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
February 27, 2025
New Computer Vision System can Guide Specialty Crops Monitoring
Soilless growing systems inside greenhouses, known as controlled environment agriculture, promise to advance the year-round production of high-quality specialty crops, according to an interdisciplinary research team at Penn State. But to be competitive and sustainable, this advanced farming method will require the development and implementation of precision agriculture techniques. To meet that demand, the team developed an automated crop-monitoring system capable of providing continuous and frequent data about plant growth and needs, allowing for informed crop management.
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November 27, 2024
‘Plant Yourself in Ag Day’ highlights careers in agricultural education
In conjunction with National Teach Ag Day, undergraduate students in agricultural and extension education in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recently put their budding teaching skills to work during a pilot career immersion event for high school students.
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October 8, 2024
New project to support microgreens producers with risk management education
Faculty members in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have launched a new project to help agricultural producers tackle the challenges of growing microgreens, fast-growing crops that are popular for their year-round availability and high demand in premium markets.
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September 24, 2024
$1M USDA grant to perfect weed killing method in organic crop production
Weeds are a major factor limiting yield in organic vegetable and other horticultural crop systems, and the lack of effective biological weed-management solutions is a significant obstacle to the adoption of organic farming practices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a four-year, $1 million grant to a team led by plant scientists and an economist from Penn State to investigate anaerobic soil disinfestation, a microbial-driven process to manage weeds, to support transitioning from conventional to organic production systems.
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Contact Us
- Associate Professor of Vegetable Crop Science
- Email fxd92@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-2195
