Department of Plant Science

Growing the Future

Research, teaching, and extension in the plant sciences have been an integral part of South Dakota State University since it’s founding in 1881. Today’s Department of Plant Science includes 53 faculty whose expertise span the fields of agronomy, entomology, genetics/breeding, horticulture, landscape architecture, plant pathology, plant physiology, soil science, and weed science.

Academic Programs: The department provides nationally competitive training for undergraduate students leading to B.S. degrees in agronomy, horticulture and landscape architecture. Plant Science also offers a strong graduate training environment leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in plant science and biological sciences.

Research: Plant Science has a robust research program that consistently ranks at or near the top of departments at SDSU. Grant awards have increased 48% between FY07 and FY11. This strong record is due to our outstanding research faculty.

Extension: Dissemination of science-based knowledge is a core mission of the Department of Plant Science. Our faculty Extension Specialists and the new Field Specialists will provide a robust structure for meeting this mission.

Facilities, Collections and Archives: The department is housed in 6 buildings on campus and six research and outreach stations across the state. The department is also home to two service laboratories and two research collections.