News

Oct 30, 2019

One avocado a day helps lower 'bad' cholesterol for heart healthy benefits

Move over, apples — new research from Penn State suggests that eating one avocado a day may help keep “bad cholesterol” at bay. According to the researchers, bad cholesterol can refer to both oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and small, dense LDL particles.

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Oct 07, 2019

Mackenzie Named Inaugural Director of Plant Institute

Sally Mackenzie sees a unique opportunity for Penn State to address complex global challenges in an unprecedented way.

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Sep 17, 2019

Novel use of laser technology reveals interactions between roots, soil organisms

A novel use of a custom laser system — developed in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences eight years ago — allows researchers to see how soil organisms affect plant roots.

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Jul 24, 2019

Plants defend against insects by inducing 'leaky gut syndrome'

Plants may induce "leaky gut syndrome" — permeability of the gut lining — in insects as part of a multipronged strategy for protecting themselves from being eaten, according to researchers at Penn State.

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Jul 22, 2019

Parasitic plants use stolen genes to make them better parasites

Some parasitic plants steal genetic material from their host plants and use the stolen genes to more effectively siphon off the host’s nutrients. A new study led by researchers at Penn State and Virginia Tech reveals that the parasitic plant dodder has stolen a large amount of genetic material from its hosts, including over 100 functional genes.

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Jul 08, 2019

Some green ash trees show some resistance to emerald ash borers

Genes in green ash trees that may confer some resistance to attacks by the emerald ash borer express themselves only once the tree detects the invasive beetle's feeding, according to Penn State researchers.

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Jul 03, 2019

Cell Dynamics takes center stage at 2019 Plant Biology Symposium

The 22nd Penn State Plant Biology Symposium was "a great success," according to organizers, who joined it with the Plant Cell Dynamics VIII meeting in an effort to encourage wider collaborations.

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Apr 04, 2019

Insect-deterring sorghum compounds may be eco-friendly pesticide

Compounds produced by sorghum plants to defend against insect feeding could be isolated, synthesized and used as a targeted, nontoxic insect deterrent, according to researchers who studied plant-insect interactions that included field, greenhouse and laboratory components.

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Apr 03, 2019

Michael Axtell Among Five Receiving Faculty Scholar Medals

Five Penn State faculty members have received 2019 Faculty Scholar Medals for Outstanding Achievement for excellence in scholarship, research and the arts.

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Apr 03, 2019

Guiltinan, Maximova receive the 2019 Kopp International Achievement Award

Mark Guiltinan, professor of plant molecular biology, and Siela Maximova, research professor of plant biotechnology, both in the College of Agricultural Sciences, are the recipients of Penn State's 2019 W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award.

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