Matthew Vann

Dr. Matthew Vann is an Associate Professor & Tobacco Extension Specialist in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at North Carolina State University. His roles include teaching tobacco production courses, advising graduate students, and leading extension programs. He holds the Dr. William K. Collins Tobacco Agronomist Endowed Position.

Education:

• B.S., Environmental Management in Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Florida (2009)
• M.S. (2011), Ph.D. (2015), Crop and Soil Sciences, NC State University

Research Interests:

• Flue-cured, burley, and cigar wrapper tobacco production systems
• Weed management, sucker control, and organic farming practices
• Pesticide residue analysis and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training
• Nutrient deficiency diagnostics using spectral/hyperspectral technologies

Recent Research Trends:

• Focus on sustainable weed control and herbicide resistance management
• Integration of precision agriculture tools (drones, spectral analysis) for crop monitoring
• Exploration of organic nitrogen sources and alternative cropping systems

Professional Engagement:

• Secretary, CORESTA Agrochemical Residue Field Trial Task Force (2015–present)
• Associate Editor, Agronomy Journal (2020–present)
• Cooperative Extension leadership roles across 12 North Carolina research stations

Advising & Grants:

• Mentored 21 graduate students since 2015 (15 M.S., 6 Ph.D.)
• Secured USDA grants for tobacco production research and extension
• Directed $1.2M in research funding for agronomic trials

Labs/Research Stations:

• Whiteville (Border Belt Tobacco Research Station)
• Kinston (Cunningham Research Station)
• Rocky Mount (Upper Coastal Plain Research Station)
• Oxford (Oxford Tobacco Research Station)