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Digging Deeper: Food Security

Global population and global hunger are on the rise.  According to the United Nations, there will be nearly 10 billion people on the planet by the year 2050.  Of the 7.5 billion people on Earth today, 815 million of them are hungry.  Feeding the current population while keeping up with growth will be a major challenge.

Scientists at the “Roots Lab” at Penn State are working on building sustainable sources of food and nutrition for the developing world.  By focusing on root structures, Dr. Jonathan Lynch and Dr. Kathleen Brown are developing crops that can grow and thrive in drought conditions and in nutrient poor soil.  The “Roots Lab” welcomes graduate students and collaborators interested in novel, multidisciplinary research that addresses real world issues.

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