Vegetable Crop Science Lab
Our research focus is to investigate and advance novel technologies and solutions with the goal of improving the sustainability of current vegetable production systems and enhancing the nutritional quality of vegetables.
Latest News
March 24, 2026
Low-cost Sensor System could Warn Farmers of Salt Stress in Plants
Excessive salts in soil can restrict a plant's water and nutrient uptake, hindering crop growth and reducing yields on roughly 30% of U.S. irrigated land. To help growers identify and mitigate salt stress, in a proof-of-concept study, a team led by Penn State researchers built a low-cost sensor system that detects signals released by plants in trouble.
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August 26, 2025
Fine-tuning Zinc Supplementation, Light Exposure to Boost Microgreens' Nutrition
Microgreens, which are young, edible plants that only take one to three weeks to harvest, are more than garnish at trendy restaurants — they could be the answer to global hunger, according to plant scientists at Penn State. Two new studies have revealed that microgreens, already densely packed with nutrients, can be made even more nutritious with a couple of minor growing adjustments.
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August 18, 2025
Ag Progress Days 2025
Ag Progress Days brought thousands of visitors to the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center from August 12-14 for demonstrations, exhibitions, and talks on every aspect of the agricultural industry. Visitors learned about wildlife, farm equipment, hot air balloons, and even virtual reality as they wandered through the center's booths and stages. Below is a gallery of photos from this year's event.
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July 21, 2025
Simulating the Unthinkable: Models Show Nuclear Winter Food Production Plunge
A team led by researchers at Penn State have modeled precisely how various nuclear winter scenarios could impact global production of corn — the most widely planted grain crop in the world. They also recommended preparing "agricultural resilience kits" with seeds for faster-growing varieties better adapted to colder temperatures that could potentially help offset the impact of nuclear winter, as well as natural disasters like volcanic eruptions.
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Contact Us
- Associate Professor of Vegetable Crop Science
- Email fxd92@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-2195
