Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 2/9/21


Cover crop use was steadily rising on farms in the early 2000s, with 60% of corn growers reporting their use. But in recent years consistency has wavered.

“Many growers see cover cropping as a more complicated system than traditional tillage. It may have soil benefits, but it was another layer of methodology that often interrupted seasonal workflow,” said Ramon Leon, weed science researcher and associate professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. “Now, the devastating economic impact of herbicide-resistant weeds is driving growers’ interest in alternative weed management. That’s where cover crops shine.”

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has awarded a three-year, $1.5M grant to NC State’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences to develop a three-dimensional (3D) imaging system to visually map, treat, and predict herbicide-resistant weeds in cover crops.

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