For introductory courses in plant science.

Thorough foundation in plant cultivation suitable for learners of all levels
Plant Science: Growth, Development, and Utilization of Cultivated Plants  is the premier resource on the basic principles of ecological relationships and their impact on cultivation. Comprehensive and engaging, Plant Science addresses all relevant topics, from the fundamentals of botany to complex cultivation strategies and sustainability concerns. The breadth of topics covered by this text make it ideal for most plant science courses, including the combined agronomy-horticulture curricula that universities are increasingly adopting. The 6th edition has been updated with a wealth of new information, images, and features, and now draws a stronger connection between natural, agricultural, and horticultural ecosystems.

Margaret (Peg) McMahon is a fourth-generation horticulturist who grew up on the family farm, which she still co-owns. While growing up, she worked in the ornamental and tomato greenhouses her family owned and operated. She earned her BS in agriculture with a major in horticulture from The Ohio State University in 1970. After graduation, she worked as a grower and propagator for Yoder Bros., Inc. (now Aris Horticulture, Inc.) at their Barberton, OH, Salinas, CA, and Pendleton, SC, locations.

While in South Carolina, she earned her MS in horticulture and PhD in plant physiology from Clemson University in 1988 and 1992, respectively. Her research included early detection of chilling injury in tropical and subtropical foliage plants and the use of far-red absorbing filters as a potential technology to reduce stem elongation in greenhouse-grown ornamentals.

In 1994, she started a faculty position at The Ohio State University in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. She retired in 2015 but continued teaching classes until 2017. The undergraduate classes she taught included both the introductory and senior capstone classes in horticulture and crop science, basic irrigation, basic and advanced greenhouse crop production, indoor gardening, and interiorscape, a field experience in floriculture. The graduate-level classes she taught included advanced greenhouse crop production, photomorphogenesis, and teaching methods.

UNIT 1: ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL, AND SOCIAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE CULTIVATION AND UTILIZATION OF PLANTS
1. History, Trends, Issues, and Challenges in Plant Science
2. Terrestrial Ecosystems and Their Relationship to Cultivating Plants
3. Growing Plants for Human Use
4. Climate
5. Soils

UNIT 2: PLANT STRUCTURE, CHEMISTRY, GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, GENETICS, BIODIVERSITY, AND PROCESSES
6. Structure of Higher Plants
7. Plant Growth and Development
8. Plant Chemistry and Metabolism
9. Genetics and Propagation
10. Cultivated Plants: Naming, Classifying, Origin, Improvement, and Germplasm Diversity, and Preservation
11. Photosynthesis and Respiration
12. Water Relations
13. Mineral Nutrition

UNIT 3: PLANT PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION SYSTEMS
14. Soil, Water, and Fertility Management
15. Integrated Management of Weeds, Insects, Diseases, and Other Pests
16. General Considerations for Production, Harvest, Postharvest Handling, and Marketing
17. Field Crops Grown for Food, Fiber, and Fuel
18. Forage Crops and Rangelands
19. Vegetable Production
20. Temperate Fruit and Nut Crops
21. Tropical and Subtropical Crop and Crop Production Systems
22. Nursery Production
23. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
24. Turfgrasses
25. Landscape Plants
26. Constructed Landscapes and Landscape Design Considerations