With the increasing global demand for high-quality food, fiber, tree
and ornamental plants, plant pathology is coming up as one of the hottest
career options which provide various opportunities to Bio-Science graduates.
This field provide ample opportunities both in the public and private
firms.
Plant pathologists are playing a major role to boost
up the country's agricultural productivity. Their main task is the management
and control of the spread of diseases in plants. And for this they have
to do research work on living organisms, non-living abiotic components
and environment conditions, which are considered as the major source of
diseases in plants. They reveal disease-causing genes and develop better
plants with more resistance. For this, they work together with other specialists
like plant breeders, weed specialists etc.
Numerous job openings are available for the plant pathologists in areas
like research, product development, sales, teaching, administration, regulatory
work and private practice. Graduates in plant pathology can take up their
career as plant geneticist, plant breeder, aquatic botanist, limnologist
(study of life and phenomena of inland waters), physiologist, plant pathologist
etc. They can be appointed as farm and greenhouse managers, park and golf
course superintendents, agribusiness sales representatives and in other
biological science positions. Professionals are much in demand in research
firms like tissue culture laboratories, diagnostic laboratories and agricultural
research centers. Agricultural field offers a number of opportunities
for qualified persons. Apart from being a field plant pathologists, one
can work as an agricultural research scientist or a lecturer or production
in-charge in the processing food and allied industry.
Plant pathologists are appointed in agrochemical companies, seed companies,
fertiliser companies, agricultural consultancies etc. Seed companies need
their help to develop better seeds with more resistance power where as
Fertiliser companies look for their help to solve the technical problems
related to plant diseases. Those who qualified NET examination conducted
by Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) of Indian council
of Agricultural Research (ICAR) can work as lecturers in the agricultural
colleges or any higher education institute's plant pathology departments
or allied research labs etc.
Plant pathology has immense scope overseas and candidates with master's
or doctoral degrees are in great demand in countries like US, UK, Australia,
Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand etc. But for working in these countries,
one has to clear the English language eligibility tests like TOEFL or
IELTS.
