Awarded Grants
Below is a listing of our awarded grants that tackle big food and agriculture challenges.

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58 Grants found

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Crops in Silico 1.0

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $273,138

Total award amount   $601,126

Location   Urbana-Champaign, IL

Matching Funders   The Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment at the University of Illinois, NCSA

Environments are changing faster than traditional crop breeding can develop new plant varieties. University of Illinois researchers are developing virtual plant models with the potential to address gaps between food supply and demand in the face of a changing climate. When fully realized, these models will give crop researchers a tool to examine the effects of environmental challenges on a molecular, cellular and organic level within a plant to accurately determine the best targets for genetic engineering.

Developing Massively Parallel Sequence for Agricultural Surveillance

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $169,960

Total award amount   $339,969

Location   Starkville, MS

Matching Funders   Mississippi State University

Global commerce has increased the introduction of exotic plant pathogens and pests to new areas. Farmers need a reliable system to detect newly introduced pests and pathogens. Mississippi State University researchers are combining existing technologies with novel data analysis to detect diverse plant pathogens and insects of importance in row crop, orchard and forestry settings, which will help protect agricultural systems.

Renewal: RIPE: Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency for Sustainable Increases in Crop Yield

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $15,000,000

Total award amount   $45,000,000

Location   Urbana-Champaign, IL

Matching Funders   Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), University of Illinois

Crops are inefficiently at photosynthesis, the process plants use to convert sunlight into energy. Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) is engineering staple food crops to more efficiently turn the sun’s energy into food to sustainably increase worldwide food productivity.

Mitigation of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus in Kansas and U.S. High Plains

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $50,000

Total award amount   $120,623

Location   Manhattan, KS

Program   Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research

Matching Funders   KS Wheat Commission

Although management methods for wheat streak mosaic (WSMV) are known, wheat farmers continue to experience yield and profit losses as a result of WSMV. Kansas State University researchers updating best management practices for wheat farmers threatened by the pathogen and identifying optimal disease resistant wheat varieties.

Plant-Nanoparticle Hybrids: Optimize Crop Engineering and Nutrient Delivery

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $300,000

Total award amount   $600,000

Location   Berkeley, CA

Matching Funders   The Regents of the University of California

Genome editing has revolutionized our ability to modify living systems and meet the growing demand for food. However, genetic engineering of mature plants remains a challenge. The Regents of the University of California, Berkeley are optimizing crop engineering and nutrient delivery tools to produce sustainable and high-yielding crops.

A Novel Bioassay for Culturing and Characterizing Fastidious Phytopathogens

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $299,993

Total award amount   $599,986

Location   College Station, TX

Matching Funders   Southern Garden Citrus

Fastidious pathogens, bacteria that only grow in specific conditions, cause huge agricultural losses and cost farmers billions of dollars annually. Candidatus Liberibacter spp. are fastidious pathogens that cause the potato zebra chip and Citrus greening diseases. Complicating matters, these pathogens are will not grow in laboratory conditions, making it difficult to understand them. To support citrus growers and help other producers manage diseases, Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center researchers are testing a method of screening for disease resistance genes and chemicals that can combat the pathogens causing citrus greening and potato zebra chip diseases. The research will be translated into disease management strategies that help growers and prevent billions of dollars in annual losses.

A Multi-Scale Approach to Unearth the Root of Plant Disease Resistance

Year Awarded  2016

FFAR award amount   $299,757

Total award amount   $599,513

Location   West Lafayette, IN

Matching Funders   Purdue University

Plant root diseases can cause lower yields. Some plant varieties are resistant to root disease, but the mechanisms underlying resistance are unclear. Purdue University researchers are examining how roots mediate disease-resistance by using tomato and a soilborne bacterial pathogen as a model.

Enhancing Crop Pollination, Pest Control and Yield in Urban Agriculture

Year Awarded  2016

FFAR award amount   $210,618

Total award amount   $421,236

Location   Rochester, MI

Matching Funders   Oakland University

Urban agriculture is a growing component of local and regional food systems. However, few studies focus on factors limiting crop productivity in urban environments and little is known about how insect pollinators and pests affect crop yield on urban farms. Oakland University researchers are investigating the composition of the insect community and evaluating strategies for enhancing ecosystem services provided by beneficial insects. The project aims to enhance crop pollination, pest control and yields in urban agriculture.