Graduate Catalog

2012-2013

ENTOMOLOGY, PLANT PATHOLOGY, and WEED SCIENCE

Department website: http://eppws.nmsu.edu

(575) 646-3225

jischroe@nmsu.edu

Jill Schroeder, interim department head, Ph.D. (Georgia) – weed science; R. N. Arnold, M.S. (New Mexico State) – weed science; J. Ashigh, Ph.D. (Guelph) – weed science; C. S. Bundy, Ph.D. (Georgia) – entomology; R. L. Byford, Ph.D. (Oklahoma State) – veterinary entomology; R. Creamer, Ph.D. (California-Davis) – plant pathology; J. J. Ellington, Ph.D. (Cornell) – entomology; N.P. Goldberg, Ph.D. (Arizona) – plant pathology; T. R. Grasswitz, Ph.D. (California-Riverside) – IPM specialist; S. Hanson, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin) – molecular plant pathology; J. D. Kemp, Ph.D. (California-Los Angeles) – plant genetics; H. G. Kinzer, Ph.D. (Oklahoma State) – veterinary entomology; B. E. Lewis, M.S. (New Mexico State) – economic entomology; J. Breen Pierce (Rutgers) – entomology; A. Romero, Ph.D. (University of Kentucky) – Entomology; S. Sanogo, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State) – plant pathology; B. Schutte, Ph.D. (Ohio State) – Horticulture & Crop Science; C. A. Sutherland, Ph.D. (Oregon State) – extension entomology; S. H. Thomas, Ph.D. (Iowa State) – nematology; D.C. Thompson, Ph.D. (Colorado State) – entomology.

DEGREE: Master of Science
MAJOR: Agricultural Biology

MINOR: Agricultural Biology

The complexity of managing insects, plant diseases, and weeds is increasing environmental concerns, costs, and regulations necessitate an integrated approach to management strategies. Future professionals in integrated pest management will be ecologically oriented, trained to manipulate biological and cultural technologies while minimizing chemical control options. The Master of Science degree program in agricultural biology is designed to produce graduates with the academic and research background needed to facilitate effective, innovative, and environmentally sound protection of plants and animals from a wide and varied spectrum of pests. Students will be prepared for careers in research, extension, teaching, private consulting, industry, and government or to continue in a broad range of Ph.D. programs. Specific opportunities will include positions as agricultural consultants, technical and sales representatives for industry, state departments of agriculture and USDA specialists, agricultural extension agents, and industry research and environmental technicians. There is currently a strong need for M.S. graduates trained in these areas, and the demand is expected to increase dramatically.

Students may wish to concentrate their graduate program in entomology, plant pathology, or weed science, or conversely may wish to be broadly trained in all three pest-management disciplines. Most students will be expected to complete a thesis. A non-thesis option is available, depending on prior training and experience and subject to approval by the department head. A nonthesis research option requires completion of a research paper, suitable as judged by the student's graduate committee, for journal publication. Completion of an undergraduate degree essentially equivalent to that offered by the department is required for admission to the M.S. graduate program. Qualifications for admission will be reviewed by the departmental Graduate Admissions committee. Prospective graduate students must have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, complete the GRE, and submit an official transcript, a letter of intent, and three letters of recommendation.

ENTOMOLOGY, PLANT PATHOLOGY, AND WEED SCIENCE

EPWS 451. Special Topics 1-4 cr.

Specific subjects and credits to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Maximum of 4 credits per semester and a grand total of 9 credits. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

EPWS 452. Applied Pesticide Toxicology 3 cr.

Classification, mode of action, and use of insecticides and related pesticides.

EPWS 455. Advanced Integrated Pest Management 3 cr.

Examination of factors affecting the biology and ecology, population evaluations, and control of insect, disease, and weed pests with an emphasis on integrating management practices. Credit cannot be given for both EPWS 455 and EPWS 505. Prerequisite: either EPWS 303, EPWS 310, EPWS 311, or consent of instructor.

EPWS 456. Biological Control 3 cr.

Principles of plant and animal suppression using living organisms. Interaction of biological control organisms with biotic and abiotic factors will be stressed. Credit cannot be given for both EPWS 456 and EPWS 506. Prerequisite: introductory course in entomology.

EPWS 462. Parasitology 3 cr.

Introduction to classification, biology, ecology and management of the major parasites of human, domestic animals and wildlife.

EPWS 462 L. Parasitology Lab 1 cr.

