Botany and Plant Pathology

Department's website

The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology conducts research that addresses a wide range of fundamental and applied problems in plant biology, from molecular to ecosystem levels of biological organization, with special consideration give to plant-microbe interactions.

Major areas of research emphasis and strength within the department include:

• Plant molecular, cellular, and genomic biology: Research in these areas focus on the molecular mechanisms regulating plant growth and development and on the molecular basis of plant-microbe interactions. The programs dealing with plant-microbe interactions have strong links to plant pathology and environmental science and include cutting-edge research on the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions, the role of microbes in nitrogen cycling and bioremediation and systems biology.
• Plant pathology: The department has a mandate to meet statewide needs for research on plant diseases, and the strengths of the Department include strong programs that focus on plant disease epidemiology and disease management, including problems directly affecting agriculture and forestry in the State of Oregon.
• Plant systematics: Active research programs in plant and fungal systematics employ modern molecular approaches and are part of a campus-wide strength in evolutionary biology. Along with these programs, the department houses the OSU Herbarium, which is an important research resource that contains one of the largest collections of plant and fungal specimens in the Pacific Northwest.
• Plant ecology: Ecological research in the department currently focuses on the ecology of plant terrestrial communities and on the responses of plants to environmental and human stresses. These programs give special attention to ecological questions directly related to the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest and are part of the campus-wide strength in ecology and environmental science.