News

Edge habitats along roads and power lines may be key to conserving rare plants

Edge habitats created by natural or human-caused disturbances provide prime opportunities for encouraging the establishment and reproduction of rare native plants, the researchers reported in a new study published in Plant Ecology

Novel tool informs land use and nutrient control in troubled waters

Penn State researchers develop 3D agro-hydrologic model to simulate water, nutrient transport through entire watersheds.

College of Ag Sciences recognizes faculty, staff for research achievements

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences lauded outstanding accomplishments in research during the 2023 Research Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 1 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

Plant pathologist to research plant diseases in organic vegetables

Sharifa Crandall will use a $800,000 grant from the USDA’s Organic Transitions initiative to study methods to suppress soilborne pathogens in vegetable high tunnels.

Predicting nationwide crop water availability by understanding soil influences

A USDA grant will fund Penn State researchers to incorporate satellite, sensor and soil core data into predictive models of nationwide crop water availability

Replacing 3D printing plastics with plant-derived materials

A $650,000 USDA grant to fund Penn State researchers will support developing new and sustainable resin materials from lignocellulosic biomass.

USDA grant awarded for study on soil health, weed control in organic operations

A nearly $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded to Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences will support research on soil health and weed suppression in organic farming.

Grants awarded to Penn State faculty for tropical ecosystems research in Belize

Three projects have been awarded seed grants as part of the Penn State-Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education Research and Education Initiative to develop agroforestry systems .

Liana Burghardt named new Director of Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology

Assistant Professor of Plant Science Liana Burghardt is serving as the new Director of the Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology, replacing outgoing director Jonathan Lynch, distinguished professor of plant nutrition.

Penn State-led team to study climate-threatened Colombian Paramos’ soil microbes

Estelle Couradeau will lead an international team researching how climate change will affect soil microbes in the ecologically fragile and important Paramos ecosystem in Colombia’s Andes Mountains.