On the Vine

Erin Sparks and Jon Reneau in a corn field.

Short-Stature Corn: A Long-Term Solution

A new study co-authored by Erin Sparks, PhD, offers a path forward in the face of a serious challenge: severe storms threatening the US Corn Belt. The research, a collaboration with Bayer published in Crop Science, found that short-stature maize hybrids resist wind damage, and shed light on why they do so. Read more.

Danforth Center Spinout Expands Nationally

Agrela Ecosystems, the St. Louis-based environmental sensor company, spun out from the Danforth Center, is expanding its national sales presence as demand for its technology grows. The company’s innovative PheNode platform (recently featured on FOX 2 News) is revolutionizing both plant science and transportation infrastructure. Read more.

How STL Became a Bioscience Hub

In part one of an eight-part series on the St. Louis bioscience ecosystem, St. Louis Magazine examines how the region has evolved into a thriving hub for agtech collaboration and innovation, and the Danforth Center is at the heart of that story. Read more.

The Need for Drought-Resistant Crops

Andrea Eveland, PhD, recently spoke to Mark Moran about the drought in Nebraska, the potential of sorghum (a drought- and heat-resilient crop that is closely related to corn), and why now is the time to invest in these sorts of crops. Read more.

Glenn Fischer’s Decade of Impact

For the last ten years, Glenn Fischer has welcomed many new faces to our campus as a trained docent, and he’s also been one of our most passionate ambassadors. Get to know Glenn, and learn the story behind his support, in our new blog post.

Events: Party with the Plants | September 25

Party with the Plants is back! Hosted by our Young Friends, this fundraising celebration is a good time for a good cause—featuring hands-on science, raffles, and much more. This year’s theme: Plants After Dark. Early bird tickets available now. Get your discount today!

Cover of the 2025 Danforth Center Annual Report.

The Annual Report is Here

Hot off the press: our 2025 Annual Report is available now online. Inside, you can learn about all of the Center’s biggest stories from last year and see how our community is helping to create a better world. Read the Report here.