New graduate ecosystem management program combines science and leadership

Penn State's new graduate program in ecosystem management, offered online, brings together environmental science, management and leadership skills.

Avocado seed extract shows promise as anti-inflammatory compound

An extract from the seeds of avocados exhibited anti-inflammatory properties in a laboratory study, according to Penn State researchers, and it represents a potential source for novel anti-inflammatory compounds that could be developed as a functional food ingredient or pharmaceuticals.

Flavor Madness contest returns at Penn State Berkey Creamery

Penn State Berkey Creamery is bringing back Flavor Madness, the online tournament in which ice cream fans can vote weekly for their favorite flavors. The contest was held last in 2017, when Death by Chocolate took home the trophy.

Agribusiness student talks lab-grown meat with industry leaders

Tony Rice, a senior agribusiness management student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, studied “meat” made in the lab and not from animals, and grew increasingly committed to understanding its potential to enhance agricultural production.

Harper to take the reins at Penn State's Fruit Research and Extension Center

Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has named Jayson Harper, professor of agricultural economics, as interim director of the college's Fruit Research and Extension Center, effective March 1.

Assessment details impact of pests and pathogens on world’s major food crops

Pests and diseases are taking a substantial bite out of the world’s five major food crops — in some cases, up to 40 percent — according to a recently released publication, one of the first to inventory the impact on a global scale.

Material that shields beetle from being burned by its own weapons, holds promise

Carabid beetles produce caustic chemicals they spray to defend themselves against predators, and the compound that protects their bodies from these toxic substances shows promise for use in bioengineering or biomedical applications, according to Penn State researchers.

College of Agricultural Sciences faculty member named distinguished professor

Penn State's Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs has named Alexander Hristov, professor of dairy nutrition in the College of Agricultural Sciences, as a distinguished professor. Hristov is an internationally recognized scholar in livestock greenhouse gas mitigation and production and in amino acid nutrition of dairy cows.

Penn State Berks center supports spotted lanternfly research

It all began when Penn State Berks Professor Michael Fidanza was approached in 2018 by researchers from the College of Agriculture Sciences who needed a site to conduct a preliminary investigation on the biology and life cycle of the spotted lanternfly.

Undergraduate students engage with Latino farmworker community through course

Because of significant labor shortages, Pennsylvania's dairy farms rely on Spanish-speaking immigrants as a key source of labor. However, cultural differences and language barriers can leave employers and workers lost in translation. A new, innovative community service-learning course — "Service-Learning with Pennsylvania Farmworkers" — offered by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences is aimed at breaking down those barriers.

Manure injection offers hope, challenge for restoring Chesapeake water quality

Widespread adoption by dairy farmers of injecting manure into the soil instead of spreading it on the surface could be crucial to restoring Chesapeake Bay water quality, according to researchers who compared phosphorus runoff from fields treated by both methods. However, they predict it will be difficult to persuade farmers to change practices.

'A fungus among us': Penn State Mushroom Spawn Lab aids industry

Commercial mushroom farms, academic researchers and mushroom hobbyists from near and far rely on the Penn State Mushroom Spawn Lab in the College of Agricultural Sciences to advance their operations.

College of Ag Sciences senior gets a 'kick' out of Penn State Horse Barn living

When Paulina Oleinik, a senior in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, started her college career at the University's Altoona campus, she had no idea that one day she would call a horse barn her home.

Without habitat management, small land parcels do not protect birds

Designating relatively small parcels of land as protected areas for wildlife with no habitat management — which has frequently been done in urban-suburban locales around the world — likely does not benefit declining songbird species, according to a team of researchers who studied a long-protected northeastern virgin forest plot.

Unraveling of 58-year-old corn gene mystery may have plant-breeding implications

In discovering a mutant gene that "turns on" another gene responsible for the red pigments sometimes seen in corn, researchers solved an almost six-decades-old mystery with a finding that may have implications for plant breeding in the future.

Report: Pennsylvania population trends mirror employment changes since 2000

Changes in the distribution of Pennsylvania's population — largely toward the state's southeastern quadrant — reflect challenges that policymakers need to address to promote and maintain statewide prosperity, suggests a new report compiled by economists in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

Wake up and smell the coffee: Research shows freezing beans can preserve aroma

As a food science major in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, Andrew Cotter conducted research on the storage of coffee beans. He showed that storing roasted coffee beans in the freezer — a popular preservation method — can help preserve the aroma of certain varieties of beans.

Cellular protein a target for Zika control

A cellular protein that interacts with invading viruses appears to help enable the infection process of the Zika virus, according to an international team of researchers who suggest this protein could be a key target in developing new therapies to prevent or treat Zika virus infection.

A 'bran' new way to preserve healthy food with natural ingredients

A natural antioxidant found in grain bran could preserve food longer and replace synthetic antioxidants currently used by the food industry, according to researchers at Penn State.

Annual, biological rhythms govern milk production in dairy cows

The amount and composition of milk produced by dairy cows appears to be more regulated by internal, annual biological rhythms than by environmental factors such as heat and humidity, according to Penn State researchers who studied more than a decade of production records from herds across the country.

Unique graduate student cohort will explore gender and agriculture

Faculty in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences are spearheading an initiative that will provide selected doctoral students with the opportunity for extensive study on gender and its relationship to agricultural production.

Penn State Berkey Creamery intern plays important role in product development

Abigail Rule, a senior majoring in food science in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has gotten the inside scoop on product development, thanks to an internship with Penn State's Berkey Creamery.

Spotted lanternfly, home gardening, 4-H among Penn State highlights at Farm Show

If you are seeking information about the invasive spotted lanternfly, home gardening, food and health, agricultural majors and careers, or 4-H opportunities, you can find it by visiting Penn State exhibits at the 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Show, Jan. 5-12 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Biodegradable, edible film kills pathogens on seafood

A biodegradable, edible film made with plant starch and antimicrobial compounds may control the growth of foodborne pathogens on seafood, according to a group of international researchers.

Research team discovers oldest known plant virus at ancient settlement

Researchers studying ancient corncobs found at a Native American archeological site have recovered a 1,000-year-old virus, the oldest plant virus ever reported.

Penn State scientists among leaders in carbon cycle assessment

Penn State researchers were among a team of international scientists whose work on a new climate assessment of North America provides a better understanding of the carbon cycle.

Grant will support grain bin safety research at Penn State

A $160,000 grant awarded to Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences will support research aimed at reducing the potential for injury and death due to grain bin entrapments.

Penn State earns 'Bee Campus USA' certification

Penn State has become the 55th educational institution in the nation to be certified as an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, designed to marshal the strength of educational campuses for the benefit of pollinators.

Penn State root research results in breeding of improved bean plants for Africa

In the culmination of more than a decade of research on root traits conducted by Penn State plant scientists, about three tons of seed for common bean plants specifically bred to thrive in the barren soils of Mozambique will be distributed there Dec. 11.

Penn State creates model nutrient management plan for Bay drainage golf courses

Lost Creek Golf Club in Juniata County is unusual because a high quality, extremely productive wild trout stream runs through it, and Penn State turfgrass scientists recently developed a nutrient management plan for the course to protect the creek.

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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)