Plant Pathology
Plant pathology researches and extends knowledge to solve plant disease problems by focusing on plant-pathogen interactions at the genomic, cellular, organismal, and ecological levels. Approaches include disease management, epidemiology, molecular biology and host-parasite interactions. Focus areas are bacteriology, bioinfomatics, functional genomics, mycology, nematology, virology, soil-borne pathogens and mechanisms of pathogenesis, and host resistance.
Admission Requirements
The general application procedures of the Graduate School noted at the beginning of this section are followed. The Plant Pathology Graduate Program does NOT require the GRE. A detailed statement of applicant interests and goals in plant pathology is very helpful for the admissions committee.
Master's Degree Requirements
There is a core curriculum of a minimum of 12 credit hours that includes 笔笔听501, 笔笔听502, 笔笔听506, 笔笔听707, and 笔笔听601. The core should be supplemented with a minimum of 18 credit hours in courses at the 500 or higher level, which support the focus of the study. Students serve as teaching assistants for one course.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
Students entering the Ph.D. degree program are expected to take the core curriculum outlined for the Master's degree or have had the equivalent at another institution. Additionally, Ph.D. students must include a departmental-approved ethics course, two credits 笔笔听801, and at least two other 700-level Plant Pathology courses. Ph.D. students serve as teaching assistants for two courses.
Student Financial Support
A limited number of half-time assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Benefits include in-state tuition, out-of-state tuition and health insurance as covered under the Graduate School's Graduate Student Support Plan. Applicants are considered for assistantship support at time of application. Special supplements to assistantships are available on a competitive basis for outstanding students. Also, many faculty programs have research grant-funded or training grant-funded assistantships. Contact individual faculty regarding availability of research assistantships.
Other Relevant Information
Fully equipped and staffed laboratories for research are available in addition to greenhouse facilities and environmental growth chambers in the phytotron. Special facilities for experimental work on diseases under field conditions are available at 16 福利逼站 and NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services-related locations throughout the state. Genomics facilities, microcomputers, library, mycological herbarium, digital imaging/graphics equipment programs, and an interdepartmental electron microscopy center are additional features available for the department.
Faculty
Full Professors
- Peter J. Balint-Kurti
- David M. Bird
- Ignazio Carbone
- Christina Cowger
- Marc A. Cubeta
- Eric Lee Davis
- Ralph A. Dean
- Shuijin Hu
- Steven Lommel
- Frank John Louws
- David S. Marshall
- Peter Ojiambo
- Charles H. Opperman
- Jean B. Ristaino
- David F. Ritchie
- Howard D. Shew
- Anna Elizabeth Whitfield
- Carolyn Young
Associate Professors
- James P. Kerns
- Lina Maria Quesada
- Dorith Rotenberg
Assistant Professors
- Oliver Baars
- Michael James Bradshaw
- Adrienne Marie Gorny
- Daisy Ahumada Hernandez
- LeAnn Lux
- Alejandra Itzel Huerta Vazquez
- David Alan Rasmussen
- Sara Michelle Villani
Practice/Research/Teaching Professors
- Jennie R. Fagen
- Barbara B. Shew
Emeritus Faculty
- Kenneth Barker
- Durward F. Bateman
- David M. Benson
- Marvin K. Beute
- Ellis B. Cowling
- Margaret E. Daub
- Jeng Sheng Huang
- Ronald K Jones
- Stephen Robert Koenning
- Leon T Lucas
- Thomas A. Melton III
- Robert D. Milholland
- James W. Moyer
- Gary A. Payne
- Rebeca C. Rufty
- Paul B. Shoemaker
- Harvey Wesley Spurr
- Turner Bond Sutton
- Hedwig Hirschm Triantaphyllou
- Robert G. Upchurch
Adjunct Faculty
- Tim Sit
- Lindsey Danielle Thiessen
Plant Pathology
Biology of microbes that cause plant diseases. The ecology, genetics, physiology, taxonomy, and mechanisms of parasitism, pathogenicity and virulence of bacteria (and other prokaryotes), fungi (and oomycetes), nematodes, and viruses that cause plant diseases. Prepares graduate students for advanced courses in plant pathology, host-parasite interactions, and provides a knowledge base for students in other disciplines involved with plant pathogens or who seek to broaden their knowledge of microbes.
