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Gregg Howe is a PRL researcher who is internationally known for his work on plant resilience. He recently spent a year in Japan as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar, where he collaborated with Japanese scientists on research focused on understanding and improving plant resilience traits.

As potential for biofuel, switchgrass is a perennial plant that is of great interest to researchers. Scientists from the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory Walker lab are looking at how these plants regrow, even when regrowing with less than its usual carbon storage.

Trees including oak and poplar will emit more isoprene — a compound that worsens air pollution — as global temperatures rise, according to new MSU research.

Growing the legacy – Michigan State University embarks on campaign to recruit new plant science faculty.

The MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory Community Building and Outreach Committee participated in the inaugural MSU Detroit Early Honors Experience, a collaboration between Detroit Public Schools Community District and several departments at MSU. The day PRL participated in was focused on teaching Detroit high schoolers plant science concepts and research techniques out in the field.

In plants, the jasmonate signaling pathway helps plants control their defense responses to environmental stresses. Like the human body, plants respond differently to individual threats. Just as people wouldn’t get a fever due to a sprained ankle, plants deal with harmful elements in particular ways. A study from the Howe lab looks at how plants respond to environmental threats in the correct way.

MSU researchers reveal a biological pathway that could be targeted to breed more resilient crops.

Mentored by MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory members, four undergraduate students participated in laboratory research this summer, as a part of the Plant Genomics @ Michigan State University Research Experiences for Undergraduates program.