Welcome to the Plant Health and Resource Management (PHARM) club.  We host social and educational events for Plant Health Management majors, Plant Pathology minors, and anyone interested in plants.  PHARM is a registered student organization. Right: Kara, Jennifer, Amber and Tim at our Autumn 2009 apple picking excursion.

2009-2010 President, Amber Hoffstetter (hoffstetter.2@osu.edu) Treasurer, Kara Riggs (riggs.88@osu.edu)

Events

Apple picking at Lynd's Fruit Farm
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2 pm
Meet in parking lot south of Kottman Hall by 2 pm

Pumpkin carving contest
Friday, Oct. 30, 1-4 pm
Kottman Hall 451
PHARM will supply the pumpkins.  Entire department and friends invited to participate.

Above, left: Nick Weidenbenner (far left) presents Dr. Rhodes with the Outstanding Faculty award at the Plant Science Banquet in Columbus, May 28, 2009.

Right photo, left to right: Sarah Ellis, Amber Hoffstetter, Dr. Rhodes, Racheal pack, Kara Riggs and Jessica Schafer.

Jessica presented the Outstanding Teaching Assistant award to Sarah Ellis.  On behalf of PHARM, Amber presented Dr. Rhodes with a weekend inn getaway to thank him for his years of service.  Dr. Rhodes is retiring in December 2009.

June 5, end-of-quarter gathering at Dr. Mitchell's home

Above: "Plants Get Sick Too!" - plant pathology education session at the 2009 Scarlet and Gray Ag Day, May 15, Columbus.  The event brings in fourth-graders from around Ohio to learn about agriculture.

Above - PHARM trip to Hocking Hills on February 28.

News

April 21-22 - Visit the Monsanto Mobile Technology Unit, corner of Woody Hayes Drive and Olentangy River Rd., Columbus

April 28 - ATI Day Cookout - Tuesday, 4:30 - 6 pm north of Plumb Hall, Columbus

May 7 - Annual CFAES Recognition Program, Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe, 5:30 pm, Columbus

May 15 - Scarlet and Gray Ag Day - hosting elementary school field trips in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

May 28 - Plant Sciences Banquet -  Kottman Hall

Jessica spent Winter quarter in a study abroad in Uganda and Tanzania!

Follow the group's blog: buckeyesinafrica.blogspot.com

Congratulations - Amber is in the CFAES Honors Program!

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 PHARM Uses Disease to Recruit Freshmen

Above, left to right - Nick Weidenbenner, Kara Riggs and Amber Hoffstetter met new students at the CFAES Involvement Fair on Oct. 9.

News story by Amber Hoffstetter, PHARM Special Events Coordinator (hoffstetter.2@osu.edu)

Columbus, Oct. 9, 2008 - The Ohio State University student organization Plant Health and Resource Management, PHARM, helped the Department of Plant Pathology recruit freshman undergrads into the major program.  The group set up a booth at the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences involvement fair.  PHARM's main focus was to inform students about the program and the benefits the department has to offer.  The recruitment tactics used by the club included talking to prospective students about the importance of plant pathology and showing demonstrations of major plant diseases.

On display were corn smut, Diplodia tip blight, and Phytophthora infestans.  The corn smut was on display in a canned jar, such as that you would normally buy in a grocery store.  PHARM members explained to students that corn smut is a fungus that grows on corn, and in some areas it is intentionally grown as food.  In countries such as Mexico this fungus is considered a sort of delicacy, but in the U.S. it is generally an undesirable problem and for the most part this disease can ruin a whole corn crop if not managed.

Another disease on display was a pine branch infected with Diplodia tip blight.  This disease which typically affects only pine trees causes the needles and branch tips to shorten, die and turn brown.  Diplodia tip blight can eventually kill the whole tree, and in many cases is the reason that pine trees look as if they are dying and so are cut down.  These among many other diseases are crucial to our understanding in order to prevent the devastations of our crop and ornamental plants and also our environment.

Monica Lewandowski, the academic program coordinator and PHARM advisor, was on hand to assist students with curriculum questions.  Lewandowski said the involvement fair was "an excellent opportunity to meet freshman and let them know what the department of plant pathology has to offer."  When asked about the importance of the program, Lewandowski said it "is integral to many areas in agriculture and environmental sciences" and that "many students have had little or no exposure to this area."

For more information on PHARM or the Department of Plant Pathology. contact Monica Lewandowski at lewandowski.52@osu.edu or (614) 247-6876.

Left to right: Jessica Schafer, Kate Gearhart, Amber Hoffstetter, Laura Bruner, Kara Riggs and Nick Weidenbenner.  We welcome all students, especially if you're interested in plants and plant diseases!

We were part of the Dirty Jobs in Plant Pathology video that won first place in the APS contest. > View video

Congratulations to our Plant Health Management graduates Bridget Meiring, Bryan Reeb and Erica Stone - and congratulations to all majors, who were honored at the Plant Sciences Banquet on May 21 at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center.  More

L to R: Jessica Schafer, Kate Gearhart, Amber Hoffstetter, Laura Bruner, Kara Riggs and Nick Weidenbenner.

PHARM at the 2008 Scarlet and Gray Ag Day - educational field trip for area fifth-graders.  Kara Riggs (above left) leads a potato activity as students learn about plant disease and the Irish potato famine; Jessica Schafer (center) show students virus-infected plants; and Kate Gearhart show students diverse types of fungi.

May 2008 - Congratulations to PHARM officers Kara Riggs, Kate Gearhart and Laura Bruner, who were among six winners of the Ohio Agricultural Science and Bioproducts Research Scholarships, sponsored by the Ohio Soybean Council Foundation.  Read more in the OSC Foundation news release

Advisor, Monica Lewandowski (lewandowski.52@osu.edu)