2021-2022 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Plant Pathology
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4024 Throckmorton Hall
1712 Claflin Rd
785-532-6176
Fax: 785-532-5692
plantpath@ksu.edu
www.plantpath.ksu.edu
Department Head
Megan Kennelly
Director of Graduate Studies
Megan Kennelly
Graduate Faculty
Alina Akhunova, Ph.D., St. Petersburg State University
*Eduard D. Akhunov, Ph.D., Institute of Genetics, Russia
*Kelsey Andersen Onofre, Ph.D., University of Florida
*David E. Cook, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Madison
*Erick D. DeWolf, Ph.D., North Dakota State University
*Martin Draper, Ph.D., North Dakota State University
*Bernd R. Friebe, Ph.D., Free University of Berlin
*Bikram S. “Bik” Gill, Ph.D., University of California - Davis
Jagger Harvey, Ph.D., University of California
*Megan A. Kennelly, Ph.D., Cornell University
*Dal-Hoe Koo, Ph.D., Chungnam National University
*John F. Leslie, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Madison
*Christopher R. Little, Ph.D., Texas A&M University
*Sanzhen Liu, Ph.D., Iowa State University
*Shahideh Nouri, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin
*Jesse Poland, Ph.D., Cornell University
*Jessica Rupp, Ph.D., Kansas State University
*James P. Stack, Ph.D., Cornell University
*Richard B. Todd, Ph.D., The University of Melbourne
Timothy C. “Tim” Todd, M.S., Oklahoma State University
*Christopher Toomajian, Ph.D., University of Chicago
*Harold N. Trick, Ph.D., Florida State University
*Barbara A. Valent, Ph.D., University of Colorado
Adjunct Faculty
*Robert L. “Bob” Bowden, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Madison
*John P. Fellers, Ph.D., University of Kentucky
*Denotes graduate faculty that are certified to serve as the major professor for doctoral students
Description and Mission
Our mission is to understand and improve plant health. Plant pathology is the study of plant diseases, their cause, effects, biology, ecology, and control. The discipline is closely integrated with the other biological sciences, and we have unique strengths in basic and applied research. Our work has state, regional, national, and international impact.
Departmental Research and Teaching Emphasis
Our department offers broad training across all facets of plant pathology. Coursework and research include:
- bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and viruses
- bio-informatics, biological control, biotechnology (cell and tissue culture, plant transformation and regeneration)
- disease diagnosis and management for major field crops in Kansas: wheat, corn, sorghum, alfalfa, and soybeans, horticultural plants (trees, turf, vegetables, fruits, ornamentals)
- disease physiology
- ecology and epidemiology
- host and microbial genetics and genetics
- modeling/statistics
- molecular genetics
- molecular plant-microbe interactions
- biosecurity
Our Department administers the campus-wide Integrated Genomics Facility; the 9-state, Great Plains Diagnostic Network; the Wheat Genetics Resource Center; and the Fungal Genetics Stock Center.
Professional Development
Along with providing technical training, we offer professional development in science communication, networking, and leadership:
- Weekly departmental seminar series exposes students to visiting scholars from within KSU and across the globe
- Student proposal seminars and professional communications courses offer training in science communication
- Graduate student club activities provide leadership development opportunities
- Graduate students develop mentoring skills by mentoring undergraduate researchers
- Graduate students gain instructional experience by serving as teaching assistants
Personnel
Our Department currently has about 30 faculty members onsite, 25-35 graduate students, about 25 post-doctoral fellows, and visiting scientists, and about 20 technical assistants, who come from many different areas of the world. We are a diverse and inclusive Department with a global climate in which ideas thrive and people excel.
Facilities and Equipment
Our Department is housed in the Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center on the KSU campus. The Department has 39,000 sq. ft. of a modern office, laboratory, and classroom space. The building is connected to 100,000 sq. ft. (2.3 acres, or about 1 hectare) of greenhouse space. Faculty have individual research labs, all well-equipped for the types of research they do. We share equipment, materials, and ideas across the Department.
