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196 found

FFAR Announces New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Awardees

Combating Herbicide Resistance

Portrait of Abby Barker.

Abby Barker

2018-2021 FFAR Fellow

Field-deployable biosensors for managing animal health

Year Awarded  2020

FFAR award amount   $450,000

Total award amount   $950,000

Location   West Lafayette, IN

Matching Funders   Purdue University

Grantee Institution   Purdue University

Bovine respiratory disease is an ailment that causes annual losses of almost $1 billion dollars to the beef cattle industry. Dr. Mohit Verma’s research is producing a rapid biosensor diagnostic test that detects viruses that cause bovine respiratory disease, delivering these results in less than 30 minutes. This test will guide veterinarians and cattle producers to the best methods for prevention and treatment of the disease. Results of the research will include less use of antibiotics, reduced losses from the disease, increased quality and productivity of beef cattle and improved animal welfare.

An Integrative Approach to Biofortification of Staple Crops

Year Awarded  2020

Total award amount   $444,444

Location   Ft. Collins, CO

Grantee Institution   Colarado State University

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most prevalent nutritional disorders worldwide and is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children under the age of five. Dr. Davina Rhodes’ research is integrating plant breeding, cereal chemistry and nutrition to develop sorghum grain with high concentrations of carotenoid, plant chemicals that help combat vitamin A deficiency. This approach could be used as a model for biofortification efforts in a broad range of nutrients and crops.

Digging deeper: Removing the barriers to soil compaction mitigation

Year Awarded  2020

FFAR award amount   $449,601

Total award amount   $588,961

Location   Pullman, WA

Matching Funders   Washington State University

Grantee Institution   Washington State University

Soil compaction diminishes soil health and damages soil ecosystems, leading to lower crop yield and decreased resilience in the face of climate change. Dr. Haly Neely’s research is mitigating soil compaction, which occurs when soil particles are pressed together making soil less healthy and resilient, by measuring and mapping compaction with a newly developed visible and near-infrared spectroscopy tool. Neely is linking these measurements to soil ecosystem components such as crop yield and using these findings to improve growers’ knowledge of soil compaction mitigation strategies.

Uncovering the Genetic Architecture of Inducible Chemical Defenses in Crop and Wild Sunflower for the Sustainable Control of Pests and Pathogens

Year Awarded  2020

Total award amount   $450,000

Location   Orlando, FL

Grantee Institution   University of Central Florida

Crops plants face a wide variety of threats from pests and pathogens, yet for many such threats there is no simple genetic source of full resistance in the plant immune system, necessitating growers’ reliance on pesticides. Dr. Chase Mason’s research is determining the genetic control of induced chemical defenses, a mechanism by which plants produce chemical compounds to protect themselves upon detecting harmful pests or pathogens. Mason is also identifying sources of enhanced forms of this protection in a variety of species to reduce reliance on pesticides.

Engineering crops for cultivation in controlled environments

Year Awarded  2020

FFAR award amount   $450,000

Total award amount   $481,123

Location   Riverside, CA

Matching Funders   University of California, Riverside

Grantee Institution   University of California, Riverside

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

Year Awarded  2020

Total award amount   $364,826

Location   College Park, MD

Grantee Institution   University of Maryland

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

Year Awarded  2020

Total award amount   $450,000

Location   Seaside, CA

Grantee Institution   California State University, Monterey Bay

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.

Feedback Loops & Food Access

Portrait of Gwen Donley.

Gwendolyn Donley

2019-2022 FFAR Fellow

ID: 548795