The Graduate Program in Agronomy – Agricultural Entomology (PPG-EA) was established on July 4, 1987, through UNESP Resolution (Resolution 43/1987).

The PPG-EA was launched in 1988 with the goal of training entomologists, acarologists, and nematologists to work in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. To this end, the faculty of the Department of Entomology and Nematology was expanded to include 13 professors specialized in various areas of Entomology, with Doctorates in Brazil and Postdoctoral studies abroad.

The support from the Center for Integrated Pest Management (CEMIP), an auxiliary unit of FCAV-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, which works with producers to promote IPM strategies, was also fundamental. To ensure graduates with a global understanding of the agroecosystem, professors from other Departments, Colleges, and Universities were invited to participate, thereby guaranteeing the interdisciplinary nature of the course.

In response to the demand for PhDs capable of integrating and generating new centers of excellence in Agricultural Entomology and based on the experience accumulated in training Masters, the Doctoral level was established and began operating in 1997. As a result, research with more sophisticated methodologies and deeper content began to be developed. Several students began their studies at this level, including 24 doctoral graduates (as of Dec/2006).

With the administrative reform at UNESP in 2000, new Departments were created at FCAV-UNESP through the merger of Departments in related areas. Thus, the Department of Entomology and Nematology joined with the Department of Phytosanitary Defense, giving rise to the current Department of Plant Protection. This not only increased faculty participation in the PPG-EA but also expanded the infrastructure available for teaching and research.

In September 2001, the Doctoral level was recognized by CAPES (Ordinance no177 of 01/25/2002, published in the D.O.U. p. 52, on 01/29/2002), which greatly fostered growth and consolidation at the national level. Currently, the Program has the privilege of holding a rating of 5 for the 2001/2003 triannual evaluation, under the Capes continuous evaluation system (DataCapes). In its 19 years of existence, the PPG-EA has placed 137 professionals in the job market, who currently hold positions in Research Institutes, Universities, and Companies.

Many of those who completed their Master’s continue their academic careers by entering the Doctoral program, and some subsequently go on to Postdoctoral programs.

The Winter Course in Entomology is created to be held annually in July and organized by PPG-EA students and faculty advisors. The course takes place over one week and aims mainly to disseminate knowledge in entomology to undergraduate and graduate students from other universities, professionals in Agricultural Sciences, and producers.

The PPG-EA team wins the COBIQUIZ at the 16th Siconbiol, in Londrina, PR.

The activities of Cepenfito – Research Center in Engineering – Plant Protection in Sugarcane begin. Cepenfito is an interinstitutional project with public-private funding, based at the Department of Plant Protection, FCAV/Unesp, aimed at advances in Integrated Pest and Disease Management in sugarcane cultivation. Cepenfito’s partner institutions are: Institute of Science and Technology, Unesp, Sorocaba, SP; Institute of Biosciences, Unesp, Botucatu, SP; Sugarcane Center – IAC, Ribeirão Preto, SP; Federal University of São Carlos – UFSCar, Araras, SP; ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba, SP; University of Franca – UNIFRAN, Franca, SP; University of Sorocaba – UNISO, Sorocaba, SP; Dr. Francisco Maeda School of Agronomy – FAFRAM, Ituverava, SP; Funep, Foundation for Research, Teaching and Extension Support, FCAV/Unesp, Jaboticabal, SP; and Coplana – Cooperativa Agroindustrial, Guariba, SP. The PPG-EA is one of the supporters of Cepenfito, enabling the development of research, high-level human resource training, and dissemination of knowledge in IPM Sugarcane.

The Winter Course becomes the Winter Workshop and receives funding from FAPESP.