Degree Options
The department offers a full range of courses leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees on the following topics:
- plant pathogenic bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and viruses
- fungal genetics
- plant genetics
- disease control, diagnosis, ecology, epidemiology, and physiology
- host plant resistance to disease and abiotic stress
- biotechnology
- genomic applications
- bioinformatics
- plant molecular biology
- student proposal seminar
- professional communications
- special problems and topics for individualized study
A detailed list of courses is provided below along with specific curriculum requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. programs.
Many of our faculty also participate in the interdepartmental program in Genetics, described elsewhere, which leads to a degree in Genetics.
Admission
Please see our departmental page for current admission deadlines and other details:
https://www.plantpath.k-state.edu/graduate/application-information/index.html
General requirements
Applicants are accepted into the program only if they are accepted by a specific faculty member who will serve as the Major Professor.
- Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, or be on schedule to complete a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling at KSU
- Applicants should have coursework or training in most of the following areas:
- Biological sciences (such as botany, biology, plant science, plant pathology, entomology, mycology, microbiology, genetics, agronomy, horticulture)
- Chemistry (such as inorganic, organic, biochemistry)
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Statistics
- Relevant work experience or other professional training will also be considered
- Overall grade point average should be at least a B (3.0 on 4.0 point scale)
- Grades in background courses in biology, math, chemistry, etc., should be A or B
- We do not require a GRE score
- International students whose native language is not English must provide evidence of English proficiency (see our application website for details)
Applications are completed online at http://www.k-state.edu/grad/application/index.html
Financial Assistance
Financial support may be available to qualified students. Current graduate research assistantship (GRA) information is on our application information page:
https://www.plantpath.k-state.edu/graduate/application-information/index.html
All applications are evaluated for available assistantships. Students may also be eligible to apply for fellowships from private and federal sources.
Doctor of Philosophy
Master of Science
Plant Pathology
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PLPTH 500 - Principles of Plant Pathology Credits: 3
An introductory class in the nature of plant pathogens and the cause, effect, and control of plant diseases. Diseases of field and horticultural crops will be addressed.
Note:
Two hours lecture, one 2-hr. lab a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: BIOL 198, or BIOL 210.
Typically Offered
Spring
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 575 - Topics in Plant Pathology Credits: 1-3
Discussions and lectures on important areas and contributions in the field of plant pathology.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 576 - Special Topics in Plant Pathology Credits: 1-3
Discussions and lectures on important areas and contributions in the field of plant pathology.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 585 - Crop Diseases Credits: 2
An overview of plant diseases associated with Kansas crops, with an emphasis on identification and management strategies.
Note:
Two hours lecture and four hours lab a week. To meet first half of the semester.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH 500.
Typically Offered
Fall
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 587 - Turfgrass Diseases and Their Management Credits: 1
Biology, diagnosis and integrated management of turfgrass diseases. Emphasis is on diseases of intensively maintained turfgrass.
Note:
Two hours lecture and two hours lab a week, for the first five weeks of the semester.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: HORT 582 or concurrent enrollment and HORT 515 or concurrent enrollment.
Typically Offered
Fall
Crosslisted:
HORT 587
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 590 - Landscape Diseases Credits: 2
An overview of plant diseases associated with Kansas greenhouse and nursery production systems as well as landscape settings, with an emphasis on identification and management strategies.
Note:
One hour lecture and one lab a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH 500 or concurrent enrollment.
Typically Offered
Spring
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 610 - Biotechnology Credits: 3
The use of biotechnology and molecular genetic approaches in plant and animal sciences. Emphasis is on the use of molecular techniques for plant and animal improvement.
Note:
Three hours lecture per week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: ASI 500 or BIOL 450.
Typically Offered
Fall
Crosslisted:
AGRON 610
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 676 - Fusarium Laboratory Workshop Credits: 1
A one-week laboratory/lecture course on the identification, systematics, physiology, mycotoxicology, genetics, and molecular biology of fungi in the genus Fusarium. Students should not be enrolled in any other class while attending this workshop.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: BIOL 455 or BIOL 604, and consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Summer-Odd Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 730 - Plant Nematology Credits: 3
An introduction to the morphology, taxonomy, and ecology of phytoparasitic and free-living nematodes found in plants, soil, and fresh water. Emphasis is on the identification and control of plant parasitic nematodes and on lab techniques used in their study.
