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May 27, 2026
Many soybean farmers use seeds treated with fungicides to ward off disease, but the profits from these increased yields might not offset the cost of the treatment in most cases, according to a study done by researchers at Penn State.
May 21, 2026
Plant sciences graduate Charles Colvin has been selected as the recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award for the 2025-26 academic year in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
May 11, 2026
The Penn State Sustainable Labs Program continues to expand its reach across campuses while advancing efforts to reduce the environmental impact of research spaces. The 2025–26 cohort included 20 labs spanning multiple colleges, with seven labs recertifying after participating in the program’s inaugural 2022–23 cohort. The program supports research teams in adopting sustainable practices without compromising scientific discovery, with participation remaining free to all labs.
May 11, 2026
For the first time in more than three decades, a Penn Stater has earned one of science’s most competitive graduate fellowships. Charlie Colvin has been named a 2026 Hertz Fellow.
April 29, 2026
The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences honored four alumni with 2026 Outstanding Alumni awards in a ceremony on April 15 in State College.
April 29, 2026
The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences honored four alumni with 2026 Outstanding Alumni awards in a ceremony on April 15 in State College. Honorees included Del Voight, Jr., Katie McLaughlin, Tom Slewinski, and Mark Wach.
April 22, 2026
Trichoderma species — a common fungus found in soils — have varying abilities to promote tomato plant growth and differentially affect the abundance of certain soil bacteria, according to a study led by researchers at Penn State.
April 9, 2026
Planting grass groundcovers within the vineyard row can benefit vineyard soils and reduce the need for herbicide applications.
April 9, 2026
Thirty-one Penn State graduate students earned awards at the 2026 Graduate Exhibition — the premier annual community showcase for graduate student research, scholarship and creative activity across the University — hosted by the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School on Friday, March 27, on the University Park campus.
April 9, 2026
As climate change accelerates and threats from pests and diseases intensify, a growing cohort of Penn State researchers is developing innovative solutions to help crops not only survive but also thrive.
March 17, 2026
Brenna Fitzpatrick, a third-year student majoring in plant sciences at Penn State, was named a finalist for the Truman Scholarship — considered the premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States — for her work in agricultural education and campus food security.
February 26, 2026
A new teaching guide — created by Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences alumna Sadie Seaman along with the support of her thesis adviser — is making bacterial genome sequencing more accessible for students just getting started in the lab.
February 25, 2026
Microbiome — referring to the community of microorganisms inhabiting a specific organism — science may help solve problems facing agriculture, but prior research 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 that has offered some ways to accelerate the transition.
February 17, 2026
Penn State Extension recently was awarded a competitive national grant to build a microcredentialing system aimed at strengthening the agricultural workforce and formally recognizing job-ready skills.
February 16, 2026
"You don’t realize the value of a college degree until you’re in a job where that degree isn’t needed. You realize you have something that’s a lot more than a piece of paper and that can really change your life in a positive way, both economically and in personal fulfillment."
February 11, 2026
Paul Esker and John Boney, faculty members in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, have received grants from the Pennsylvania Soybean Board.
February 6, 2026
The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences recently celebrated 26 faculty and staff members who have been with the college for 25 years.
February 4, 2026
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.
January 8, 2026
Building resilient crops for a changing world
January 8, 2026
Cultivating the future of plant science
December 18, 2025
The Center for Plant Excellence, a new initiative supporting Pennsylvania’s plant industries, announced recipients of its 2025-26 grants, awarding $125,000 across seven projects.
December 15, 2025
Learning more about the genome structure of defective virus copies has the potential to reveal clues about the virus’s biology, but researchers found that five tools available to identify these defective genomes from data obtained through next generation sequencing datasets may be inconsistent.
December 9, 2025
Exceptional educators in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have been honored with the college’s 2025 teaching awards, recognizing their impact in and out of the classroom.
November 24, 2025
Dr. Veronica Roman-Reyna Receives 2025 NACTA Teaching Award of Merit.
November 17, 2025
After producers in Pennsylvania’s tree-fruit and poultry industries identified language barriers and safety concerns as critical challenges, Penn State Extension created English4Ag to teach conversational and industry-specific English to Spanish-speaking agricultural workers. The program, supported by an AgriProspects minigrant, is aimed at strengthening safety, communication and workforce retention.
November 12, 2025
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recognized exceptional achievements in research during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.
October 22, 2025
Solving real-world problems with innovative and interdisciplinary plant research is exactly what the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences aims to achieve by introducing a new seminar series: "Plants for the People," beginning this Friday, Oct. 24.
September 29, 2025
Bacterial speck is a common disease affecting tomatoes that can result in lower yields for growers. A new study led by researchers at Penn State gives new clues on how a plant’s microbiome can be used to combat the pathogen.
August 13, 2025
New research led by researchers at Penn State examined what happens when two common viruses — tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus and impatiens necrotic spot orthotospovirus — infect the same plant.
July 28, 2025
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has launched the Land Grant Research Impact Fellows program. This new initiative recognizes and supports faculty whose research addresses pressing challenges in Pennsylvania and beyond.
