Dr. Krishna Nemali began the Fulbright program in India this month and recently presented at the International Conference on Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Advanced Computing and Technology (IMPACT 2026) held at GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, India. Invited as a Guest of Honor, Dr. Nemali delivered a keynote address, sharing insights on “Guiding Principles[Read More…]
Congratulations to several of our HLA researchers who received AgSEED grants for their projects. Petrus Langenhoven (PI) and collaborators Kranthi Varala, Amanda Deering, Allison Kingery, and Brian Schilling were awarded an AgSEED grant titled Assessing Scotch Bonnet Pepper Adaptability in the Midwest: A Preliminary Study of Variety Performance and Molecular Characterization. Scotch Bonnet peppers present[Read More…]
The Meyers’ Lab had an incredible week at the North Central Weed Science Society (NCWSS) meeting in Grand Rapids, MI! The team shared their latest research through three posters, two paper presentations, and two Extension videos. It was a busy week of sharing science: Helen Nocito Poster: Pumpkin Responses to Cereal Rye Termination and Burndown[Read More…]
A study by HLA graduate student Jeanine Arana and faculty Stephen Meyers and Wenjing Guan has been published in HortTechnology. The article evaluates 15 June-bearing strawberry cultivars grown in a two-year plasticulture system using black and white mulch in Indiana. Findings highlight how mulch color and cultivar choice influence yield, runner growth, and winter survival,[Read More…]
Dr. Kranthi Varala gave a seminar at Purdue’s Department of Botany & Plant Pathology earlier this week. His talk, “A brief history of CBFS and evidence for a role in reglation of photosynthetic Machinery,” highlighted how CBF transcription factors, long known for cold stress response, also play a role in regulating photosynthesis—explaining their strong conservation[Read More…]
Dr Avtar K Handa was a Keynote speaker at the Indian Horticulture Congress-2025 and International Meet on Horticulture for Inclusive, equitable and sustainable Growth. This conference was organized by Indian Academy of Horticultural Sciences and was held at University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bengaluru, India from November 06-09, 2025. The topic for Professor Handa[Read More…]
This week, students in HORT 10100 enjoyed a field trip to Bennett’s Greenhouse and Garden Center, a family-owned retail horticultural operation in Lafayette. The visit offered a unique behind-the-scenes look at how a local business manages its greenhouse and garden center, providing valuable insights into retail horticulture practices. Students toured the facilities, learned about day-to-day[Read More…]
The evolution of seeds transformed life on earth and is responsible for our most important food crops. Gymnosperms, the oldest living seed plants, are an untapped genomic reservoir for genes involved in seed evolution. Our gymnosperm data identifies unreported candidate ovule regulated genes in Arabidopsis. Our work provides a resource for seed gene discovery, conservation,[Read More…]








