Plant Protection MPS Focus Area

The skills developed can be applied to numerous applications and careers including consulting and direct management of plant pests in systems such as:

• Field crops such as corn, soybean, and alfalfa
• Fruits and vegetables including both organic and conventional methods
• Public spaces such as parks and playgrounds
• Private spaces including lawns and gardens
• Interior spaces such as homes and offices
• Interior plant production in greenhouses
• Plant product inspection at border crossings
• Government or corporate research and development facilities

The MPS Plant Protection Focus Area is fairly new but Cornell has a very long history in plant protection research and instruction including establishment of the first Entomology Department in the United States.  While many doctoral students have gone on to academic careers, students with bachelor's and master's degrees in plant protection fields have gone on to positions including:

• Border inspection specialists with USDA-APHIS
• Research/outreach with non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Pest control product development and testing
• Pest survey and management positions with federal, state, and local units (e.g. NYSIPM)

Kerik Cox   

• Orchard fungal ecology
• Fungicide resistance
• Pesticide stewardship
• Fruit pathology

Antonio DiTommaso   

• Biological weed management
• Invasive species
• Weed ecology

Michelle Heck    

• Molecular interactions among plant pathogens, insect vectors, and plant hosts

Kathie Hodge

• Mycology, Fungal systematics, Fungal pathogens of insects

Jian Hua

• Environmental responses; Adaptation; temperature; immunity; plants

Betsy Lamb

• Ornamental and greenhouse integrated pest management

Louis Longchamps   

• On-farm research
• Precision agriculture
• Site-specific weed management and variable rate nitrogen management

John Losey 

• Insect biodiversity and conservation
• Management of endangered or declining insect populations
• Management of pest insect populations

Rebecca Nelson   

• Genetics of quantitative disease resistance in plants
• International agriculture and rural development
• Mycotoxin management

Teresa Pawlowska

• Evolutionary and population genomics
• Innate immunity in fungi and fungal-bacterial interactions
• Arbuscular mycorrhizae

Chris Smart   

• Biology and management of vegetable diseases
• Host-pathogen interactions
• Physiology and post-harvest management

Karen Snover-Clift

• Plant disease diagnosis
• Plant pathology training of Master Gardeners, Extension Educators, and green industry members

View all Integrative Plant Science MPS faculty | Explore all faculty interests and focus area careers

To learn more about these courses,  visit the Courses of Study website.

Coursework is specifically designed to meet the needs of each student. A minimum of 30 credit hours related to the candidate's professional interest is required to graduate.  The student and their faculty advisor decide on a plan of study. Here are some of the classes that are available; there are several more from which to choose:

Integrative Plant Science Core:

Required:

• PLSCI 5500 Cultivating Community through Self-discovery and Skill Development
• ALS 5900 Master of Professional Studies Project Development
• ALS 5910 Master of Professional Studies Project Completion

Recommended:

• ALS 5211 Career Readiness: Engaged Learning for CALS Professional Master’s Students

Plant Protection Courses (recommended):

• PLPPM 5010 Biology and Management of Plant Diseases
• VIEN 5200 Grape Pest Management
• ENTOM 5440 Integrated Pest Management
• EAS 5443 Global Climate Change Science and Policy
• BTRY 6010 Statistical Methods I
• PLPPM 6010 Molecular Biology of Plant Microbe Interactions
• PLSCS 5110 Field Crop Systems
• PLSCS 5150 Weed Biology and Management
• PLSCS 5290 Remote Sensing and Modeling for Ecosystems
• PLSCI 5940 Skills for Public Engagement
• PLBRG 6030 Genetic Improvement of Crop Plants
• PLSCS 6100 Plant Responses to Environmental Stresses
• PLSCS 6140 Weed Ecology and Management
• PLSCS 6660 Applied Plant Microbe Interactions

While the curriculum is broad, all aspects will reflect three central principles:

• Tools not Prescriptions: Every plant and pest interaction is unique.  Pest management parameters are in constant flux with a changing suite of pests (e.g. invasive species), shifting effectiveness and availability of management options (e.g. resistance, regulation), and evolving market preferences (e.g. organic production).  Learning a specific strategy for one set of conditions will have limited value but a set of tools and skills to tailor a strategy for any set of conditions is adaptable, scalable and portable.
• Management not Control:  Action should be taken to control a pest population only when the benefits outweigh the costs.  This is the distinction that separates pest management from pest control that seeks to keep plants free from all pests at all times regardless of the cost.  Evaluating costs and benefits is not trivial as there are often factors that extend beyond one field or one growing season, but considering both costs and benefits is a core principle of plant protection.
• Prevention before Control.  Pesticides can be provide extremely effective pest management often at a very low cost.  Designing plant production systems that are less likely to be colonized or exploited by pests can be even more effective and less costly.  Also, preventive methods are the only option for many pests, including almost all plant pathogens, for which there are no effective pesticides.  The most effective and resilient plant protection programs incorporate system design to minimize the frequency and severity of pest attack with effective use of reactive tactics when preventive tactics are overcome.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a passion for working with plants, competency in undergraduate science coursework, and interest in applying knowledge gained in a professional career. Admission requirements include:

• Online application through Cornell Graduate School
• Bachelor’s degree in scientific field
• For non-science background, at least 15 credit hours of introductory college-level science courses, including general chemistry, general biology, and corresponding labs
• Current résumé or CV
• Three letters of recommendation
• TOEFL/IELTS for international applicants, per Graduate School guidelines