The graduate
program in Plant Pathology was ranked number 2 overall in the United States
according to the 8th edition of the Gourman Report. Students in this graduate program will conduct
applied and /or basic research in a variety of fields involving plant pathology including:
- Fungal
genetics
- Physiology,
genetics and molecular aspects of host-pathogen interactions
- Epidemiology
- Plant
disease management
- Biological
control
The required
graduate coursework is deliberately flexible, so that students and
faculty advisors can tailor a program of study to the field of graduate
research. A broad array of courses are available including courses
in:
- Mycology
/ Plant Pathogenic Fungi
- Genetics,
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of Host-Parasite Interactions
- Disease
Management
- Plant
Virology
- Diseases
of Agronomic and Horticultural Crops
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"The
best thing about this department is the willingness of everyone -
faculty, staff, and students alike - to answer my questions and help
me to the best of their ability. I entered this program with a background
in atmospheric chemistry and meteorology and had no experience in
botany or plant pathology. Still, with the assistance of my professors
and others, I've managed to catch up. As long as a person enters
the department motivated to learn, they will learn. The support is
there to help ensure their success." |
Visit
our Plant
Pathology Research
Profiles for an overview of Plant Pathology
research or for information about specific research projects that
are of particular interest to you, please visit the following faculty
links:
- Scott
Abney:
Disease of soybeans with emphasis on mycological and epidemiological
aspects of fungal diseases
- Zhixiang
Chen:
Molecular basis of plant disease resistance; regulation of
gene expression and signal transduction during plant defense
responses to microbial pathogens
- Larry
Dunkle:
Synthesis and action of fungal toxins and genetic variability in
fungal pathogens
- Stephen
Goodwin:
Molecular genetics of host-pathogen interactions; population genetics,
evolution and speciation of plant pathogenic fungi; genetics
and genomics of disease resistance in small grains
- Guri
Johal:
Molecular and genetic basis of maize interactions with fungal
pathogens; disease lesion mimic mutants and programmed cell
death in maize
- Richard
Latin:
Epidemiology and management of bacterial and fungal diseases
of turfgrass and vegetables
- Sue
Loesch-Fries:
Function of viral genes in virus replication, disease development,
and virus control
- Ray
Martyn:
Molecular evolution of pathogenic f. spp. and races of Fusarium
oxysporum, and the epidemiology and control of soilborne diseases
of cucurbits
- Tesfaye
Mengiste:
functional genomics of plant defense responses to necrotrophic
fungi; molecular components of host defense signaling in response
to necrotrophic pathogens; interaction and cross-talk between
signal transduction pathways in response to biotic and abiotic
stresses
- Ralph
Nicholson:
Phenolic compound biochemistry and metabolism of secondary
plant products in disease interactions; the fungal extracellular
matrix, adhesion, control of differentiation in the fungal
infection process
- Janna Beckerman:
Extension and research activities related to diseases of landscape ornamentals, greenhouse disease management, and small/tree fruits
- Gregory
Shaner:
Epidemiology and management of diseases of corn, soybean, and
small grains; disease resistance in small grains
- Andreas
Westphal:
Soilborne diseases of agronomic and horticultural crops; disease
suppressive soils
- Charles
Woloshuk:
Genetics, biochemistry, and physiology of mycotoxin biosynthesis
- Jin-Rong
Xu:
characterization of fungal pathogenicity genes and signal transduction
pathways in Magnaporthe grisea and Botrytis cinera
You are
encouraged to contact any of the above researchers directly if interested
in joining their lab.
Our department
also participates in PULSe (Purdue University Life Sciences) -- a new inclusive interdisciplinary graduate program that encompasses life science research across the university. Visit the PULSe Interdisciplinary Graduate Program web site for more details. |
