Plant Pathology Ph.D.

Plant pathology focuses on the biology of plant-microbe interactions, and incorporates research involving biochemical, molecular, genetic, physiological, whole organism, population, and community levels of biological organization. Plant pathology interfaces with all plant science disciplines, and with food sciences, veterinary medicine, biobased products, and ecology. The PhD program offers a molecular plant pathology track, in which students can design and use molecular approaches to investigate plant disease, increase basic knowledge, and develop new strategies for disease control.

The following areas of concentration are also offered: plant disease management, biological control of plant disease, forest pathology and microbial degradation of wood, microbial ecology, population biology, plant-microbe interactions, disease resistance, host-parasite co-evolution, plant microbe mutualisms, and virology. Students have opportunities for laboratory and field research locally as well as nationally and internationally.