Latest News

June 26, 2024

Cacao, the chocolate tree, is one of the world’s most important economic crops, generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually. However, cocoa is affected by a range of pests and diseases, with some estimates putting losses as high as 30% to 40% of global production. Now, a team led by researchers at Penn State has created a genetic information resource to help plant breeders develop resistant strains of cacao that can be grown sustainably in its native Amazon and elsewhere, such as the tropical latitudes of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.

June 25, 2024

Women experiencing opioid-use disorders may face unique challenges accessing treatment, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. The study provides new insight into how pregnancy and parenting can make getting medications for these disorders particularly difficult.

June 25, 2024

The availability and adoption of high-speed broadband appears to boost the number of farms offering agritourism activities, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. Their findings, the researchers said, bolster the argument for expanding broadband availability in support of farm operators who want to benefit from the growing consumer interest in on-farm experiences.

June 13, 2024

Fire can help shape ecosystems, and after a century of suppressing naturally occurring fire that has thrown forests out balance, some states — including Pennsylvania — are using controlled burns to help manage forests on public lands. Now, a new four-state study by a team of Penn State researchers shows that many private landowners in the Keystone State value controlled burns and are willing to pay for them on their woodlands, too.

June 11, 2024

Facing economic challenges, dairy farmers are increasingly crossbreeding some of their Holstein cows with beef breed bulls to add value to surplus calves born in their herds. In an analysis of almost 40,000 cows, a team of Penn State researchers found that carrying and birthing the larger crossbred beef calves generally does not negatively affect dairy cow health.

June 11, 2024

A new exhibition will help visitors to the Bellefonte Art Museum explore the symbiotic relationship between humans and insects. Created by the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, “Entwined Worlds” will shine a spotlight on the crucial role insects play in sustaining ecosystems; pollinating plants; inspiring art, music and literature; and contributing to advancements in medicine, biofuels and construction materials. The exhibition will be on display from July 5 to Aug. 25. 

June 10, 2024

Certain strains of bacteria can withstand heat treatments such as pasteurization of milk and possess the potential to induce foodborne illness. To help minimize and predict the magnitude of this risk, a team led by Penn State researchers developed a model that can guide processors to improve food safety.

June 10, 2024

Penn State researchers analyzed which insects were mentioned the most in haiku — with butterflies, fireflies and singing insects such as crickets topping the list. Andrew Deans, professor of entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences, director of the college’s Frost Entomological Museum and corresponding author on the study, said the findings shine a light on the insects that inspire emotion and awe in humans.

June 7, 2024

Multiple states since March 2024 have reported dairy herds displaying symptoms caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza, raising questions about how the virus spreads, how producers can protect their animals, the risk of infection in people, and the safety of milk and meat supplies. Extension veterinarian Ernest Hovingh, clinical professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences, answers these and other questions related to the this avian flu outbreak in dairy cattle.

June 6, 2024

Mark Guiltinan, professor of plant molecular biology and J. Franklin Styer Professor of Horticultural Botany, has been named director of the Penn State Plant Institute.

June 6, 2024

Eleven interdisciplinary research teams have been awarded funding through Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment’s Seed Grant Program for 2024.

June 4, 2024

Feed costs for producing broiler chickens accounts for 60% to 70% of total production costs, and stump waste from the production of button mushrooms comprises nearly 30% of total mushroom weight. Marrying the two has the potential to reduce both cost and waste, especially in Pennsylvania, which is a national leader in the production of broiler chickens and button mushrooms. To learn whether the two are compatible, a team of Penn State researchers conducted a new study to determine how supplementing the feed of broilers with mushroom stump waste affected the growth and health of the chickens.

June 3, 2024

A new study by Penn State researchers has found that using not one but multiple pest treatments may help honey bees survive the winter and make it to spring.

June 3, 2024

With the support of a seed grant from the Living Multifunctional Materials Collaborative Seed Grant Program through the Convergence Center for Living Multifunctional Material Systems at Penn State, an interdisciplinary Penn State team is working with researchers at the University of Freiburg in Germany to explore the durability and strength of sustainable 3D-printed building components made with mycelium, the root of fungus. 

