Welcome from Adrian Percy

From the seed of an idea for creating solutions to the world’s biggest agricultural challenges, the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative has blossomed.

At the state-of-the-art Plant Sciences Building laboratories on Centennial Campus as well as on research stations and farmers’ fields in North Carolina and beyond, our researchers are on a quest for better agricultural systems – ones that are more resilient and more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable.

We’re proud to be growing one of the world’s strongest hubs for agricultural technology, right here in North Carolina. We’re nurturing startup companies that are bringing new problem-solving technologies to the market. And, perhaps most significantly, we’re educating and training tomorrow’s industry leaders and plant scientists.

As of 2024, we have over 60 faculty members of eight colleges working in disciplines ranging from agriculture and life sciences to engineering to economics and social sciences.

These researchers are breaking down disciplinary silos and partnering with growers, industry leaders and state, federal and local governments and agencies to advance agriculture.

Our initiative is gaining momentum, and we invite you to join us. Engage with us. Partner with us. Study with us. Work with us. Contribute to our research and education enterprise. The future of food and agriculture depends on you.

Adrian Percy
Executive Director
North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative