This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program will provide $222,026 to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) from July 2025 to July 2027. The project aims to characterize the interaction between plants and beneficial bacteria at the cellular and molecular level, with the goal of engineering crops that are resilient to drought and other stresses to increase agricultural yield. Key activities include using advanced microscopy and single-cell sequencing technologies to investigate the association of two bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida) with the roots of four plant species (Arabidopsis thaliana, broccoli, cabbage, and rapeseed) under well-watered and drought conditions. The findings will inform strategies to strengthen the partnership between plants and beneficial bacteria, enabling improved crop yield and stress resilience.
Mod # | Description | Reason For Modification | Federal Obligation (Click to sort descending) | Date (Click to sort ascending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $222.0k | 7/7/25 |