Engineering crops for cultivation in controlled environments 

Urban agriculture offers many benefits for food production but often has higher production costs relative to traditional farming and is limited to only a few crops. Dr. Robert Jinkerson’s research is engineering the size and nutritional value of a tomato plant variety to increase both the diversity and value of crops that are grown in vertical controlled environment agriculture, making urban agriculture more profitable.

Developing Novel Strategies for Improved Control and Sustainability of Grapevine Bunch Rot Management 

Late-season bunch rots are fruit diseases that occur during maturation, after season-long expenses and labor, and directly affect yield and quality. Dr. Mengjun Hu’s research is advancing knowledge about late-season bunch rots by studying the prevalence and ability of the pathogen to cause disease, the conditions and time in the growing cycle favorable to the pathogen and the pathogen’s reactions to fungicide. The research is developing sustainable management strategies that promote targeted and less frequent application of fungicide.

Harnessing the soil microbiome to increase soil health and plant productivity 

Soil-borne diseases pose a significant threat to global food production, causing catastrophic yield and economic losses. Dr. Jose Pablo (JP) Dundore-Arias’ research is determining the ecological and molecular mechanisms responsible for inducing and maintaining disease-suppressive soils. Dundore-Arias is using this information to develop microbial communities capable of enhancing soil health and plant productivity.

Achieving Sustainable Groundwater Management Through Innovative Governance & Optimal Agricultural Water Use Under Conflicting Objectives 

Metagenomic Probes for the Rapid Identification of the Microbiome Community in A Wheat Rhizospheremodel System 

Plant pathogens can harm plants, reduce water quality and cause soil erosion. Oklahoma State University researchers are using high-throughput sequencing to determine what affects plant health.

A Systematic Approach to Improve Heifer Selection and the Sustainability of Beef Production. 

Cattle infertility causes significant loss for cattle producers. Auburn University researchers are improving the efficiency of cattle production by identifying molecular markers that indicate reproductive potential. This research can help producers select cattle with the best reproductive capabilities.

Improving the Nutritional Quality of Tomatoes 

Diet is the leading cause of many chronic diseases. The Ohio State University research team is combining plant breeding/genetics, analytical chemistry, bioinformatics and nutrition to develop tomatoes that are more beneficial for human health.

Harnessing Multi-Trophic Chemical Ecology to Obtain Sustainable Pest Control and Improved Soil Health 

Pests and pathogens destroy food crops, causing significant losses to farmers and threatening food security. The Pennsylvania State University research team is discovering mechanisms and management practices that manage interactions between cover crops, soil dynamics and beneficial organisms to increase crop resistance to pests and pathogens.