Methods of collecting and identifying the major parasites of humans, domestic animals and wildlife. Concurrent enrollment in EPWS 462 is desirable.

EPWS 471. Plant Mineral Nutrition 3 cr.

Same as HORT 471 and AGRO 471.

EPWS 481. Plant Nematology 3 cr. (2+2P)

Biology, ecology and basic identification of soil-inhabiting nematodes, with emphasis on host-parasite relationships and management principles for plant-parasitic genera.

EPWS 486. Plant Virology 3 cr.

An overview of viral pathogens associated with infectious plant disease. Includes pathogens, replication, genetics, transmission, and movement of plant viruses.

EPWS 491. Insect Physiology 3 cr.

Metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and vitamins. Physiology of development, reproduction, pheromone and sensory reception. Prerequisites: EPWS 303 or BIOL 433, CHEM 211, or consent of instructor.

EPWS 492. Diagnosing Plant Disorders 3 cr. (2+3P)

Systematic diagnosis of the physiological, pathological, and entomological causes of plant disorders. Prerequisites: EPWS 303, EPWS 310. Same as AGRO 492 and HORT 492.

EPWS 505. Advanced Integrated Pest Management 3 cr.

Examination of the factors affecting the biology and ecology, population evaluations, and control of insect, disease, and weed pests, with an emphasis on integrating management practices. Prerequisite: EPWS 303, EPWS 310, EPWS 311, or consent of instructor. Credit cannot be given for both EPWS 455 and EPWS 505.

EPWS 506. Biological Control 3 cr.

Principles of plant and animal pest suppression using living organisms. Interaction of biological control organisms with biotic and abiotic factors will be stressed. Individual paper or project required. Prerequisite: introductory course in entomology. Credit cannot be given for both EPWS 456 and EPWS 506.

EPWS 511. Introduction to Weed Science (f) 4 cr. (3+2P)

Covers the principles of weed science with emphasis on characteristics of invasive plants, methods of integrated weed management, and current issues impacting weed management. Includes identification of local weeds. Research paper required for graduate credit. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 111G and BIOL 211G. Crosslisted with: AGRO 511.

EPWS 514. Plant Physiology 2 cr.

Overview of photosynthesis, respiration, water relations of plants, minerals and organic nutrition, growth and development. Prerequisites: BIOL 211G, CHEM 112G. Same as BIOL 514.

EPWS 514 L. Plant Physiology Laboratory 2 cr.

Examination of and laboratory techniques for measurement of plant-water relations, solute transport, mineral nutrition, photosynthesis, enzyme activity, gene expressions, nitrogen metabolism hormone content and function and growth/development. Special project required. Prerequisite: BIOL 314 or EPWS 314. Same as BIOL 514.

EPWS 520. Environmental Fate of Pesticides (so) 3 cr.

Mechanisms of pesticide movement, degradation, behaviors and persistence in soil, water, and plants. Experimental and analytical techniques. Prerequisites: CHEM 211, EPWS 311, and EPWS 314.

EPWS 523. Environmental Toxicology 3 cr.

Same as TOX 523.

EPWS 530. Plant Physiology: Metabolism 3 cr.

Examination of major plant metabolic processes, including photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, lipid and secondary plant production metabolism, and how they are related. Prerequisites: BIOL/EPWS 314 and CHEM 314, or consent of instructor. Same as AGRO 530, BIOL 530, HORT 530, and MOLB 530.

EPWS 549. Special Problems 1-4 cr.

Individual investigation in specific areas of entomology, plant pathology, and weed science. Maximum of 4 credits per semester and a total of 6 credits.

EPWS 551. Special Topics 1-4 cr.

Specific subjects and credits to be announced in the Schedule of Classes. Maximum of 4 credits per semester. No more than 9 credits toward a degree.

EPWS 573. Fungal Biology 3 cr. (2+2P)

Introduction to the taxonomy, morphology, physiology, and ecology of fungi. Prerequisite: EPWS 310 or consent of instructor. Same as BIOL 573.

EPWS 590. Graduate Seminar 1 cr.

Review of current scientific literature in entomology, plant pathology, and weed science, and verbal presentation of information. No more than 2 credits toward a degree.

EPWS 598. Graduate Internship 1-6 cr.

Supervised professional on-the-job learning experience. Limited to Master of Agriculture candidates. Not more than 6 credits toward the degree.

EPWS 599. Master's Thesis 0-88 cr.

Thesis.