The College of Plant Protection in Yunnan Agricultural University originated from the Plant Protection Teaching and Research Group of Agronomy Department of the Agriculture College in National Yunnan University in 1938. In 1958, the Plant Protection Department of Kunming Agriculture and Forestry College was established. In 1971, due to the adjustment of departments and colleges, Yunnan Agricultural University and Kunming Agriculture and Forestry University were merged to establish Yunnan Agricultural University. Plant protection, as a major, was set up in the Department of Agronomy. In 1979, the Department of Plant Protection was restored, and in 2001, the Department was turned to the College of Plant Protection.

There are 3 undergraduate majors in the College: Plant Protection, Animal and Plant Quarantine (direction of plant quarantine) and Forest Protection; 4 teaching departments: Department of Plant Pathology, Department of Entomology, Department of Pesticide Science and Department of Plant Quarantine; and 7 scientific research platforms: Undergraduate Experimental Teaching Center for Plant Protection, the National Key Laboratory for Yunnan Biological Resource Protection and Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Applied Technology of Agricultural Biodiversity, the Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Agricultural Biodiversity and Pest Management, the Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture for Integrated Crop Pest Management in Yunnan-Guizhou Platea, and the Key Laboratory of Yunnan Plant Pathology.

The college has 106 full-time teachers, including 55 professors (including research professors), 39 associate professors, of which 33 doctoral supervisors and 52 master supervisors. The college hosts one academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, one National teaching master, 1 member of the Ministry of Education, 2 members of the National Postgraduate Education Steering Committee, 1 member of National Outstanding Professional and Technical Personnel, 3 national experts with outstanding contributions, 6 experts receiving special allowances from the State Council, 1 national model teacher, 1 person with He Liang-Heli Science and Technology Award, 2 members awarded as National millions of Talent Projects, and 2 chief experts of 973 Projects, and one expert in the technical system of national traditional Chinese medicine industry. There are 10 teaching and innovation teams established in the College of Plant Protection, such as the National Outstanding Professional Technology team, the Teachers’ Team of National University Huang Danian-model, the National Teaching Team, the Innovation Team of National Agricultural Biodiversity Utilization and Protection, the Provincial Teaching Team and Innovation Team. There are 1 post doctoral mobile station, 2 doctoral and master's degree sections in Plant Protection first-level disciplines, and 5 doctoral and master's degree sections in second-level disciplines.

In recent five years, 184 scientific research projects on national, provincial and ministerial levels have been undertaken, and made a series of original, cutting-edge and breakthrough progress in the theory, technology and application of disease and pest management using genetic, species and habitat diversity. Eleven awards such as the second award of National scientific and Technological Progress were awarded, and 704 papers were published in important journals at home and abroad such as nature communications, PNAs, eLife and communications biology, 23 textbooks and books were published, and 118 patents were granted. The scientific research achievements have been applied to millions of mu, and have carried out a series of social services focusing on the national food security, the plateau characteristic agriculture development, the tackling of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, which contributed to national and local economic development, and “One belt, one road”propose.

The college has carried out extensive exchanges and cooperation at home and abroad, expanded opening-up, accelerated the process of internationalization, and established cooperative relations with 75 universities, research institutions and international organizations in 23 countries such as France, Britain, the United States and the Netherlands. China-France International Joint Laboratory (PLANTOMIX) was established in cooperation with the French Academy of Agricultural Sciences and other units to provide services for the research and development of applied technology on international agricultural biodiversity. At the same time, various national public and inter-university exchange projects with first-class colleges and universities at home and abroad and international organizations have been extensively carried out, such as joint training of undergraduate, master's and PhD students, academic competitions, summer camps, exchange students and internships.