DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCES
We have excellent teaching, research, and outreach programs in the areas of plant biology (cellular, genetics, genomics, microbial, molecular and physiology), agronomy (including pathology, soil management and weed science), horticulture (sustainable landscapes, fruits and vegetables), landscape architecture and environmental soil sciences (biogeochemistry, hydrology and plant-soil interactions). We have a distinguished faculty, known nationally and internationally for their research and outreach, and within UD for their excellence in teaching, advising and mentoring students.
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Featured video
Innovation at UD: Harsh Bais: youtube.com/watch?v=ZMsIF6rPcek
University of Delaware inventor Harsh Bais is a plant biologist, known for his research developing a beneficial bacterium that can help boost plant defenses, water retention and more. Here, Bais—who was named an Innovation Ambassador at UD earlier this year—shares some of what he’s learned about invention along the way.
Read the UDaily feature.
Latest news
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A 4-H Family
January 23, 2026 | Written by: Molly SchaferThe Webb Family of Greenwood, Delaware, is deeply committed to 4-H. In 2006, Double Dels Scott and Elaine (Zeitler) Webb established the Peach Blossom 4-H Club. Their children, Leslie and Leighton Webb, grew up in the club and now, as adults, volunteer alongside their parents. Leslie is also a UD alumna. -
Helping gardens and interns grow
January 16, 2026 | Written by Michele Walfred | Photos by Katie Young and Michele Walfred and courtesy of Andrew AdamsUniversity of Delaware Botanic Gardens Nursery and Collections Manager Andrew Adams oversees a diverse botanical selection that comprises 11 specialty gardens across 15 acres — soon to be 16 — when the Townsend East Lawn and Garden project is complete. Adams credits his own academic career path at UD directly to his UDBG intern experiences in 2016. -
Alumnus Mark Richardson integrates conservation and plant collections
December 19, 2025 | Written by Molly Schafer | Photos courtesy of The Morton Arboretum and New England Botanic Garden at Tower HillUniversity of Delaware plant and soil sciences alumnus Mark Richardson is the new vice president of collections and horticulture at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, a world-renowned center for scientific research that studies trees and how to sustain them. With an eye on global plant conservation, Richardson encourages the horticulture field to fully integrate science and conservation efforts into public gardens and plant collections.
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