“The power of pollen”

Dr. Mark Westgate,

Wednesday, April 1st, 2026

Agronomy 3140, 3:00 – 4:00 pm

Session Description: This session will focus on how PowerPollen is transforming one of agriculture’s most fragile and risk‑prone processes, pollination, into a managed, technology‑enabled system. Drawing on his background as a globally recognized crop reproductive physiologist, Dr. Westgate will explain how PowerPollen’s patented technology allows pollen from crops such as corn, wheat, and rice to be collected, preserved, stored, and applied precisely when conditions are optimal, overcoming pollen’s historically short lifespan and reducing reliance on weather‑dependent natural pollination.

Dr. Mark Westgate’s research program at Iowa State University focused on understanding the physiological basis for the effects of water deficits on the reproductive development in corn and soybean; using molecular approaches to improve the value of soybean seeds; and establishing quantitative relationships between floral development and seed set in corn. Dr. Westgate served as a Professor in the Department of Agronomy for more than 20 years. He is recognized internationally as an authority on corn and soybean reproductive development. 

Currently, Dr. Westgate serves as the Chief Science Officer for PowerPollen. Commercially deployed on thousands of acres in the U.S. and internationally, PowerPollen’s proprietary technology collects, preserves and applies pollen on-demand—enabling precise, reliable pollination when and where it’s needed most.