2025-2026 UH Mānoa Catalog
Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences
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Gilmore 310
3050 Maile Way
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7076
Fax: (808) 956-2428
Email: peps@hawaii.edu
Web: www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/peps/
Faculty
*K. H. Wang, PhD (Chair)—nematology, sustainable pest management
*P. Aigbedion-Atalor, PhD—entomology, arthropod identification and monitoring
*M. Arif, PhD—host bacterial interaction, bacterial genomics
J. Bloese, PhD—ornamental entomologist
*Z. Cheng, PhD—turfgrass and landscape pest management environmental bio-indicators, urban soil ecology and environmental sciences
*S. Dobhal, PhD—phytobacteriology
C. Doorenweerd, PhD—insect systematics
M. Dragich—pesticide safety education and invasive pest management, extension education (Oahu Cooperative Extension Service)
*P. Grewal, PhD—nematology, entomology, plant pathology, environmental science
*D. Jenkins, PhD, PE—biological engineer, biosensors and bioinstrumentation
*P. Krushelnycky, PhD—entomology, invasion biology
*M. Luis, PhD—mycology, resilient plant pathology
*R. Manandhar, PhD—invasive species management, extension education (Kauaʻi Cooperative Extension Service)
*M. Melzer, PhD—agrosecurity, virology
*D. Rubinoff, PhD—insect systematics and ecology, invasive species, conservation biology
M. D. San Jose, PhD—fruitflies population genetics
*I. Shikano, PhD—entomology, integrated pest management
*B. S. Sipes, PhD—nematology, alternative control methods
J. S. Sugano, MS—extensions education (Oʻahu County Administrator)
*J.-W. Tay, PhD—urban pest management
H. Valenzuela, PhD—sustainable, organic products
*E. Villalobos PhD—pollinator management, honeybee health
*M. G. Wright, PhD—integrated pest management, tropical fruits and nuts, insect ecology, biological control
Cooperating Graduate Faculty
L. Arita-Tsutsumi, PhD—insect behavior, honeybee ecology (UH Hilo)
A. Jani, PhD—microbial ecology, disease ecology
K. Y. Kaneshiro, PhD—systematics, evolution, insect behavior
M. Medeiros, PhD—mosquito ecology
Affiliate Graduate Faculty
S. Aoki, PhD—bacterial genomics; insect-microbe interactions
J. Eiben—alpine insects (California University of Pennsylvania)
P. A. Follett, PhD—commodity quarantine treatments, tropical tree fruit IPM (USDA-ARS, Hilo)
S. Geib, PhD—genomic analysis
S. M. Gon III, PhD—native insect diversity and conservation (The Nature Conservancy of Hawaiʻi)
W. Haines, PhD—entomology (DLNR)
K. A. Hayes, PhD—zoology (Bishop Museum)
C. R. R. Hooks—entomology (University of Maryland)
L. Kaufman, PhD—integrated pest management, biological control, risk assessment
L. Keith (USDA-Hilo)
K. Magnacca—entomology (Bishop Museum)
N. C. Manoukis, PhD—invasive pest biology and control, Tephritid fruit fly (USDA-ARS Hilo)
J. M. K. Marquez, PhD—plant pathology and hematology (HDOA)
R. Myers, PhD—plant pathology and nematology (USDA-ARS Hilo)
D. Peck (CIAT, Colombia)
M. Ramadan—entomology (HDOA)
A. Vorsino, PhD—GIS and spatial modeling (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
P. Waisen, PhD— nematology, integrated pest management, biological and chemical control (UC Riverside)
C. S. Yang, PhD—ant biology (National Taiwan University)
* Graduate Faculty
The Academic Program
Agriculture, urban, and natural environments are severely affected by established and invasive plants, animals, arthropods, and disease-causing organisms. Management of these pests and pathogens is essential to preserve the economic and ecological future of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Basin. The need to protect our natural resources and the environment using methods with low non-target impacts have resulted in a focus on using biological control, integrated pest management, cultural, traditional, and genetically-based methods.
Hawaiʻi’s location in the Pacific basin provides students with an ideal setting for tropical and environmental studies. The unique island ecosystem also encompasses many cropping niches and natural environments from humid tropical environments to arid temperate conditions. In addition, the multitude of agricultural and landscape plants produced provides a natural laboratory to study a diversity of urban and agricultural inputs. The multicultural aspect of the human population further adds to the intriguing plant, human, and pest interactions that are a part of the PEPS academic and research program.
The faculty in the PEPS department use cutting-edge research tools to address the challenge of plant and environmental protection and food security and develop solutions for rational pest management and conservation of endangered species that have impact locally and globally. Through interaction with faculty from various disciplines, students are presented with great educational opportunities through a BS degree in Tropical Agriculture and the Environment with a specialization in Invasive Species Management, MS, and PhD degrees in Entomology, and Tropical Plant Pathology. Students are prepared for employment in agricultural and urban pest management, science education, government, industry, and environmental resource management. Undergraduate students will be well prepared for professional and graduate studies.
Affiliations
Studies in Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences (PEPS) at UH Mānoa are strengthened by cooperative relationships with Departments of Tropical Plants and Soil Sciences and Natural Resources and Environmental Management in CTAHR, the Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Program; Harold L. Lyons Arboretum; Hawaiʻi Agriculture Research Center; State of Hawaiʻi Departments of Agriculture and Department of Land and Natural Resources; B. P. Bishop Museum; Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Geological Service.
Advising/Mentorship
Undergraduates are required to consult with a CTAHR advisor prior to registration each semester. Go to cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ugstudies for more information. Academic advisors are available by appointment only, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (except holidays). Gilmore Hall, first floor, email: ctahradv@hawaii.edu.
