About

  UNL Plant Sciences Program

 

The Plant Sciences Program is a collaborative effort between the School of Biological Sciences, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, and Department of Biochemistry. It is an interdisciplinary research and training program in the plant sciences.

Several departments offer courses that support and strengthen the plant sciences graduate program: Animal Science, Biochemistry, Biological Systems Engineering, Chemistry, Entomology, Food Science, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, and Biological Sciences.

Microscopy image of an anther

A coexpression of red and green fluorescent proteins localizing to the mitochondria, the blue is autofluorescence from the chloroplasts. This is an image of an anther, the pollen shows strong red autofluorescence.



















Excellent laboratories are available for conducting research. There are chambers for growing plants under controlled environmental conditions, greenhouses for growing winter crops, buildings for seed processing and preservation, field laboratories, bioinformatics labs, and state-of-the-art facilities for genetic research and teaching at the George W. Beadle Center for Genetics Research.

Students have the opportunity to work with established industry professionals and renowned faculty who have research strengths in plant genomics, plant pathology, biotic and abiotic stress responses, organelle biology, computational biology, agricultural biotechnology and plant breeding.

  Why study plants?

The 21st century presents a number of key challenges for the future of human society.
  • Millions of people are chronically malnourished and millions more lack food security.
  • The widespread use of fossil fuels is altering the atmosphere, leading to climate changes that affect ecosystems and the well-being of mankind.
  • Fossil fuel reserves are steadily declining, threatening our future energy supply.
  • By 2050, the world's population is expected to grow by more than 30%.
  • Food price volatility.
  • Increasing need to grow more food with less water.
Within this context, plants and algae have never been more important to people.
  • Plants and algae are the ultimate source of all our food, and produce fibers and countless compounds that are pivotal for industrial and medicinal purposes.
  • Plants and algae use sunlight energy to convert carbon dioxide and inorganic nutrients into organic compounds. This assimilation of carbon dioxide plays a key role in establishing and maintaining the atmospheric composition, with far reaching implications for earth climate.
  • The organic compounds generated by photosynthesis can also provide a renewable source of energy (biofuels).
  • Plants are complex - the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana has almost as many genes as humans. Understanding their structure and function requires integrated learning approaches involving biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science.
  • New technological developments in genomics, bioinformatics, and genetic engineering are creating unprecedented possibilities to combine plant breeding and agronomic practices with emerging knowledge about health, nutrition, and biofuels.
Significant research advances in the Plant Sciences will be necessary to achieve sustainable agricultural systems and a steady supply of renewable resources for the health and energy industries. Our future depends on students willing to take on these challenges.