Protecting Water

“The ability to seed a cover crop while also side-dressing the standing corn with fertilizer and spray herbicide is a huge money saver, potentially improving returns by over $100 per acre." ~ Greg Roth

Research Leads

Greg Roth
Professor, Department of Plant Science

Chris Houser
Extension Educator

William Curran
Professor, Department of Plant Science

Corey Dillon
Farm Machinery Operator/Mechanic, Department of Plant Science

Product

The Cover Crop InterSeeder and Applicator plants cover crop seeds between rows of corn (2, 4, 6, or 12 rows), while also spraying a post-emergent herbicide and applying a fertilizer to help establish the cover crop.

Why It's Important

  • Reduces agricultural pollution in waterways and improves soil quality
  • Enables adoption of cover crops by fitting them into crop rotations in a profitable and reliable way
  • Could save farmers $10 to $20 an acre by performing two to three operations at once

Status

  • InterSeeder Technologies, a Penn State startup company
  • The interseeder continues to be marketed by Interseeder Technologies to researchers and crop producers around the United States.
  • Currently, interseeders are in use in 16 states: IL, KY, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SD, VA, VT, and WI, as well as Ontario.
  • U.S. Patent (13/443,339)

Technology Development Awards

  • $688,684 - CIG (2013)
  • $39,967 - RAIN Grant (2012, 2013)
  • $15,000 - NESARE (2013) (agroecosystems)
  • $7,500 - Ben Franklin TechCelerator (2013)

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802-2600

Office for Research and Graduate Education

Address

217 Agricultural Administration Building
University Park, PA 16802-2600