Plant pathology is the study of the cause, nature and control of diseases of plants.
The same types of organisms, fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, that cause diseases in people and animals also cause diseases in plants. When a plant and pathogen are present together under the right environmental conditions, a disease may result. The Plant Pathology department emphasizes quality undergraduate and graduate education in the classroom, laboratory and field. Students receive excellent training in bacteriology, epidemiology, genetics, host-pathogen interactions, mycology, nematology, molecular biology, pest management, and virology. Students in the undergraduate program in the department of Plant Pathology work toward the BSA in Plant Protection and Pest Management.