Plant Science

Rose C. Gergerich

Chair of Studies

217 Plant Sciences Building

479-575-3180

E-mail: gergeric@uark.edu

Web: http://www.uark.edu/ua/plantsci/

• University Professor Riggs, TeBeest

• Professors Clark, Correll, Gergerich, Hensley, Kirkpatrick, Klingaman, Lee, Lim, Morelock, Murphy, Robbins (R.), Rothrock, Rupe, Weidemann

• Associate Professors Andersen, Cartwright, Evans, Fenn, Korth, Lindstrom, Milus, Richardson, Robbins (J.), Rom, Yang

• Assistant Professors Karcher, Srivastava, Vann

• Adjunct Assistant Professor Jia

Degree Conferred:

Ph.D. (PTSC)

Areas of Concentration: Horticulture, plant pathology.

Primary Areas of Faculty Research: Biological control of plant diseases, breeding for disease resistance, fungal biology, forest pathology, diseases of crop plants, mycotoxicology, mycoplasmas, nematology, physiology of parasitism and resistance, plant disease control, phytobacteriology, soil microbiology, virology, genetics and plant breeding of fruit or vegetable crops, physiology and culture of fruit, vegetable or ornamental plants, and physiology and management of turfgrasses.

Prerequisites to Degree Program: In addition to the requirements for admission to the Graduate School, the student must submit to the Chair of Studies three letters of recommendation, which evaluate the potential of the student to pursue advanced graduate studies, and scores from the Graduate Record Examinations. Approval by the Plant Science Steering Committee is also necessary for acceptance into the program of study leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Admissions Requirements for Entry: The requirements for admission to the plant science Ph.D. program include the following: completion of an M.S. degree in a relevant biological science with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better (of 4.00), submission of scores from the verbal, quantitative, and written Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), three letters of recommendation indicating character and academic capability of the applicant, and official transcripts from all institutions attended.

Requirements for Doctor of Philosophy Degree: Each candidate must present a doctoral dissertation based on original research. Course requirements are established by the student’s major adviser and the graduate advisory committee. The student must pass a candidacy examination at least two semesters before the expected conferral date of the degree. A final examination on the doctoral dissertation and cognate areas must be passed at least two weeks before the time of expected degree conferral. Students are expected to maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 2.85 or better (3.00 to graduate) as consistent with the policy of the Graduate School.

Students in the Plant Pathology concentration in the Plant Science program must pass written and oral candidacy examinations at least two semesters before the expected conferral date of the degree. In general, students are required to complete three graduate credits in horticulture, six graduate credits in an area appropriate to their dissertation research, two credits in the Plant Science Colloquium, Plant Pathology 4103, 5303, 5313, and 5404. In addition, students are expected to complete three of the four following courses: Plant Pathology 5603, 6203, 6303 or 6503. All students in the plant pathology concentration are expected to attend seminars in both departments and are required to present at least four seminars (while enrolled for credit in PLPA 5001 Seminar) to include the following: a research proposal seminar, two topic seminars on subjects other than their research area and an exit seminar describing the results of their dissertation research. Plant pathology will permit enrollment in one semester in CSES 5103 to be used as a substitute for one of the two topic seminars. All Ph.D. candidates are expected to gain teaching experience by assisting in the teaching of a regularly scheduled plant pathology course for one semester. Students with prior teaching experience can appeal to the Graduate Admissions Committee for a waiver in the Department of Plant Pathology. Additional requirements or waivers from these requirements are available in the Graduate Handbook in Plant Pathology.

Students in the Horticulture Concentration must take at least three graduate course credits in each of the participating departments (horticulture and plant pathology), at least six  elective graduate credits outside of the program in an area appropriate to their dissertation research, two semesters (2 credits) in PTSC 6101 Plant Science Colloquium, one in each department, and students are required to present at least four seminars (while enrolled for credit in HORT 5001 Seminar) to include the following: a research proposal seminar, two topic seminars on subjects other than their research area and an exit seminar describing the results of their dissertation research.

All students will be expected to complete 18 hours of dissertation research.

Also see courses in Horticulture and Plant Pathology.

PTSC5343 Seed Physiology (SP)  Physiological process and molecular regulation in the development, dormancy, germination, and early growth of seeds. A basic knowledge of plants physiology expected.

PTSC6101 Colloquium in Plant Sciences (SP)  Advanced discussion of topics in plant science on a participatory basis. Topics in plant pathology, horticulture and forestry will be treated. May be repeated for 2 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing.

PTSC6203 Laboratory Instrumentation in Plant Science  (SP, Odd years)  Principles, capabilities, and operation of laboratory instrumentation utilized in plant science research. Lecture 2 hours, laboratory 3 hours per week. Corequisite: PTSC 6200L.

PTSC6200L Laboratory Instrumentation in Plant Science Laboratory  (SP, Odd years)  Corequisite: PTSC 6203.

PTSC700V Doctoral Dissertation (1-18) (FA, SP, SU)  Prerequisite: graduate standing.