N.C. PSI News

May 11, 2020

CRISPR Plants: New Non-GMO Method to Edit Plants

Wusheng Liu has developed a new way to get CRISPR/Cas9 into plant cells without inserting foreign DNA. This will allow for precise genetic deletions or replacements for specialty crops, without GMO regulatory hurdles. 

May 7, 2020

Faculty Focus: Holland Wins International Maize Genetics Award

Jim Holland, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service plant breeder and geneticist based in NC State’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, received an international maize genetics award for his decades of research on corn diversity and breeding in disease resistance. 

May 4, 2020

NC State Researchers Continue Improving Sweetpotatoes for Africa

Craig Yencho and his team recently received part of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to continue their work improving sweetpotatoes in Sub-Saharan Africa. The genomic tools developed through the three-year, $15-million-dollar grant will also improve sweetpotato breeding for North Carolina farmers. 

Apr 29, 2020

Plant Aid: A GRIP4PSI Big-Data Project to Detect Plant Diseases Faster

An interdisciplinary team led by professor Jean Ristaino will combine small sensors with big data for faster detection of the diseases plaguing tomato fields. From a hand-held plant disease ‘sniffer’ to a cloud-based database that can alert farmers about the cause of the stress and suggest possible mitigation strategies, the project aims to detect diseases early, improving yield. 

Apr 28, 2020

Adapting to Online: A Remote Master’s Defense

Master’s student Ryan Spurney learned over spring break that his in-person defense would have to be done remotely over Zoom, a virtual meetings platform, because of social distancing at NC State University. He offers tips for success. 

Apr 27, 2020

Growing Water Savings with Drought-Tolerant Turfgrass

Apr 10, 2020

Securely Studying Salmonella to Advance Produce Safety

NC State’s Phytotron has a specialized greenhouse for studying pathogens. Kellie Burris is using it to study how fresh fruits and vegetables — including cucumbers and cantaloupe — can become contaminated with Salmonella before harvesting. 

Apr 9, 2020

Cross Pollination

Two blueberry researchers cross continents to forge a partnership aimed at improving what’s already considered a superfood. 

Apr 8, 2020

CALS Donates Protective Equipment, Supplies to Area Hospitals

CALS researchers donated truckloads of personal protective equipment including disposable gloves and N95 masks to area medical systems. Learn why two of them decided to give. 

Apr 6, 2020

Strawberry Season Arrives Early and in Abundance

With strawberry season set to peak at about the same time as COVID-19, North Carolina producers are taking steps to ensure that consumers have safe access to one of the state’s most popular crops.