The potatoes behind America’s potato chips are getting an upgrade. Researchers at Michigan State University have developed five new potato varieties designed to help strengthen the U.S. chip supply by improving disease resistance, long-term storage and processing reliability. The varieties — Manistee, Mackinaw, Petoskey, Huron Chipper and Blackberry — are the result of more than …
Nine Michigan State University researchers have been elected 2025 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, one of the world’s largest and most respected scientific societies. Ann Austin, Gary Blanchard, Shi-you Ding, Dean Lee, Hui Li, Elena Litchman, James McCusker, Dohun Pyeon and Elise Zipkin are being recognized for their work in education, chemistry, cancer studies, biological and medical sciences, …
David Douches, a Michigan State University (MSU) Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, describes plant breeding as a career-long mission: “We are the scientists behind the scenes, creating potatoes that are better for the farmers, better for the industry, and ultimately better for the consumer.” For decades, he has focused …
A Michigan State University researcher has been honored with the Soil Science Research Award from the Soil Science Society of America, one of the highest honors for advancing scientific knowledge in the field. Bruno Basso, a world-renowned expert in sustainable agriculture and precision agriculture systems, received the award Nov. 10 at the SSSA’s CANVAS conference …
A newly discovered signaling pathway explains how plants delay flowering when phosphorus runs low, opening doors to nutrient-efficient crops. Phosphorus, a key ingredient in fertilizers, is running out. The world’s food systems depend on phosphorus mined from limited reserves, yet much of what is applied to fields washes away, leaving soils increasingly depleted. As phosphorus …
All of Michigan State University’s USAID funding programs have been terminated by the federal government, resulting in more than $20 million in funding loss. This includes nine direct programs, as well as five flow-through programs. The loss in funding has ended programs across campus — including the Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership, a project …
Phil Robertson, Ph. D., a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University (MSU) in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors for a scientist in the United States. Robertson is an internationally recognized crop and soil scientist and ecosystem …
The final stage of the project is expected to be complete by November 2026. Just over a year ago, Michigan State University leaders broke ground on transformative renovations taking place at the MSU Plant Science Research Greenhouse Facility located at the corner of Farm Lane and Wilson Road. As work continues to be done at the facility, its progress …
When Lionel Messi and the world’s elite players take the field for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and 2026 World Cup, they’ll be playing on scientifically perfected grass. FIFA has partnered with turf grass scientists at Michigan State University and the University of Tennessee to create uniform natural grass fields across 16 cities in …
A new study by CANR researchers in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences explores the long-term impact of conservation management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) content A new study by researchers at Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) explores the long-term impact of conservation management practices on soil …
