News
Feb 26, 2026
Q&A: How can microbiome science solve problems in agriculture?
Decades of research has shown promise for using microbiome science to solve several problems facing agriculture, but these findings have not yet been translated to practical recommendations for growers, according to a team of scientists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
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Feb 06, 2026
Helping soil microbes kill weed seeds to aid organic farmers
To better equip organic farmers to control weeds, a team of Penn State agricultural scientists received a four-year, $935,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study how promoting soil microbes to infect and kill weed seeds might reduce problematic weed species.
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Jan 22, 2026
Domestication has changed the chemicals squash flowers use to attract bees
In a new study published in the Journal of Chemical Ecology, a team led by researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences found that domesticated flowers have different scent chemical profiles than wild plants in several species of squash. Additionally, the specialized pollinators of these plants—squash bees—detect different compounds, called floral volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in wild plants that they co-evolved with than in domesticated plants.
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Feb 03, 2026
College of Ag Sciences awards bridge funding for global research collaborations
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has awarded bridge funding to four faculty members to support research collaborations addressing soil fertility, public health, climate resilience and agricultural trade include two from the Center for Root and Rhizosphere Biology.
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Nov 05, 2025
Second species of wild ramps discovered, solving long-standing debate
Overharvesting has led to conservation concerns for a popular foraged plant, but improved genetic understanding could help conservation efforts, researchers say.
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Nov 05, 2025
Novel technique reveals insights into soil microbe alarm clock
New study yields clues about when dormant microscopic bacteria and fungi in soil ‘wake up’ and colonize roots, which influences plant growth and health.
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Oct 31, 2025
Salty soil, scrappy bugs and shared ideas drive graduate student’s research
Sahil Pawar says that tackling the world’s agricultural challenges is not a task for one person — it requires a collective effort. That grounded view shapes the early-career entomologist’s research, which examines how environmental stressors, such as soil salinity, drought and climate change, influence the interactions between crops and the pests that feed on them.
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Oct 24, 2025
Oct. 24 kicks off 'Plants for the People and the Planet' innovation series
This free seminar series, open to the community at-large, will showcase cutting-edge research and diverse perspectives on how plants can shape a healthier, more sustainable future.
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Oct 09, 2025
Wild lupine genetics could be key to conservation of species
Researchers at Penn State studying declining populations of sundial lupines in the eastern part of the United States are closer to determining how the plant's genetics could be used to inform reseeding strategies to help with conservation efforts of the blue flowering plant.
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Oct 09, 2025
Wild mushrooms harvesters in Mid-Atlantic region collect fungi, build community
Researchers see the emergence of ‘digital mycology community,’ as mushroom foragers seek guidance and band together into groups online to further their knowledge.
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