The Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology is an integral part of the CELS mission to foster sustainability in Rhode Island’s human-impacted landscapes, including urban landscapes, recreational lands, natural lands, and farms.
The mission of the Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology is to provide teaching, research and extension support relating to sustainable management of the plant and insect components of the landscape. Rhode Island agriculture/horticulture is primarily urban and peri-urban; ornamental plants, turf, agritourism and conservation lands are as important as food crops. Our programs in ornamental horticulture, turfgrass management, food crop production, and control of invasive species and insect-vectored diseases address all of these components. The department strives to provide superior teaching to prepare a undergraduates for jobs in Rhode Island’s agricultural ‘green’ economy and enhance our research and extension programs to help industry stakeholders and the public increase the environmental and economic sustainability of Rhode Island agriculture.