Professor & Extension Specialist of Turfgrass Pathology
Co-Director of the Turfgrass Center for Environmental Research and Education
Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology
1575 Varsity Drive - Module 6
Campus Box 7616
Raleigh, NC 27606
Email: jpkerns@ncsu.edu
Education
BS: NC State University
MS: Texas A&M University
PhD: NC State University
Professional Experience
- Professor and Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology (2021–Present)
- Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology (2012–2021)
- Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Wisconsin–Madison (2008–2012)
Research and Extension Focus
Jim’s program emphasizes the etiology, epidemiology, and management of diseases affecting warm- and cool-season turfgrasses. Key research areas include ultradwarf bermudagrass diseases, large patch of zoysiagrass, plant-parasitic nematodes in turf, and diseases of creeping bentgrass.
The program’s mission is to deliver effective, cost-efficient disease management strategies for turfgrass managers in North Carolina and beyond. It also houses the Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab, managed by Lee Butler.