Note:
Two hours lecture, one 2-hr lab a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH 500.
Typically Offered
Spring-Even Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 732 - Introduction to Plant Resistance to Pests Credits: 2
Basic concepts of the biology, ecology, genetics and breeding for pest resistance in plants.
Note:
Four hours lecture and discussion a week. Meets first half of term.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: ENTOM 300 or PLPTH 500 or ENTOM 312 and ENTOM 313, and one course in plant or animal genetics.
Typically Offered
Fall-Even Years
Crosslisted:
ENTOM 732 and AGRON 732
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 750 - Problems in Plant Pathology Credits: 1-3
Work is offered in general plant pathology, plant virology, plant nematology, disease physiology, epidemiology, and disease diagnosis.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 755 - Plant Resistance to Diseases Credits: 2
To meet second half of semester for four hours per week. Survey of recent literature on conventional and novel strategies for obtaining durable resistance to plant diseases. Several well-characterized host/pathogen systems will be selected for in-depth analysis.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH/ENTOM 732.
Typically Offered
Fall-Even Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 765 - Integrated Plant Disease Management Credits: 2
Advanced topics in integrated plant disease management will be examined, including: epidemiological concepts, disease loss assessment, fungicides, resistance traits, on-farm research trials and utilization of precision agriculture technologies to measure disease impacts.
Note:
The course will meet the second eight weeks of the semester.
Requisites:
Pr.: PLPTH 590 or concurrent enrollment with PLPTH 585.
Typically Offered
Fall
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 812 - Introduction to Integrative Genome Analysis Credits: 3
An introduction to genomics technologies genomics technologies, methods and approaches and their integration to the study of genome biology.
Note:
Three hours lecture per week.
Requisites:
Recommended Prerequisite: BIOL 450 or ASI 500 and a 700 level statistics course.
Typically Offered
Fall-Even Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 813 - Bioinformatics Applications Credits: 3
This course will cover the basic principles of regular bioinformatics applications and emphasize the practice of bioinformatics in biological research. The course will introduce the use of computation skills in data analysis focused on the application of bioinformatics in next-generation sequencing (NGS). The goal of this course is to help students be prepared for the next-generation biological research that often generates large data and requires researchers to have the capability in data management and data mining.
Note:
Two hour lecture and two hours lab per week.
Requisites:
Recommended Prerequisite: BIOL 450 or ASI 500 and a 700 level statistics course.
Typically Offered
Spring-Odd Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 820 - Population Genetics Credits: 3
Theoretical basis for and applications of population genetic principles to populations of humans, domesticated plants and animals, and natural ecosystems.
Note:
Three hours lecture/discussion per week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: ASI 500, BIOCH 521, MATH 220, and STAT 510 or STAT 703.
Typically Offered
Spring-Odd Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 835 - Plant Virology Credits: 3
A study of the composition, symptomatology, diagnosis, isolation, replications, molecular biology, genetics, and evolution of plant-infecting viruses.
Note:
Two hours lecture a week plus one hour of recitation.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: ASI 500, BIOCH 521, BIOCH 522, and PLPTH 500.
Typically Offered
Fall-Odd Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 840 - Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Credits: 2
Emphasizes the diversity, mechanisms of pathogenicity, host-parasite relations, control measures, and the principles and methods of identifying plant pathogenic bacteria.
Note:
The course will meet for half of the semester. Four hours lec/ week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: BIOCH 521, PLPTH 500.
Typically Offered
Spring-Odd Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 845 - Plant Pathogenic Fungi Credits: 3
The isolation, handling, storage, inoculation, terminology and taxonomy of fungal pathogens of plants. Particular attention will be given to techniques used to study fungi and to the genus and species concepts for important plant pathogenic fungal genera.
Note:
Two hr lecture, and one 3-hr lab a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH 500 and BIOL 604.
Typically Offered
Fall-Even Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 850 - Introduction to R Programming for Biologists Credits: 1
An introduction to the R programming environment for biological applications, including an overview of data management, graphics, introductory statistics, phylogenetic analyses, biomathematical modeling, and bioinformatics.
