Department of Plant Protection
Entomology, plant pathology and weed science — what attacks a crop, and what to do about it that a farmer can afford.
Most of what is sprayed does not need to be.
The department covers insect pests, plant diseases and weeds: identification, life cycles, the conditions that turn a background presence into an outbreak, and management that starts with resistant varieties, clean seed, sowing dates and field sanitation before it reaches a chemical.
The teaching position is integrated pest management: scout the field, count what is there against an economic threshold, take account of the natural enemies already working, and spray only when the loss prevented is worth more than the spray — which, on most fields in most weeks, it is not. Safe handling, dose, waiting period and residue are taught with the chemistry.
Entomology
Insect pests, natural enemies, scouting and economic thresholds.
Plant pathology
Fungal, bacterial and viral diseases, diagnosis and seed health.
Weed science
Weed ecology, control methods and herbicide resistance.
Integrated management
Cultural and biological control first, chemicals last and by threshold.