The Cotton Pathology Research Unit (CPRU) conducts research to decrease dependency on pesticides and improve profitability of cotton production by:  

• identifying and manipulating physiologically-active, naturally occurring compounds to augment disease and nematode resistance; 
• acquiring information to control fundamental biological processes in cotton that enhance resistance to wilt diseases and nematodes; 
• identifying ecologically vulnerable points in the behavior and biology of nematodes; 
• elucidating mechanisms involved in the biocontrol of seedling diseases;  and
• developing new formulations and applications for microbial biocontrol agents.