The Department of Plant Sciences works to advance research and address many local, regional and global challenges such as breeding plants to tolerate drought-stress, developing sustainable cropping practices and conserving plant species for future generations. Our department prepares students for careers in the rapidly changing fields of applied and basic plant sciences and in modern production agriculture.

We offer three undergraduate degrees and four minors designed to complement a variety of majors. We also offer a master’s and doctorate program in plant science. Students in these programs work with professors who actively conduct research on a variety of topics and customize their programs based on research interests.

The range of expertise among plant sciences faculty provides students with a diverse experience. Specialty areas include cereal varietal adaptation, weed management practices, molecular genetics, wheat variety development, potato cropping systems, Brassica variety development, cropping systems, ornamental and landscape plants, potato storage, invasive plants, barley agronomy, potato variety development, potato postharvest research, water management and biotechnology.

Faculty support Idaho’s producers through a variety of Extension programs, events and publications. Research is conducted on the Moscow campus and at U of I Research and Extension Centers in Idaho Falls, Parma, Kimberly, Twin Falls and Aberdeen.