Department of Horticulture

Welcome to the Department of Horticulture. The Department's mission is to prepare our students for horticulture-related careers in science and business. This includes making new discoveries in the plant sciences; promoting the use of plants and food for improved human health and a safe environment; improving the characteristics, quality and availability of horticultural products; and strengthening the competitive position of the world's horticultural industries. Faculty members possess a diverse array of expertise - both interdisciplinary (e.g., breeding, genomics, development, physiology, metabolism, molecular biology, and sustainable production), and commodity based (e.g., fruits/pomology, vegetables, viticulture, floriculture, nursery crops, postharvest, design and landscape ecology, and marketing) - which they utilize in their research, teaching and outreach programs, at both the national and international levels.

Featured Students

Noelle is learning more about sustainable farming in her M.S. degree

Published on February 7, 2022
Drew Jepson chose an IAT certificate program because it allows him to get working in his field quickly

Published on January 10, 2022

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Featured Alumni

Horticulture alum is now the director of the Alaska Botanical Garden

Published on January 5, 2022
During his horticulture career, Ren developed people, management, and business skills that could be used anywhere

Published on November 23, 2021

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Featured Faculty

Dr. Steve van Nocker enjoys the diversity of people on campus

Published on September 27, 2021
Dr. Debalina Saha enjoys conducting applied research and interacting with her students

Published on February 8, 2021

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News

Passion for strawberries sparks grad student’s education and career goals

Published on November 28, 2022
Plant, Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology Ph.D. student Ashley Wright has a research focus on strawberries and a teaching focus on improving scientific literacy in non-STEM majors.
4-H Children's Gardens receive estate gift from longtime donor and volunteer

Published on November 17, 2022
Retired MSU professor and longtime Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens donor and volunteer Linda Nelson, Ph.D., left an estate gift to support the Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens.
MSU-led team studying expansion of controlled environment culinary herb production across US

Published on October 18, 2022
A new $3.4M USDA grant is supporting research and outreach.
Horticulture student recommends becoming involved in student clubs

Published on October 3, 2022
Horticulture senior Emma Brinks found community in the Student Horticulture Association. Her long-term goal is to own a nursery of her own that focuses on native plants and natural ecosystems.
MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources receives state funding for updated dairy, greenhouse facilities

Published on July 8, 2022
The university will receive $53 million in state funding to update the dairy and greenhouse facilities.