Copycat red nectar shows promise as a natural colorant and is gecko-approved
[UMN] Plants that secrete colored nectars are part of an exclusive club. To date, only 70 plants in the world are on that list. The colors lure in pollinators, but more recently they sparked the interest of researchers and industry partners in search of natural colorant options.
2022 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient: Dr. David Zlesak
The 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient is Dr. David Zlezak. Dr. Zlesak will be presenting at our Kermit Olson Memorial Lecture on Wednesday, February 16th, 2022.
Working Toward a Greener Spring: Finding Solutions to Winter Turfgrass Damage
Winter can lead to turfgrass damage and death, causing challenges for turfgrass managers. And with a changing climate, new challenges are cropping up every year. Eric Watkins, a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science, is seeking out answers to those challenges, most recently through an $8 million USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant.
Lab Highlight: The Shannon Lab Graduate Students
We interviewed the graduate students from the Shannon Lab to see what they have been working on.
Giving is Fruitful for Science
As Minnesota Gophers we’re proud of the famous apple varieties including Honeycrisp that hail from our great state —but did you know that until 1888 we weren’t able to grow apples here due to the cold climate? That’s when the Uof M began its revolutionary fruit breeding program that has since released nearly 30 varieties of apples enjoyed by apple lovers far and wide.
Read the full story in the 2021 fall edition of CFANS' Impact (page 6).
Give to the Max Day 2021 - Alderman Memorial Graduate Award Fund
Give to the Max Day is Minnesota’s statewide day of giving. This year we are raising money for our graduate students through the Alderman Memorial Graduate Award Fund.
Welcome to Brandon Miller!
The Department welcomes Dr. Brandon Miller as our newest faculty member!
Learning Garden Interns Apply Classroom Skills in the Open Air
Plant Science major Katie Krotts and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems major Tory Raether were our Learning Garden interns for summer 2021. Read what made their summer unique.
Fall 2021 Seminar Recordings
View our seminar recordings from the fall semester. Recordings will be added week by week.
Food Systems Major Name Change
The Food Systems program is now the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program. The program addresses – within a systems framework – increasingly popular topics among students and employers, including agroecology, sustainable production, consumers, markets, policy, food justice, and community engagement. The name change takes effect in Fall 2021. Questions can be directed to major coordinator Mary Rogers.