The Department of Plant Pathology has 13 full-time faculty positions in Research and Extension, and is well supported by technical and clerical staff. We are a small department, but by concentrating our resources, we have built one of the most ambitious research programs in molecular plant-microbe interactions in the field. The graduate program offers Masters and Ph.D. degrees. It is a highly selective program with a strong focus on intensive advising.

We are firmly committed to cutting-edge, basic plant pathology research. We focus our research on plant-microbe interactions, especially those involving viruses and fungi. Our faculty members have earned international reputations and numerous honors for their research. Our department attracts generous extramural support for our research, and as a result, our facilities are exceptionally well equipped for modern plant pathology and molecular biology research.

One of the Nation's Finest

In each of three consecutive Academic Analytics assessments of faculty scholarly productivity in doctoral programs nationwide, our Ph.D. program has consistently ranked in the top four in its field, including once in the Number 1 spot. The assessments focused on factors such as grants, publications, citations, and awards. Our ranking reflects not only on the quality of the faculty, but also on the many talented and energetic graduate students, postdoctoral scientists and staff who participate in our research and extension missions.