North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative

A woman and a man standing outside in front of the Plant Sciences Building

Nov 8, 2024

‘A meaningful impact’

Amid rising interest in the rapidly expanding field of artificial intelligence, promising undergraduate and graduate students at NC State University are gaining experience in applying AI and data analytics in agriculture.…

Much-magnified image of the root-know nematode

Nov 5, 2024

Toward faster nematode test results

Plant-parasitic nematodes that feed on crops cause an estimated $80 billion to $157 billion in damage around the world each year. Two North Carolina State University faculty members aim to help…

Three people making a presentation in front of a poster that says "Hackathon"

Oct 25, 2024

Creating cutting-edge Ag Tech

Nearly 50 NC State University undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars spent a fall weekend competing in the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s fourth annual Hackathon, taking on real-world agricultural technology…

Oct 18, 2024

Boundary-crossing research paves way for fungal crop solutions

Think of fungi in agriculture, and you might think first of the crop diseases they cause. But since ancient times, farmers have been using the interactions among fungi and crops…

a woman and a man stand in a field of green crops

Sep 26, 2024

New NC State web tool delivers precise soybean planting recommendations

BeanPACK, a new soybean growers decision support tool designed to revolutionize on-farm recommendations, will be released Oct. 1, in time to inform statewide planting decisions for the 2025 growing season.…

Four people standing in front of a USDA building

Sep 13, 2024

Grad students put data science skills into action for agriculture

For Neha Jagtap, a recent internship with leading national scientists proved to be a rewarding chance to gain experience solving a real-world agricultural challenge with knowledge she’s gained from computer…

Sep 13, 2024

Research lays groundwork for future fertilizers

A North Carolina State University research team that set out four years ago to create the fertilizer of the future — one that was more energy efficient, environmentally sustainable and…

A graphic & data visualization of green and red tomatoes cut in half.

Sep 12, 2024

Precision sensors: an innovative future for agriculture

In the summer of 2022, growers in North Carolina were alarmed to find a new variant of the Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). Transmitted by insects called thrips and resistant to existing treatments, TSWV is difficult to eliminate and can ruin an entire crop. With one of the widest ranges among plant diseases, it also…

Cooper howling wolf sculpture near greenery and benches

Sep 12, 2024

New training program tackles AI and plant science challenges

The new GRAD-AID for Ag program will give graduate students the chance to drive innovation in artificial intelligence technologies at the intersection of basic and applied plant sciences.