Plant pathologist awarded grant to aid global study of seedborne pathogens

A nearly $4 million grant awarded to Penn State will support an interdisciplinary, multi-university team of researchers as they explore bacterial pathogens causing leaf spot diseases that are damaging valuable agricultural crops such as watermelon and pumpkin.

Daddy daycare: Why some songbirds care for the wrong kids

Interspecific feeding — when an adult of one species feeds the young of another — is rare among songbirds, and scientists only have been able to speculate on why it occurs, but now, Penn State researchers have new insight into this behavior.

Penn State's Great Insect Fair imagines a world without bugs

Appreciating insects' role in agriculture and the environment will be the focus of Penn State's 2019 Great Insect Fair, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Snider Agricultural Arena on the University Park campus.

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. The discovery has implications for future breeding of more resilient and productive crops, according to an international team of scientists.

Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building project advances

The Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Finance, Business and Capital Planning today (Sept. 12) recommended approval of the final plans and authorization to expend funds for the Animal, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Building at the University Park campus at a cost of $98.5 million. The project will be presented to the full board for a vote on Friday, Sept. 13.

Penn State entomologists join project to track historical parasite populations

Supported by a $4.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation, a multi-institutional project will draw on Penn State entomological expertise and collections to document and digitize the historical population dynamics of arthropod parasites, such as ticks, lice and mosquitoes.

Berkey Creamery partners with Meats Lab to promote Penn State-grown products

Penn State tailgaters and students alike have new products to enjoy thanks to a partnership between Berkey Creamery and the Penn State Meats Laboratory. The Creamery now carries five flavors of salami, five flavors of beef jerky and three flavors of meat snack sticks, all made at the Meats Lab.

Deer browsing is not stopping the densification of Eastern forests

Selective browsing by white-tailed deer has been blamed by many for changing the character and composition of forest understories in the eastern U.S.; however, its impact on the forest canopy was previously unknown.

Penn State asks visitors to help 'stop the spread' of spotted lanternfly

This is the time of year when thousands of students, families and football fans are coming to University Park, and Penn State officials want to make sure those visitors are not transporting the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that is threatening the northeastern U.S., especially southeastern Pennsylvania.

Research predicts stability of mosquito-borne disease prevention

More than half of people in the world, including in the United States, live alongside Aedes aegypti — the mosquito that transmits dengue, Zika and other often deadly viruses. Dengue virus, alone, infects nearly 400 million people worldwide each year. To reduce transmission of dengue to humans, scientists have introduced Wolbachia bacteria to A. aegypti mosquitoes. Now a team of international researchers has found that Wolbachia’s ability to block virus transmission may be maintained by natural selection, alleviating concern that this benefit could diminish over time.

Foodborne pathogen sheltered by harmless bacteria that support biofilm formation

Pathogenic bacteria that stubbornly lurk in some apple-packing facilities may be sheltered and protected by harmless bacteria that are known for their ability to form biofilms, according to Penn State researchers, who suggest the discovery could lead to development of alternative foodborne-pathogen-control strategies.

Whole genome sequencing may help officials get a handle on disease outbreaks

In a series of studies, researchers showed that whole genome analysis can provide highly detailed information on pathogens in a timely fashion. The findings could help public officials prepare treatment and prevention options when disease outbreaks threaten the public.

Penn State biorenewable systems students climb to new heights in sustainability

From the top of Penn State's indoor rock climbing wall, climbers can enjoy views of Beaver Stadium, Rothrock State Forest and even a sunset over Happy Valley. From the ground, Colin Geary and Nelson DiBiase, biorenewable systems majors in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, saw something different: a sport inspired by nature, using a wall’s worth of plastic.

Where Curiosity Leads

One scientist’s quest to create a replacement for plastics led him to something entirely different—a biofoam that fills traumatic wounds, stops bleeding, and dissolves as the wound heals.

