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Plant Breeding Consortium

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Craig Yencho and Bernard Yada ’14, Ph.D., survey sweetpotato vines at a research farm outside Kampala, Uganda.

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.
Cherry tomatoes

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.
Two scientists in greenhouse pollinating blueberry plants

Apr 9, 2020

Cross Pollination

Two blueberry researchers cross continents to forge a partnership aimed at improving what’s already considered a superfood.
Carlos Iglesias with a wolf sculpture

Feb 17, 2020

Carlos Iglesias: New Director of the Plant Breeding Consortium

In January the Plant Breeding Consortium welcomed Carlos Iglesias as its new director. He comes with decades of experience leading plant breeding programs in the public and private sectors and has worked with many different crops.
Dilip Panthee (center), researcher at Mountain Horticultural Research and Extension Center, looks over tomatoes in the farm's greenhouse as students tend to the plants.

Jan 29, 2020

Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Support N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative

In honor of NC State’s past support and continued partnership, the North Carolina Greenhouse Vegetable Growers’ Association has donated $7,000 to the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative.
irrigating corn field

Dec 3, 2019

N.C. PSI, SAS to Harness the Power of Data

SAS will build off of its longstanding partnership with NC State and embed full-time data scientists within the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative to collaborate on various research efforts ensure a safe and sustainable food supply.
Scientist in a greenhouse with soybeans in a greenhouse

Aug 5, 2019

Routing Drought

USDA-ARS plant breeder and geneticist at NC State helps soybean farmers overcome drought as they push for higher yields.

Mar 26, 2018

Breeding Success

Charles and Marilyn Stuber create new distinguished professorship in plant breeding to make a top college program even better.