Dr. Janna Beckerman is a professor and extension plant pathologist specializing in diseases of horticultural crops at Purdue University. She obtained her Ph.D. in plant pathology from Texas A&M University, and her M.S. and B.S. in Biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

 

Dr. Beckerman’s primary responsibility at Purdue University is to lead the plant pathology extension education effort in horticultural crops by developing and enhancing a close working relationship between the University, extension educators, and members of the hemp, fruit and ornamentals industries. Research in the Beckerman lab focuses on developing environmentally sound disease management strategies that are economically feasible for Indiana growers of specialty crops, from apples to hemp to zinnia. The goal of her extension program is to enable commercial growers to effectively and sustainably manage both chemical (fungicide) and genetic (disease resistance) resources while protecting the environment.