Corn and soybeans have been the main crop sources for producing energy fuels, such as ethanol, biodiesel and biomass. But in the quest for the most efficient energy feedstocks, perennial grasses like switchgrass and miscanthus, oilseeds like camelina, and short-rotation woody crops such as hybrid poplars are beginning to emerge as viable energy crops for U.S. farmers.

Recent innovations in spraying equipment — greater precision, electronically controlled booms and advancements in nozzle designs — are making it easier for no-tillers to apply inputs precisely where and when they’re needed, in exact amounts.