Molecular Plant Sciences Program
How a plant cell's skeleton helps fight infection
READ MOREWhat's New?
Race to defenses: Maize outpaces soybeans in fighting off fungal invasions
Sudden death syndrome is a devastating disease that afflicts soybean crops, causing annual losses in U.S. soybean yields in excess of $274 million dollars. New Michigan State University research shows that the trick to surviving the disease might be a matter of timing when to mount a defense response.
READ MOREWhy study molecular plant sciences
Plants support most life on earth. They are the foundation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and provide essential services and materials to people. Molecular plant scientists study the genetic, biophysical, and biochemical processes that plants use to capture solar energy and use it to biosynthesize food, fuel, wood and paper, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. Fundamental molecular plant science knowledge is critical for:
- Improving agricultural productivity and sustainability
- Developing new renewable energy sources
- Making novel compounds to improve human health and diet
- Improving plant responses to environmental challenges
Why Michigan State University
Michigan State University has one of the world's highest concentrations of plant scientists and leads in all areas of plant science research and education. The MPS graduate program brings together the breadth and depth of MSU faculty who apply diverse methods to study photosynthetic organisms.