The graduate programs offer a broad scope of studies in plant pathology and specialized topics covering plant diseases caused by fungi, oomycetes, viruses, bacteria, and nematodes. Major research areas include the genetic and molecular basis of plant disease resistance and susceptibility, mechanisms underlying pathogen virulence and pathogenicity, etiology and epidemiology of plant diseases, and chemical and biological control of plant diseases. The department of over 50 faculty members provides a wide range of basic and/or applied research projects suitable for master’s or Ph.D. degree training programs. Research facilities including state-funded key laboratories, plant growth rooms, tissue culture rooms, and agricultural experimental stations are also available to postgraduate students.