Description
Conduct research on plant breeding, physiology, production, yield, and protection across field, greenhouse, and controlled environments. Study plant-soil-microbe interactions and environmental factors affecting growth, and develop improved varieties, cultivation practices, and pest management strategies. Translate findings into practical recommendations for growers and stakeholders to enhance productivity and sustainability.
- • Communicate research findings to growers, industry, or the public, and teach related courses, seminars, or workshops.
- • Provide recommendations to farmers and horticulturists to optimize land use, promote plant growth, and resolve issues such as nutrient deficiencies, pests, or poor vigor.
- • Investigate plant responses to fertilization, irrigation, tillage, and other management practices to determine effects on yield and quality.
- • Develop integrated crop and soil management practices that enhance plant health and sustainability.
- • Conduct breeding and genetics experiments to develop new or improved crop and horticultural varieties with higher yield, quality, disease resistance, or stress tolerance.
- • Diagnose plant growth problems related to soil constraints, water quality, salinity, or toxicities, and recommend corrective actions.
- • Characterize growth media and soil properties most relevant to plant performance and amend media to meet species requirements.
- • Develop improved plant phenotyping, sampling, or measurement techniques and related research tools.
- • Investigate plant-soil-microbe interactions and ecosystem processes that influence plant growth and resilience.
- • Identify degraded or contaminated sites and devise phytoremediation or amendment strategies to restore plant productivity.
- • Design and conduct field, greenhouse, or growth-chamber trials; collect, analyze, and interpret data to inform practice.
- • Analyze soil and rhizosphere microbiology to determine relationships to plant nutrition and health.
- • Advise on guidelines or best practices for sustainable crop production and soil stewardship.
- • Develop and evaluate methods or products to control weeds, crop diseases, and insect pests, emphasizing resistance management.
- • Optimize methods for planting, spraying, cultivating, harvesting, storing, processing, or transporting horticultural products.
- • Develop ways to modify soils or growth substrates to suit different plant species or production systems.
- • Monitor pest and beneficial insect dynamics in cropping systems and recommend measures to prevent introduction or spread of injurious species.
- • Conduct experiments on pollination biology and factors affecting pollen, nectar, and crop set.
- • Research the use of plant species or biomass in the production of green fuels.
- • Develop environmentally safe, integrated pest management strategies for weeds, diseases, and pests.
- • Evaluate technical requirements and environmental impacts of urban green infrastructure, including green roofs and living walls.
- • Study and implement practices to improve agricultural sustainability, including composting and circular nutrient management.
- • Plan or supervise composting or farm waste management programs.
- • Plan or advise on land reclamation or revegetation programs using appropriate plant species.
- • Conduct experiments to elucidate mechanisms of plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stressors.
Related specializations
Interview options
Interview options
Interviewee gender
Interviewee accent
Interview time
Related Pathways
Energy & Natural Resources
View
Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
Learn more
Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
