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Going Back to the Roots To Transform Soil Health into Yield 

Year Awarded  2016

FFAR award amount   $285,083

Total award amount   $570,165

Location   Davis, CA

Matching Funders   UC Davis Dean's Office

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

Soil health management practices are promoted as feasible, complementary approaches to high-input strategies to increase food production and decrease agriculture’s environmental footprint. However, the role crop plants play in using soil health to increase yields is often overlooked. University of California, Davis researchers are transforming soil health into yield by exploring the relationship between root systems, soil health and crop productivity to identify how producers can grow resilient crops using sustainable practices at scale.

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

Grantee Institution   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.

Building Soil Health Through Rotational Diversity and Soil Microorganisms 

Year Awarded  2016

FFAR award amount   $299,962

Total award amount   $599,923

Location   East Lansing, MI

Matching Funders   MSU AgBioRes

Grantee Institution   Michigan State University

Crop rotations have been used to increase crop productivity for centuries, but little is known about how rotational diversity impacts soil microorganisms. Michigan State University researchers are addressing this research gap by studying the interactions between crop diversity, soil microorganisms and soil organic matter. The project aims to build soil health through rotational diversity and soil microorganisms.

Advances in Water Limited Irrigation Management 

Year Awarded  2016

FFAR award amount   $300,000

Total award amount   $600,000

Location   Davis, CA

Matching Funders   Kansas State University and University of California, Davis

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

Projected increases in demands for food, feed and fiber will require more water. Semi-arid environments already face challenges in maintaining agricultural productivity under declining water supplies and climate change will exacerbate this challenge. University of California, Davis researchers are improving water productivity in agriculture by integrating data related to agricultural water use by several sources such as soils, weather and plant-based measurements.

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

Grantee Institution   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.

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research Working to Jumpstart Scientific Careers in Food and Agriculture with Up to $6M in Research Awards 

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research Announces Inaugural Initiatives