Major in Life Sciences or Major in Environmental Biology
Specialization: Plant Biology
The Plant Biology specialization emphasizes the study of plants, from their cellular structure to their role in the ecosystem.
You will examine the structure and development of plants in the context of their function as the primary producers on earth. You will learn about the physiology and biochemistry of plants from the basics of photosynthesis to the production of chemical compounds used for defense against herbivores, pests and pathogens.
You will also develop skills in plant identification, plant propagation, and molecular methods for studying plants and fungi. You will learn how natural selection has shaped the diversity of plants, explore the dynamics of plant communities in the ecosystem, and appreciate the role of plants in society as the source of food, fiber, fuel, medicinal compounds and ornamental.
Plant Biology (B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.)) (24 credits)
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Program credit weight: 24
Program Description
This specialization emphasizes the study of plants from the cellular to the organismal level. The structure, physiology, development, evolution, and ecology of plants will be studied. Most courses offer laboratory classes that expand on the lecture material and introduce students to the latest techniques in plant biology. Many laboratory exercises use the excellent research and field facilities at the Morgan Arboretum, McGill Herbarium, Emile A. Lods Agronomy Research Centre, the Horticultural Centre and the Plant Science greenhouses as well as McGill field stations. Students may undertake a research project under the guidance of a member of the Plant Science Department as part of their studies. Graduates with the specialization may continue in post-graduate study or work in the fields of botany, mycology, molecular biology, ecology, conservation, or environmental science.
For information on academic advising, see: http://www.mcgill.ca/macdonald/studentinfo/advising
Required Courses (9 credits)
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| PLNT 353 | Plant Structure and Function. | 3 |
Plant Structure and Function. Terms offered: Winter 2026 The general anatomy and physiology of vascular plants with emphasis on how physiological processes influence function. See course page for more information |
| PLNT 358 | Flowering Plant Diversity. | 3 |
Flowering Plant Diversity. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Principles of classification and identification of flowering plants and ferns, with emphasis on 35 major families of flowering plants and the habitats in which they grow. See course page for more information |
| PLNT 426 | Plant Ecophysiology. | 3 |
Plant Ecophysiology. Terms offered: Winter 2026 This course investigates the complex interactions between plants and their environment, focusing on the mechanisms underlying plant physiological processes. Plasticity of plants to their ecological environment; topics include phytoremediation, plant stress responses, plant-symbiosis and plant-insect interactions. See course page for more information |
Complementary Courses (15 credits)
15 credits of complementary courses selected from:
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| ANSC 326 | Fundamentals of Population Genetics. | 3 |
Fundamentals of Population Genetics. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Population genetics mechanisms in mammals, birds and plant. Factors influencing gene, genotype, and phenotypic frequencies. Effects of different types of selection, Hardy-Weinberg, linkage and recombination, polymorphisms and heterozygosity, population size, random drift and inbreeding on gene and genotype frequencies. Relationship between quantitative genetic parameters and gene frequencies. See course page for more information |
| BINF 511 | Bioinformatics for Genomics. | 3 |
Bioinformatics for Genomics. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Bioinformatics methods and reasoning in relation to genomics, proteomics and metabolomics strategies with an emphasis on functional genomics data. The course will cover introduction to UNIX, Perl programming, data processing and integration, file parsing, relational database design and implementation, angled towards solutions relevant for genomics. See course page for more information |
| ENVB 313 | Phylogeny and Biogeography. | 3 |
Phylogeny and Biogeography. Terms offered: Fall 2025 Topics in the interface of evolution, phylogenetics, and biogeography, including tree thinking, phylogeny estimation, and the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity. The major scientific discoveries that demonstrated how Earth’s history affects the evolution of organisms, including the unheard voices of evolutionary biology. See course page for more information |
| PLNT 304 | Biology of Fungi. | 3 |
Biology of Fungi. Terms offered: Winter 2026 This course describes the various groups of fungi and explores in depth their biology and physiology, their ecological niches and the role in various ecosystems and their benefits and uses in industry and biotechnology. See course page for more information |
| PLNT 305 | Plant Pathology. | 3 |
Plant Pathology. Terms offered: Fall 2025 The theory and concepts of plant pathology, including the disease cycle, infection, symptoms, resistance, epidemiology and control. The biology and taxonomy of pathogens will be studied, including fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. Techniques of inoculation, isolation of pathogens from diseased plants, disease diagnosis and pathogen identification will be demonstrated. See course page for more information |
| PLNT 310 | Plant Propagation. | 3 |
Plant Propagation. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Principles and practical aspects of plant propagation are examined. The course consists of two parts. The first third deals with sexual propagation; the production, processing storage certification and analysis of seeds. The remaining two-thirds deals with vegetative propagation; cutting, budding, grafting, layering, and tissue culture. See course page for more information |
| PLNT 435 | Plant Breeding. | 3 |
Plant Breeding. Terms offered: Winter 2026 Principles and practices of plant breeding, including reproduction of crop plants; plant hybridization; sources of genetic variation; selection methods used for self- and cross-pollinated crops and for clonally reproduced crops; breeding for diseases and pest resistance; applications of biotechnology in plant breeding. See course page for more information |
| PLNT 460 | Plant Ecology. | 3 |
Plant Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Theory and practice of plant ecology with an emphasis on the interaction between patterns and ecological processes and the dynamics, conservation and management of plant populations and communities over a range of temporal and spatial scales. See course page for more information |
For more information, contact Professor Mehran Dastmalchi, Specialization Coordinator, Plant Biology
Major in Agro-Environmental Sciences
Specialization: Plant Production
The goal of this specialization is to give students an excellent background in the knowledge and skills relating to the biology and physiology, breeding, propagation, and management of domesticated plants. The plant industry, in both rural and urban settings, is a sector of growing importance to Canadian and global economies.
Program information not available.
Specialization: Professional Agrology
Agrology focuses on the science and technology required for agricultural production; Students in this major wishing to become members of the Order of Agrologists of Quebec (OAQ) must complete two specializations.
Program information not available.
For more information, contact Professor Valérie Gravel, Specialization Coordinator, Professional Agrology
