsible management of plant and soil systems. This includes managed crop production and the interface of managed and natural systems within urban and suburban settings, focusing on plant, soil, and water resource management.

Research, teaching, and Outreach programs emphasize the study and technology transfer related to growth of food and ornamental crops, protection of soil and water, improvement of plants, development of new crops, management of harvested materials, remediation of pollution in soil and water, and use of urban and agricultural by-products.

Facilities

On Campus:

The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences is housed in several buildings on campus. The major buildings are French Hall (where the primary administrative offices are located), Stockbridge Hall, and Bowditch Hall. The buildings have numerous laboratories that are utilized for student and faculty research activities, as well as for classroom exercises.

The Department also has numerous greenhouses on campus with more than 11,000 square feet of bench space. These facilities are located adjacent to French Hall and Bowditch Hall, and are utilized extensively for classroom exercises and student research activities. Students enrolled in such courses as greenhouse management, horticultural crop production, hydroponics, organic farming, plant nutrition, as well as herbs, spices and medicinal plants receive hands-on training within the greenhouse facilities.

In addition, the Department maintains and manages the Durfee Conservatory, a university plant resource located adjacent to French Hall. This arboretum, which dates back to the mid 1800's, contains many rare plants and collections, including a small "rain forest." Amid the hustle and bustle of campus, the Conservatory and it's many gardens offer students and visitors a treat for the senses. Several departmental courses utilize the Conservatory as a living laboratory to examine the unique collection of tropical and foliage plants.

Off Campus:

Off-campus facilities include over 300 acres of farm land utilized for studies in turf, ornamental, vegetable, agronomic, small fruits, and orchard crops. The South Deerfield Farm, in South Deerfield, Massachusetts, encompasses more than 100 acres dedicated to the study of turfgrass, weeds, vegetables and agronomic crops. The Horticultural Research Center in nearby Belchertown, Massachusetts, encompasses more than 200 acres and includes an experimental orchard as well as a controlled-atmosphere storage facility for post-harvest studies. Also in Belchertown is the the UMass Cold Spring Orchard Research & Education Center, with over 80 planted acres of land. The Orchard is a living laboratory where students learn pruning, tree training, cultivar identification, post harvest handling, integrated pest managment, and other production practices.