UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

06/05/2026

At Turfgrass Field Day, see the latest in turfgrass research and hear from university and industry professionals.

This event is hosted by Kentuckiana GCSA in partnership with the University of Kentucky and Southeastern Turfgrass Research Center.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3RGlEwT

06/04/2026

One more round of applause for our recent University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton CAFE graduates 👏 🎓

May 2026 graduates, find your name here: https://news.mgcafe.uky.edu/may-2026-graduates

06/03/2026

A new study from the University of Kentucky helps explain how plants can lose track of their own disease warnings.

Plants do not have blood, nerves or immune cells like people do, but they still have ways to protect themselves. When one leaf is attacked by a pathogen, the plant can send warning signals to other leaves and stems. That gives the rest of the plant time to prepare for another attack.

The Martin-Gatton CAFE study shows how that warning system can break down when a molecule called nitric oxide builds up too much. The study, titled “Excess nitric oxide alters cellular pH to restrict salicylic acid movement and systemic immunity,” was published in Science Advances.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4o0v0zw

06/02/2026

The University of Kentucky will host a Pest Management Field Day on June 25 at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center at Princeton. The event ― tailored for grain producers, crop advisors and industry representatives ― offers a unique opportunity to learn the latest research and strategies in integrated pest management.

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension and research experts will cover w**d control in corn and soybean production, including the control of waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. Insect and disease management strategies will also be covered.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4vgIM3j

06/01/2026

Listening to communities and building meaningful partnerships were central themes of the University of Kentucky Land-grant Engagement Bus Tour, which brought faculty, staff and university leaders to Western Kentucky for a firsthand look at the opportunities and challenges shaping communities across the Commonwealth.

The inaugural tour highlighted the breadth of engagement happening across Western Kentucky, including community health partnerships in Grayson County; agricultural research and producer engagement at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center at Princeton; workforce development initiatives at the University of Kentucky Pigman College of Engineering Paducah Campus; arts and culture programs in Paducah; regional partnerships and healthcare workforce initiatives in Fulton and Christian counties; and community and educational programs in Muhlenberg County.

For Laura Stephenson, vice president for Land-grant Engagement and dean of Martin-Gatton CAFE, the experience reinforced the university’s responsibility as Kentucky’s land-grant institution.

“Land-grant engagement begins by listening,” Stephenson said. “Across every stop on this tour, we saw communities with unique strengths, challenges and opportunities. Our role as a university is not to arrive with all the answers — it is to work alongside communities, co-create solutions and connect the university’s teaching, research and Extension missions to the priorities that matter most to Kentuckians.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/4dUyKOe

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

On this day in 1792, Kentucky officially joined the United States, becoming the country's 15th state. At the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton CAFE, it's our mission to advance Kentucky through teaching, research and Extension.

Pause and enjoy the beauty of our Commonwealth with us ☀️

05/28/2026

University of Kentucky researchers have received awards from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture that total more than $1.8 million to address some of the most pressing health challenges facing horses and the equine industry.

The projects, led by Department of Veterinary Science faculty working across infectious disease, immunology, reproduction and musculoskeletal health, reflect UK’s broad role in equine research and its connection to Kentucky’s signature industry.

“The number and variety of research topics funded within a single grant cycle is highly unusual and reflects the scope and expected world-wide impact of the research conducted in the Department of Veterinary Sciences,” said Associate Dean for Research James Matthews.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dB2gdf