The Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP) is pleased to announce the 2024 Invasive Plant Action Award winner.
Dr. Csengele Barta is the winner in the Researcher category, awarded to an individual who has published research on invasive plant management relevant to the ecology and agriculture of Missouri. Dr. Barta’s research has centered around the non-native, invasive Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) and the secondary metabolites it produces.
Secondary metabolites are substances manufactured by plants that make them competitive in their environment. Understanding the complex qualities of Amur honeysuckle’s secondary metabolites provides insight into its reproductive patterns and rates so researchers may uncover new effective methods of controlling this and other invasive plant species.
In addition to her research, Dr. Barta is an admired instructor and mentor. She has been a professor of Biology at Missouri Western State University for the past 12 years, teaching Plant Molecular Eco-Physiology and Biochemistry.
About MoIP’s Invasive Plant Action Award
MoIP established the Invasive Plant Action Award program to recognize the outstanding work being done in Missouri to control invasive plant species. The MoIP Invasive Plant Action Awards recognize exceptional effort and leadership in the field, and also serve as a way to demonstrate to the broader community how controlling the spread of invasive plants on Missouri farms, forests, woodlands, prairies, gardens, parks, neighborhoods, roadsides, and along waterways is attainable and very important land stewardship. Members of MoIP evaluate nominations and select winners annually.
For more information about the Awards program and other past winners, visit the MoIP Award page.
