On Tuesday, the Purdue College of Ag’s Celebration of Teaching Excellence honored two outstanding HLA faculty members. Kathryn Orvis received the Kohls Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, recognizing exceptional dedication to undergraduate education. Aaron Thompson was presented with the Taylor Excellence in Teaching Innovation Award, celebrating innovative approaches that inspire student learning. Congratulations to both for[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 HLA Ambassadors are the heart of our department’s outreach and recruitment efforts. These dedicated students represent Horticulture and Landscape Architecture with enthusiasm and professionalism, sharing their experiences and passion with prospective students and families. From campus tours to recruitment events, they help showcase the vibrant community and opportunities within HLA. We want to extend[Read More…]
This fall, our community rallied to bring light to the Jules Janick Horticulture Garden! Thanks to your generosity, students in HORT 317 installed a low-voltage lighting system that improves safety, showcases professional techniques, and gives them real-world experience. Together, we raised $3,350—67% of our $5,000 goal—with 20 donors leading the way. These funds helped reimburse[Read More…]
On Thursday, the HLA Social Committee brought colleagues together for an engaging Lunch and Learn celebrating the rich heritage of India. Krishna Nemali and Kranthi Varala led the session, sharing fascinating insights into their homeland. Krishna highlighted cultural traditions and practices, while Kranthi introduced us to the vibrant spices that make Indian cuisine so distinctive.[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…]
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…]
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…]
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