Skip to main content
Our Shining Future

Plant Sciences Initiative

Adrian Percy addresses a crowd from a podium

Apr 16, 2024

N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative Launches Startup Incubator and Seed2Grow Program

The N.C. Plant Sciences incubator provides lab and office space for emerging companies taking discoveries from plant sciences research and turning them into marketable solutions for agriculture and the environment. 
Eli Hornstein in science lab in front of a computer.

Feb 7, 2024

Starting Strong

The N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s Startup Program provides expertise and resources to help emerging companies bring problem-solving agricultural technologies and services to the marketplace. 
Photo of 3D printer bioprinting plant cells.

Oct 14, 2022

3D Printing Plant Cells Shows Promise for Studying Cell Function

Researchers take a big step in showing efficacy of bioprinting plant cells to study cellular communication and viability in a controlled environment. 
Rows of green crops grow in a field.

Sep 2, 2021

NC State and BASF: Dedicated to a Sustainable Future

As partners, NC State and BASF have completed more than 100 research projects together, including plant sciences innovation and crop protection. 
Corn in a Rowan County field

May 17, 2021

To Preserve Global Food Security, New Tools Needed to Prevent Plant Disease Pandemics

Global plant disease surveillance and detection systems - along with plant disease modeling - are needed to protect plants - and the food supply. 
Aerial of tractor spraying fields at Lake Wheeler farms.

Aug 5, 2020

Seed-funding Grows Agricultural Advancements

GRIP4PSI, a seed-funding program for the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative, invests in a better future for growers and consumers alike. 
A sandy field of soybeans

Jun 30, 2020

Using Leaf Fungi to Improve Crop Resilience

An NC State team led by Christine Hawkes is identifying beneficial fungi found in five crops to improve disease and drought resistance. 
A bunch of sweetpotatoes

May 27, 2020

Big Data for Better Sweetpotatoes

An interdisciplinary team is setting out to use artificial intelligence to make sweetpotatoes even more profitable. 
Cherry tomatoes

Apr 29, 2020

Plant Aid: A Big-Data Project to Detect Plant Diseases Faster

An interdisciplinary team led by professor Jean Ristaino will combine small sensors with big data for faster detection of the diseases plaguing tomato fields. From a hand-held plant disease ‘sniffer’ to a cloud-based database that can alert farmers about the cause of the stress and suggest possible mitigation strategies, the project aims to detect diseases early, improving yield. 
Aerial of tractor spraying fields at Lake Wheeler farms.

Apr 1, 2020

Fertilizer of the Future

Making fertilizer more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. 
Photo of Amy Grunden in NC State's Phytotron.

Jun 12, 2019

Crop Resilience Is Focus of New Interdisciplinary Research

A new international partnership will examine plant-microbe interactions to make crops more resilient. 
woman standing behind seedlings

Jan 9, 2019

Major Study Sheds Light on Plant Growth

How does your garden grow? It's complicated. 

Nov 9, 2017

Stakeholders, University Celebrate Plant Sciences Partnership

Agricultural leaders plant their stakes, literally, in the ground on NC State’s Centennial Campus, as they mark their commitment to the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative. 

Aug 9, 2017

Leader Chosen, Plant Sciences Initiative Poised to Problem-Solve

With this week’s announcement of Stephen Briggs as launch director, the NC Plant Sciences Initiative is about to get rolling — in a big way. 
Farmer out standing in his soybean field.

Aug 11, 2016

Our Shining Future

A new $45 million grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation makes the Plant Sciences Initiative at NC State a reality — and positions North Carolina as a global leader for education, research and innovation in the plant sciences.