Novel powdered milk method yields better frothing agent

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A novel method of processing — using high-pressure jets to spray milk and then quickly drying the spray — yields skim milk powders with enhanced properties and functionality, according to Penn State researchers, who say the discovery may lead to "cleaner" labels on foods.

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. By improving our understanding of plant defenses, the findings could contribute to the development of new pest control methods.

Location, Location, Location: Where and How do Food Hubs Flourish?

For a new food hub to succeed, it should be located in a community with a population sufficient to sustain it, according to a team of economists, who found that a county seeking to establish its first food hub needs roughly 182,000 residents for that food hub to break even.

New tuberculosis tests pave way for cow vaccination programs

Skin tests that can distinguish between cattle that are infected with tuberculosis (TB) and those that have been vaccinated against the disease have been created by an international team of scientists.

PlantVillage gives undergraduate a chance to help feed the world via technology

Coming from the small town of Limeport, near Allentown, a young Annalyse Kehs may not have thought much about international agriculture or feeding the world. But thanks to a project called PlantVillage, the Penn State rising senior not only is helping to address world hunger but is relishing the opportunity to travel to destinations such as Kenya and Rome to interact with farmers, researchers and policymakers.

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.

Penn State scientists expanding work to help farmers learn about industrial hemp

With the passage of the 2018 farm bill and new regulations that allow the crop to be grown for sale for a range of uses, hemp production in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania has taken off, with more than 300 permits approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture this year. Even before hemp was green-lighted by the federal government, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences was at the forefront of industrial hemp research in Pennsylvania.

Climate warming could increase malaria risk in cooler regions

Malaria parasites develop faster in mosquitoes at lower temperatures than previously thought, according to researchers at Penn State and the University of Exeter. The findings suggest that even slight climate warming could increase malaria risk to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people — including travelers — in areas that are currently too cold for malaria parasites to complete their development.

Milk: Best drink to reduce burn from chili peppers

People who order their Buffalo wings especially spicy and sometimes find them to be too "hot," should choose milk to reduce the burn, according to Penn State researchers, who also suggest it does not matter if it is whole or skim.

Strategic plan seed grant supports green stormwater infrastructure research

A proposal that will support the development of a living laboratory for green stormwater infrastructure research, education and innovation at Penn State is among the latest initiatives to receive funding through the University’s Strategic Plan Seed Grant program.

Spotted lanternfly expert at Penn State offers advice on using tree bands

According to Heather Leach, spotted lanternfly extension associate in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, one of the most effective traps for catching spotted lanternflies is a sticky band wrapped around the trunks of trees. Nymphs and adults are trapped on the sticky barrier as they crawl up the trunks to feed on newer growth higher in the tree.

Seaweed feed additive cuts livestock methane but poses questions

Supplementing cattle feed with seaweed could result in a significant reduction in methane belched by livestock, according to Penn State researchers, but they caution that the practice may not be a realistic strategy to battle climate change.

Report: Pa. employment strong, but job growth leaves regions, industries behind

With the U.S. economy on track for potentially the longest expansion on record after the Great Recession of 2008-09, employment in Pennsylvania overall is strong. But the rosy statewide job numbers can mask persistent decline in various industries and regions across the state, according to economists in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Sensing food textures is a matter of pressure

Food's texture affects whether it is eaten, liked or rejected, according to Penn State researchers, who say some people are better at detecting even minor differences in consistency because their tongues can perceive particle sizes.

Ants maintain essential interactions despite environmental flux

Ants adjust their social interactions to accommodate changes in population density, according to researchers at Penn State and Georgetown University. The findings suggest that ant colonies are capable of maintaining their sophisticated social organization despite potentially drastic changes in their environments.

Penn State researchers to boost endangered Chesapeake logperch population

As fishes go, the Chesapeake logperch is hardly impressive.

Media Contacts

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Media Contacts

  • Senior Public Relations Specialist/News Editor
  • Associate Director of Communications
  • Public Relations Specialist/Science Writer
  • Science and News Writer
  • Penn State Extension Writer (Marketing Communications Specialist)