News

Sep 29, 2023

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.

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Sep 13, 2023

USDA grant to fund research on ‘farm tuning’ cover crop mixtures

With a new $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Carolyn Lowry will lead a research team designing cover crop mixtures that are more effective at providing an array of ecosystem services.

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Sep 05, 2023

Invasive spotted lanternfly may not damage hardwood trees as previously thought

New long-term research about the spotted lanternfly led by Penn State has revealed that hardwood trees, such as maple, willow and birch, may be less vulnerable than initially thought.

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Sep 05, 2023

Select microgreens in custom diet may help deliver desired nutrients

A diet including a carefully selected assortment of microgreens may help address an individual’s nutritional deficiencies, according to a Penn State researcher who led an international team that evaluated the mineral content in young specimens of many different plant species.

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Aug 29, 2023

Penn State again named among nation's most LGBTQ-friendly universities

Penn State has once again earned a spot on Campus Pride’s “Best of the Best” LGBTQ-friendly College and Universities list, achieving an overall 5 out of 5 stars in the Campus Pride Index for 2023. Institutions are evaluated on eight LGBTQ-friendly factors, including housing, campus safety, academics, student life, and recruitment and retention efforts.

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Jul 26, 2023

HGSAC looks to raise the bar with election of new co-chairs

HGSAC students elected Avery Sicher and Jessica Walnut to serve as the graduate co-advisors to the Huck Institutes for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.

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Jul 07, 2023

Newly identified protein regulates the creation of cellulose in plant cells

Cellulose — an integral component of plant cell walls — is an important source of food, paper, textiles and biofuels, but how its creation is regulated within plant cells has remained unclear.

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May 23, 2023

Orchids’ ability to grow on other plants independently evolved multiple times

The most extensive study of the genetic relationships among orchids to date reveals that the flower’s ability to grow on other plants evolved independently multiple times.

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Mar 22, 2023

Penn State biologist to present free public lecture on MicroRNAs in plants

Michael J. Axtell, the Louis and Hedwig Sternberg Chair in Plant Biology and distinguished professor of biology, will present the inaugural Louis and Hedwig Sternberg Chair in Plant Biology Lecture at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 27, at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the Penn State University Park campus.

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Feb 02, 2023

Eissenstat retires from College of Ag Sciences after three decades at Penn State

David Eissenstat, professor of woody plant physiology, retired recently after a distinguished 28-year career on the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences faculty, including a two-year stint as interim head of the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.

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