June 3, 2024

With the support of a seed grant from the Materials Research Institute, an interdisciplinary Penn State team is working with researchers at the University of Freiburg in Germany to explore the durability and strength of sustainable 3D-printed building components made with mycelium, the root of fungus. 

May 24, 2024

Teachers and other child educators can benefit from regular professional development, but in-person training can be expensive. In a new study, researchers at Penn State and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that virtual training can be a budget-friendly alternative — and especially effective for certain groups of educators.

May 23, 2024

A faculty member in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences has been named recipient of Research.com’s Plant Science and Agronomy Leader Award for 2024 and is included in the academic platform’s 2024 Ranking of Best Scientists in the Field of Plant Science and Agronomy.

May 22, 2024

Research led by scientists at Penn State's One Health Microbiome Center have found that metformin, a drug commonly used to treat Type 2 diabetes, has impacts on fungal elements of the human gut microbiome.

May 21, 2024

Attendees from within and beyond the University recently convened at Penn State for the Technologies for Agriculture and Living Systems Symposium, where they had the opportunity to learn about current research, share ideas for collaboration, and grow networks.

May 21, 2024

The Sustainable Labs Program provides educational support and networking opportunities to labs across Penn State, helping them implement changes to become more energy and resource efficient. Actions taken by participating labs are estimated to result in over $155,000 in savings for the University and reduce about 490 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

May 21, 2024

Four projects were recently awarded Penn State Commercialization GAP funding. The GAP Fund, formerly known as the Fund for Innovation, aims to accelerate the development of promising research across the University by closing the funding gaps between proof-of-concept research and readiness for commercialization.  

May 16, 2024

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was detected in dairy cattle for the first time in the United States in March, with nine states reporting outbreaks by May. While the method of transmission among cattle is currently unknown, new research published in Nature Communications demonstrates that a related strain of H5N1, subtype clade 2.3.4.4b, which caused an outbreak in farmed mink in 2022, could transmit through the air to a limited number of ferrets. This is the first time that a member of the group of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses has been shown to exhibit this ability. According to the Penn State researchers who led the study, the findings suggest these viruses are evolving to infect mammals and with potentially increased risk to humans.

May 14, 2024

"Research Art Collection," is on display in the Office of Senior Vice President for Research on the third floor in Old Main at University Park. The exhibit showcases the art of research and the research of art and is open to the public. 

May 9, 2024

A team led by Penn State researchers reviewed studies from the past 30 years to examine whether climate change is causing people to migrate out of the Arctic — or if, and why, they’re deciding to stay. They found that while individuals are not yet relocating due to climate change, at least one whole community has.

May 9, 2024

Two pollinator experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences discuss No Mow May and whether there's a better alternative to help support pollinators and biodiversity.

May 6, 2024

A research team in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences has received a grant of nearly $1 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to fund a novel project investigating the molecular and physiological processes that support corn kernel development.

May 3, 2024

The invasive insect emerald ash borer is killing ash trees at an unprecedented rate in the United States, and now five North American species of ash are considered critically endangered, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. But a small percentage are surviving, and research by Forest Service scientists suggests that those trees may hold the key for saving the species. In an effort to unlock the answer, researchers in the Louis W. Schatz Center for Tree Molecular Genetics at Penn State are working with The Nature Conservancy and the USDA Forest Service to conduct genomic analysis of range-wide collections of green ash, white ash and black ash.

May 3, 2024

How well bees tolerate temperature extremes could determine their ability to persist in a changing climate. But heat tolerance varies between and within populations, so a research team led by Penn State entomologists examined bee physical traits — such as sex differences in body mass — to understand how these traits interact with environmental conditions, pathogens and other factors.

April 29, 2024

For most people, biting into a lemon would leave them puckered up and desperate to lose that sour flavor, but a new study by Penn State researchers revealed that roughly one in eight adults like intensely sour sensations. The cross-cultural study, recently published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, demonstrated there is a subset of “sour likers” who enjoy exceptionally sour foods.