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college of agriculture and life sciences

photo shows a green, leafy plant against a white backdrop

Mar 13, 2024

Simple Trick Could Improve Accuracy of Plant Genetics Research

A simple trick improves the accuracy of techniques that help us understand how external variables – such as temperature – affect gene activity in plants. 

Late blight disease on potato leaf.

Feb 15, 2024

Using Written Records – and Tweets – as a Roadmap for Plant Disease Spread

Examining keyword terms from historic and modern texts can help researchers track and visualize plant diseases like late blight. 

Rebecca Irwin

Feb 13, 2024

Irwin to Study Bee Abundance With Support From Kriz Endowment

With support from the Kriz Faculty Study Leave Endowment, Rebecca Irwin, professor of applied ecology, will return to Colorado later this year to continue studying bee abundance in the Rocky Mountains. 

adult corn earworm moth

Feb 5, 2024

Beam Me Up: Using Lasers to Detect Moth Migrations

How (and why) researchers are using lasers to detect moth migrations in North Carolina. 

Man standing in an indoor shop in front of a tractor .

Jan 22, 2024

How a Distinguished Professorship Became a Career Pinnacle

Gary Roberson, the Charles W. Suggs Distinguished Professor in CALS, is retiring after 40 years. His relationship with a departmental legend — the donor and namesake behind his title — helped pave his way to success. 

Poinsettias in a greenhouse.

Dec 13, 2023

Podcast: Poinsettias

John Dole, master of all things poinsettia, talks about the flower most associated with the holiday season. 

Caddisfly eggs on a rock.

Dec 13, 2023

Aquatic Insects in Restored Streams Need More Rocks to Lay Their Eggs

If you want aquatic insect egg populations to take off, you need more runways, according to a new study. 

Pinned bees in a collection.

Dec 11, 2023

Bee Species in Wake County: Are They Missing or Just Hard to Find?

Study shows no evidence that bee species richness is declining in booming area of North Carolina, but missing species could be a concern. 

close-up photo of a reddish ant's face

Nov 30, 2023

Rare Ant Species Rediscovered in North Carolina Trees

The discovery is the first time scientists have photographed or collected any males from the elusive species. 

more than a dozen tamales, wrapped in corn husks, sit inside a large metal pot

Nov 27, 2023

Don’t Make Loved Ones Barf: Holiday Food Safety Tips for Tamales

Tamales are a delicious holiday staple. Here are some tips to help you avoid foodborne illness when making them. 

Photo of a flower arrangement.

Nov 20, 2023

Consumers, Florists Differ on Floral Arrangements

Consumers don't necessarily pay attention to design elements used by florists. And consumers love roses - a lot. 

A Northern water snake

Oct 24, 2023

A Parasitic Haunting: When Snakes are Eaten From Within

Imagine a wormlike crustacean that eats snakes from the inside out. 

Mosquito-resistant textile

Oct 18, 2023

Study Elucidates Evolution of Mosquitoes and Their Hosts

Study creates a mosquito family tree to better understand disease transmission and host choice. 

photo shows two hands placing a loaf of sourdough bread onto a wooden board draped with a cloth

Oct 11, 2023

Using Different Flours for Sourdough Fosters Different Bacteria – and Flavors

Using different types of flour fosters distinct bacterial communities, which contribute to the variation of sourdough aromas and flavors. 

Researcher works with carrots to study pigmentation, domestication

Sep 28, 2023

What Makes a Carrot Orange?

Three recessive genes are required to give carrots their orange color - and the beneficial precursor of vitamin A.