Typically offered in Fall only
Introduction to the basic principles of disease etiology in plants and the methods used to research and diagnose plant diseases caused by bacteria (and other prokaryotes), fungi (and oomycetes), nematodes and viruses. Lab-based course intended to give graduate students a practical, hands-on research experience for diagnosing and characterizing each plant pathogen group. Introduction to pathogen-specific as well as more general experimental techniques utilized in plant pathology. No course prerequisites, but prior experience in microbiology and/or completion of 笔笔听315, 笔笔听501 or equivalent will benefit the 笔笔听502 learning experience.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or department consent
Typically offered in Fall only
Consideration of fundamental concepts and principles of epidemiology as applied to modern strategies of plant disease control. Special consideration given to evaluation of current techniques for control of fungal, bacterial, viral and nematode pathogens in an integrated crop protection system.
Typically offered in Spring only
A survey of the fungal kingdom in context of phyla and classes. Systematics, ecology, biology and utilization. Illustrative material, cultural techniques in laboratories. Collection and paper required.
Typically offered in Fall only
The study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in plant pathology and related fields.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Discussion of assigned phytopathological topics.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in plant pathology and related fields.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Offered as needed to present materials not normally available in regular course offerings or for offering of new courses on a trial basis.
Typically offered in Fall only
Investigation of special problems in plant pathology not related to thesis problem. Investigations may consist of original research and/or literature survey.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
For students in non thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Spring only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Typically offered in Summer only
Original research in plant pathology.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Spring only
Fundamental concepts and current status of research on the physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of host-pathogen interactions during plant disease. Topics include recognition, penetration and colonization, pathogenicity and virulence determinants, resistance mechanisms, sign transduction, programmed cell death, and other current topics. Information presented in context of virual-, bacterial-, fungal-and nematode-plan interactions.Credit cannot be received for both PP 507 and 笔笔听707
Prerequisite: 笔笔听501
Typically offered in Spring only
This course will introduce students to nonparametric and model-based methods for making inferences on population processes (i.e., mutation, migration, drift, recombination, and selection). The goal is to provide a conceptual overview of these methods in lectures and hands-on training on how to analyze and interpret sample data sets in guided computer lab sessions. The course will leverage the tools and resources implemented in the DeCIFR toolkit (https://decifr.cifr.ncsu.edu/). DeCIFR is a comprehensive suite of biodiversity informatics pipelines and visualization tools to discover, evaluate, and describe taxa at multiple spatial and phylogenetic scales. Students will apply these tools to estimate population parameters in different organisms with a focus on eukaryotic microbes, viruses, and bacteria.
Typically offered in Fall only
This course will focus on the interactions between soil organisms and their environment, and the ecological consequences of these diverse complex interactions. In particular, it will explore the scientific evidence that illustrates links between soil organisms, ecosystem functioning and the quality of air and water systems, and examine why and how the related research was conducted. This course will bring together theory and research trends from distinct subject areas: soil microbiology, entomology and ecosystem ecology.
Prerequisite: One course in: (厂厂颁听332, 厂厂颁听511, 厂厂颁听521, or 厂厂颁听532), or ecology (BO 360 or 颁厂听430), or microbiology (惭叠听351), or consent of instructor.
Typically offered in Spring only
In this course, we will discuss the genetic and biochemical concepts underlying plant disease resistance and the tools and techniques used to introduce desirable levels of disease resistance into new crop cultivars, including conventional and modern breeding techniques and genetic engineering. We discuss responses of plant pathogen populations to the host resistance, and strategies to maximize the durability of resistance. Lastly, methods of breeding for disease resistance will be discussed.
P: Basic Undergraduate Level Genetics Class (骋狈听311) and an Introductory Plant Pathology Course (PP315, PP318 or PP501) or equivalent course.
Typically offered in Spring only
The study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in plant pathology and related fields.
Critical study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in plant pathology and related fields.
Discussion of assigned phytopathological topics.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in plant pathology and related fields.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Critical study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in plant pathology and related fields.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Investigation of special problems in plant pathology not related to thesis problem. Investigations may consist of original research and/or literature survey.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
For students who are preparing for and taking written and/or oral preliminary exams.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Spring only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Dissertation Research
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour requirements, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree and are writing and defending their dissertations.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Spring only