Department Introduction

The Department of Plant Medicine at Chonbuk National University was established with the goal of training professionals dedicated to protecting crops from plant diseases and insect pests. The department provides comprehensive education that combines theoretical and practical knowledge in areas such as pest and disease diagnostics and control, biological control, breeding for plant resistance, pesticide science, and insect physiology, pathology, and taxonomy. Our aim is to foster interdisciplinary experts with a strong field-oriented skill set.

We are equipped with an advanced research and education environment that allows students to receive hands-on training using cutting-edge laboratory equipment.

The department produced its first graduates in February 1986. A master’s program was officially approved in November 1987, followed by the establishment of a doctoral program in November 1988, laying the foundation for robust academic development. In 1996, the department was merged into the School of Bioresource Sciences along with the Departments of Agronomy and Horticulture, becoming the Agricultural Biology major. However, in 2009, it was reorganized as an independent department under the name Agricultural Biology. In March 2025, to better reflect the academic identity and societal needs, the department was renamed the Department of Plant Medicine.

The department’s early education was led by Professor In-Young So, who taught plant pathology in the Department of Agronomy beginning in August 1982. Faculty shortages were addressed through collaboration with professors from the Department of Biology Education and the Department of Biology. The department began with laboratories in plant pathology and entomology, a department office, and six faculty offices in the College of Agriculture building. Today, the department operates diverse research facilities, including laboratories in plant virology, fungal plant pathology, insect microbial engineering, insect virology, and insect taxonomy, as well as insect rearing rooms, specimen rooms, microscopy rooms, and equipment laboratories. These facilities support a structured, experiment-based approach to education and research.

Graduates of the Department of Plant Medicine have found success in both public and private sectors, including the Rural Development Administration, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, agricultural research centers, plant quarantine agencies, agricultural cooperatives, and private agricultural product companies. Many of them specialize in pest and disease management, new cultivar development, eco-friendly agricultural technologies, and plant quarantine and biosecurity. Additionally, a number of alumni have gone on to lead in academic and research institutions, playing key roles in advancing research and education in the field of plant medicine.