This $300,000 Project Grant award from the United States Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) under the Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (CFDA 10.326) program will support research, education, and outreach efforts at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV).
The research component will focus on elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which sorghum responds to combined drought and heat stress, with a specific emphasis on understanding the roles of RNA modifications. This knowledge is expected to inform the development of resilient crop varieties using modern gene editing approaches. The education component aims to strengthen UTRGV's agricultural biotechnology program and provide experiential learning opportunities for minority students, while the outreach component will focus on attracting high school and middle school students to the field of agricultural biotechnology. This multifaceted effort is intended to advance scientific understanding, build institutional capacity, and inspire the next generation of agricultural professionals.
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