Thank you for your interest in our department!

Many of the projects within the department involve interdisciplinary activity. These studies include close cooperation and interaction with soil scientists, plant geneticists, horticulturists, veterinarians, and ecologists. For instance, the department has special interest and expertise in alternative methods of insect and disease management such as biological control, resistant cultivars, integrated pest management, and cultural control techniques, to help meet the need for healthful food production without, or with reduced, use of pesticides.

News and Announcements

POSITION OPEN: Assistant Professor Field Crop Plant Pathologist

Congratulations! Katheryne Nix was the recipient of the CASNR Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award of Merit.  She is well deserving of this recognition as she does not hesitate to engage in departmental and university activities to aid others and enhance EPP project endeavors.

The following faculty received grants/gifts/contracts in March 2012:  Juan Jurat Fuentes and Christ Oppert (Bayer BioScience), John Skinner (University of Georgia), Bob Trigiano (University of Florida), and Ernie Bernard (University of New Mexico).

Congratulations to the following students that were initiated into Gamma Sigma Delta:  Wangjin Liu, Sandesh Shrestha, Dawn Sikora, and Haley Smith.  Congratulations also to Abdul Hakeem for winning the GSD Graduate Student Award.

Oluseyi Fajolu has been recognized as the winner of a 2012 Chancellor’s Extraordinary Professional Promise Award!

Dr. Carl Jones, department head of Entomology and Plant Pathology for a number of years, passed away in early February of this year.  It is with great honor that the university has granted Dr. Jones Emeritus status in appreciate for all his work.

 

 

 

Dr. Melvin Newman has been awarded the “International IPM Award for Excellence” for soybean Rust – pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (PIPE) at the 7th International IPM Symposium held in Memphis, Tennessee in March of 2012.

Congratulations to Dr. Scott Stewart!

On Monday, March 5, 2012, Dr. Scott Stewart was presented with the “2012 Friends of Southern IPM – IPM Educator Award” at the Southeastern Branch of ESA Meeting held in Little Rock, AR. 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Abdul Hakeem (pictured above) who won 2nd place in the PhD poster competition at the Southeastern Branch of ESA Meeting held in Little Rock, AR! The subject of his poster was "Impact assessment of predators of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on Eastern Hemlock using ortho-digital imagery". Hakeem's major professor is Jerome Grant.

Congratulations to Sandy Steckel who took 1st place in Session IV, M.S. student competition with her research entitled "Effects of Japanese beetle and silk clipping in field corn". Steckel's major professor is Scott Stewart.

 

 

 

 

The 15th Annual Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference was recently held in Tunica, MS.  On February 1, 2012, Dr. Newman was presented an award for the “2012 Corn & Soybean Researcher of the Year”.  Congratulations!

EPP welcomes visiting Scholars!

Mr. Liang Gong is a third year Ph.D. student in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at the South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou.  He will be performing a two-year research project in Dr. Jurat-Fuentes' laboratory working on RNA interference in insects and using this technique to characterize resistance to Bt crops.  Liang’s visit is supported through a highly competitive Overseas Study Program from the Guangzhou Elite Scholarship Council. 

Mr. Hu Jian is a Ph.D. student in the College of Agriculture and Biotechnology at the China Agricultural University in Beijing. He will be conducting two years of research with Kurt Lamour as part of a Joint­training‐program fellowship that he won through the China Scholarship Council. He brings a large collection of the vegetable pathogen, Phytophthora capsici, and will be doing a variety of genetic analyses to characterize populations in China.

New GRA position available!

Extension Programs

We serve Tennessee clientele throughout the state. Extension programs provide educational information about insect pests and plant diseases. Other on-going programs include, Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, Invasive Species, Integrated Pest Management, National Pesticide Impact Assessment Program, and Pesticide Safety Education Program... more

Research Programs

Current research projects focus on fungal, insect, nematode and viral pathogens of crops and animals. Consult the list of research specialties/expertise for specific research areas and the list of faculty members for faculty publications.

Teaching Programs

Our teaching programs offer a graduate program leading to the Master of Science with a major in entomology and plant pathology, and the Doctor of Philosophy through the interdisciplinary plants, soils and insects program. Students in the entomology concentration may specialize in crop entomology, medical and veterinary entomology, insect biology, insect pest management, or biological control. Students in the plant pathology concentration may specialize in foliar and stem fungus diseases, soilborne pathogens, disease physiology, biocontrol, plant nematology, or virology...more

 

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