Research Facilities
The Department of Agronomy has offices and laboratories in three buildings on campus: Lilly Hall of Life Sciences (LILY), Plant and Soils Building (LSPS), and Whistler Hall of Agricultural Research (WSLR). There are also greenhouse facilities in the Life Science Ranges attached to the Plant and Soils Building. The Agronomy Department currently has outdoor field facilities and indoor educational facilities at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE). Research is also conducted at several Purdue Agricultural Centers (PACs) around Indiana.
Research Facilities
The ACRE is an outdoor, hands-on, agronomic laboratory for researchers and educators from several departments. It is strategically located 7 miles northwest of campus on 1,408 acres of prairie and forest soils. The Indiana Corn and Soybean Innovation Center was opened in 2016 to experiment with new ways to collect plant trait data and automate seed processing. Several researchers maintain project buildings at ACRE as their “home-base” for field research equipment and seed storage, sample processing, and as a place to repair or modify field research equipment.
Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE)In addition to the ACRE and Daniel Center, the College of Agriculture supports eight regional Purdue Agricultural Centers throughout Indiana to accommodate interdepartmental field research. Each center represents one of the state’s major soil and climate regions. Agronomy staff members have projects at all eight regional centers. The PACs increase research area and allow experiments to investigate differences in topography, soil types, and microclimates within the state.
The Beck Agricultural Center offers outstanding flexible resources for meetings, conferences, workshops, and retreats associated with Agriculture education. Located at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education, the Center offers the opportunity to combine hands-on field experience with classroom presentations and discussions.
The Midwestern Regional Climate Center is a cooperative program between the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Our center is a partner in a national climate service program that includes NCEI, five other Regional Climate Centers, and State Climate Offices. The NCEI is part of the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The MRCC serves the nine-state Midwest region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin). Our services and research help to better explain climate and its impacts on the Midwest, provide practical solutions to specific climate problems, and allow us to develop climate information for the Midwest on climate-sensitive issues such as agriculture, climate change, energy, the environment, human health, risk management, transportation, and water resources.
The MRCC mission has four components:
- Providing high-quality climate data, derived information, and data summaries for the Midwest.
- Monitoring and assessing regional climate conditions and their impacts.
- Preparing specialized historical climate data sets.
- Coordinating and conducting applied research on climate-related issues and problems.
The Indiana Corn and Soybean Innovation Center at Purdue University, a 25,500-square-foot facility at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE), opened in fall 2016 and is the first field phenotyping facility of its kind in North America.
This 7,300-square-foot phenotyping facility – open since February 2018 – complements Purdue’s field-based phenotyping capabilities by allowing a rapid, non-destructive alternative to exploring plant traits under precise environmental control.
The Ag Alumni Seed Phenotyping Facility is a core component of the Institute for Plant Sciences, part of Purdue Moves, announced in 2013 to broaden Purdue’s global impact and enhance educational opportunities for its students.
The Life Science Ranges & Plant Growth Facility, located south of Lilly Hall of Life Science, serves as the primary greenhouse space for research, teaching, and outreach for faculty and students in Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Agronomy, Biology and Botany & Plant Pathology. The facility consists of greenhouse space, controlled environment growth chambers, and the Ag Alumni Seed Phenotyping Facility (AAPF).
What We Do
We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management.
We have a vision to provide economic opportunity through innovation, helping rural America to thrive; to promote agriculture production that better nourishes Americans while also helping feed others throughout the world; and to preserve our Nation's natural resources through conservation, restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands.