Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Florida received a $760,000 project grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI, CFDA 10.310) program, effective April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2029. The project delivers advanced genetic improvement tools and training for winter oat biomass production in the Southern United States. Primary deliverables include development and validation of high-throughput phenotyping protocols using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based multispectral sensors and genomic selection models applied to a 480-line training panel and 200-line validation panel characterized across four Southern states over three years. The research will produce multivariate and machine-learning prediction models that enable breeders to accurately select for increased biomass yield in oat varieties.

The project includes a critical workforce development component, with two workshops delivering graduate-level training in plant breeding and advanced phenotyping techniques to students from land-grant universities participating in the UAS-WHEATCAP (Unmanned Aircraft Systems Wheat Cultivar Advancement Program) Hub. Upon completion, the research will provide plant breeders with user-friendly tools, clear selection protocols, and evidence-based breeding strategies to develop high biomass-yielding oat varieties that meet increasing demand for quality livestock forage in the region where other high-protein feeds are seasonally scarce.