Graduate students are advised initially by a research program advisor or by the department’s graduate program chairperson.
Undergraduate Study
TAE BS Degree
The Departments of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences and Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences jointly offer a BS degree in Tropical Agriculture and the Environment (TAE). Students in this program complete a common core of courses taught by faculty in both departments and one of the following concentrations:
- Pest and Invasive Species Management
- Sustainable Crop Production, Soils, & Landscape Management
- Molecular Plant Biosystems
Students who undertake this program of study will:
- Demonstrate understanding of the science of agriculture and its interaction with the environment from molecules to ecosystems,
- Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate scientific evidence, identify gaps in knowledge, and apply evidence-based arguments to solve issues associated with agriculture in a dynamic world,
- Demonstrate the ability to identify problems associated with agriculture, and apply the scientific method and practices to develop sustainable solutions from urban to rural environments,
- Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication for both professional and general audiences,
- Demonstrate responsible and ethical conduct, leadership, collaboration, respect for a diversity of viewpoints, and the capacity for lifelong learning appropriate to professional and community practices.
Students must select one of the three concentrations in TAE. The concentrations are Pest and Invasive Species Management; Sustainable Crop Production, Soils, & Landscape Management; and Molecular Plant Biosystems.
Concentration in Pest and Invasive Species Management
Students are prepared to design and implement pest management programs and conduct basic and applied research using multidisciplinary approaches. Students receive interdisciplinary education in entomology, plant pathology, weed science, and invasive species management.
Concentration in Sustainable Crop Production, Soils, & Landscape Management
Students are prepared to produce, manage, and market plants grown as crops or in landscapes with an emphasis on sustainable productivity with appropriate pest and disease management. Students learn to solve horticultural problems using evidence-based methods. Students may select classes that focus on urban landscapes and learn to design, install, and maintain sustainable landscapes for our living environment. Students in the program learn theoretical foundations that lead to a practical understanding and implementation of how to produce environmentally and economically sustainable landscapes.
Concentration in Molecular Plant Biosystems
A concentration in molecular plant biosystems allows students to cross the traditional boundaries that have separated genetics, plant physiology, molecular biology, and their application to crop production. By linking laboratory approaches and plant production systems through the application of plant biotechnology, students learn to solve multidisciplinary problems. Students can select courses that allow concentration on genetic engineering or whole plant physiology and plant breeding to address real-world problems.
Certificate in Agribusiness Management
Please see “Programs” section below for more information about this program.
Academic Minor in Plant Production and Management
Please see “Programs” section below for more information about this program.
Graduate Study
Entomology
MS and PhD degrees are offered in the entomology program. Courses are offered in biological control of insect pests and weed, insect ecology, insect physiology, insect transmission of plant pathogens, systematics and phylogenetics, and various special topics in genomics, conservation and pest management. Thesis and dissertation research can be selected from any of these subject areas.
Students applying for graduate programs in entomology are expected to have acquired a bachelor’s degree with credit hours in entomology and biology, including general biology, general entomology, integrated pest management; one year of chemistry; and an appropriate course in mathematics and/or statistics. Deficiencies in undergraduate preparation can be satisfied during the graduate program.
To apply for the graduate program in entomology, a student must complete the University Graduate Student application, the Graduate Record Examination and any English language proficiency examinations required by the university. Each student should communicate with and identify a graduate advisor from among the entomology graduate faculty and prepare a statement of objectives that describes the goals for and interests in entomology. This statement of objectives and three confidential letters of reference should be sent directly to the graduate program chair.
The MS and PhD degrees in entomology are recognized by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) regional graduate programs. Residents of Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming are eligible, upon admission, to enroll at Hawaiʻi-resident tuition rates.
Tropical Plant Pathology
Plant pathology is the study of plant diseases, their causes, and the interactions with the environment. The primary thrust in the program focuses on agricultural crops of economic importance; however, opportunities exist for discovery research in natural ecosystems and the laboratory. The field consists of several sub-disciplines including phytomycology, plant virology, bacteriology, nematology, epidemiology, crop protection, and molecular biology of host-pathogen interactions.
Tropical plant pathology has three student learning outcomes. Students in the program will communicate effectively; write and defend a thesis of original phytopathological research; present findings of their research in oral and/or poster formats in scientific forums; publish the results of their research in peer-reviewed journals; and assist others in learning plant pathology. Students are competent and knowledgeable biologists. They demonstrate this competency by having a basic understanding of molecular biology and genetics; with a general knowledge of the four major pathogen groups, by possessing understanding of plant disease epidemiology; having strong knowledge of their specialized field of study; and conducting research in plant pathology. Students will propose and formulate research objectives to address relevant plant pathological questions; and will conduct research using appropriate design and methods.
Students should have their undergraduate preparation in botany, horticulture, agronomy, microbiology, or plant and environmental protection sciences. Plant pathology has its foundation in biology and agriculture and offers wide opportunities in both basic and applied areas of biology, plant sciences, and agriculture. The tropical plant pathology program at UH Mānoa offers students a unique opportunity to gain knowledge of plant diseases on a vast diversity of tropical crops and native plants as well as the impacts of plant protection practices on the environment.
Please see the Graduate Division website for general graduate admissions requirements and procedures.
Applications for admission must include GRE scores for verbal and quantitative aptitude. Candidates may need to demonstrate evidence of adequate preparation in other subject areas as well. Deficiencies may be corrected during the graduate program. In addition, applicants must: (1) submit a Statement of Objectives describing their goals and interests in plant pathology directly to the graduate program chair, and (2) arrange to have three confidential letters of reference sent directly to the graduate program chair.
ProgramsBachelor’sMaster’sDoctorateUndergraduate CertificateMinor
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