Note:
Lec/recitation Four half days.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: One course in introductory statistics or quantitative biology.
Typically Offered
Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 870 - Thesis/ Dissertation Proposal Seminar Credits: 1
Theory and practice of research proposal development.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Spring
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 871 - Professional Communications in Plant Pathology Credits: 1
Theory and practice of effective communication of plant pathology research and concepts to scientific and non-scientific audiences.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor.
Typically Offered
Fall
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 880 - Plant Molecular Biology Credits: 3
A study of plant genes and genome organization, plant gene expression and regulation, and functional analysis of plant genes.
Note:
Three hours lecture a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: BIOCH 521, PLPTH 610, or BIOL 541.
Typically Offered
Fall-Even Years
Crosslisted:
AGRON 880
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 885 - Genomic Technologies Workshop Credits: 2
Lecture and laboratory on the modern techniques to study genes and genomes.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Requisites:
Recommended Prerequisite: One of the following courses: PLPTH 610, AGRON 610, BIOCH 521, BIOCH 522, BIOL 675, BIOL 676, PLPTH 680, AGRON 680
Typically Offered
Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 898 - Master’s Report Credits: 1-2
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 899 - Research in Plant Pathology for the MS Degree Credits: 1-18
Work is offered in each of the major pathogen groups, genetics of plant-microbe interactions, disease physiology, ecology, and epidemiology.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 905 - Ecology and Epidemiology of Plant Pathogens Credits: 3
Experimental and theoretical approaches to the study of plant disease ecology in agricultural and natural systems.
Note:
Three hours lecture a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: A course in Statistics, a course in Calculus, and one of the following: PLPTH 500, PLPTH 730, PLPTH 835, PLPTH 840, PLPTH 845, or a course in Ecology.
Typically Offered
Spring-Even Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 910 - Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions Credits: 3
Discussions of molecular and genetic perspectives of resistant and susceptible interactions between plants and bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens. Evaluation of current hypotheses on the nature of disease resistance.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH 500, BIOCH 521, and BIOL 500; BIOL 450 or ASI 500; PLPTH 835, PLPTH 840, or PLPTH 845.
Typically Offered
Fall-Odd Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 915 - Advanced Plant Genetics Credits: 3
In-depth treatment of advanced concepts in molecular, quantitative, and cytogenetics of plants.
Note:
Three hrs. lecture a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH 680/AGRON 680.
Typically Offered
Fall-Odd Years
Crosslisted:
AGRON 915
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 916 - Cytogenetics Laboratory Credits: 1
An advanced laboratory course in classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques, C-banding and flourescence in situ hybridization techniques.
Note:
Three hours lab a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: PLPTH 915 or concurrent.
Typically Offered
Fall-Odd Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 920 - Topics in Plant Pathology Credits: 1-18
Discussions and lectures on important areas and contributions in the field of plant pathology.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 921 - Special Topics in Plant Pathology Credits: 1-18
Discussions and lectures on important areas and contributions in the field of plant pathology.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 922 - Teaching Practicum in Plant Pathology Credits: 1-2
Practical training in teaching courses offered in the Department of Plant Pathology. Most students will serve as Teaching Assistants.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Requisites:
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 927 - Fungal Genetics Credits: 3
A study of the classical, molecular, and population aspects of fungal genetics in both model and commercially important systems. Topics to be discussed include genetic analysis via mitosis and meiosis, models of recombination, genetic control of fungal development, basic molecular genetics of fungi, and genetic factors affecting fungal population structure and stability.
Note:
Three hours lecture discussion a week.
Requisites:
Prerequisite: BIOCH 521, ASI 500; recommended: BIOL 604 and a 600-level or higher course in genetics.
Typically Offered
Spring-Even Years
KSIS Course Search
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PLPTH 999 - Research in Plant Pathology for the PhD Degree Credits: 1-18
Work is offered in each of the major pathogen groups, genetics of plant-microbe interactions, disease physiology, ecology, and epidemiology.
Repeat for Credit
Repeatable
Typically Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
KSIS Course Search
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