Ilife Llc

THE GOAL OF THE RIO GRANDE COLONIAS USDA REGIONAL FOOD BUSINESS CENTER (RGC FBC) IS TO SERVE AS A CORNERSTONE OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS THROUGHOUT NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS. ACCOMPLISHING THIS GOAL WILL GENERATE A SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE, AND RES

FEED THE FUTURE INNOVATION LAB FOR WATER MANAGEMENT AND IRRIGATION

STRUCTURE-BASED DISCOVERY OF CRITICAL VULNERABILITIES OF MICOBACTERIA

SUSTAINING MILITARY READINESS & INSTALLATION RESILIENCE, OSD.

THIS AGREEMENT WILL ENHANCE MILITARY READINESS BY PRODUCING SSAS FOR SPECIES IDENTIFIED BY THE SOUTHEAST REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR PLANNING AND SUSTAI

FUNDS PROVIDED THROUGH THE JOINT COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAMS AT 1862 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS AND UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION REORGANIZATION ACT PROGRAM ARE USED TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS, TOOLS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL, ONLINE COURSES AND OTHER RESOURCES ON A LOCAL AND STATEWIDE LEVEL. THESE RESOURCES ARE USED BY THE TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE NETWORK OF AGENTS AND SPECIALISTS ACROSS TEXAS TO TEACH IMPROVED AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION METHODS, EDUCATE ON ADVANCED HEALTH PRACTICES, PROVIDE RESOURCES AND EDUCATION ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND STEM PROGRAMS. RESOURCES, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND OTHER INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER SUBJECTS ARE PROVIDED THROUGH DEMONSTRATIONS, PUBLICATIONS, ONLINE COURSES, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER METHODS.

TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE (AGRILIFE EXTENSION) IS THE 1862 LAND-GRANT EXTENSION COMPONENT OF THE TEXAS A<(>&<)>M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. SINCE ITS BEGINNING IN 1876 AS A LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION, TEXAS A <(>&<)>M UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND NATURAL RESOURCES. THE AGRILIFE EXTENSION IS HEADQUARTERED IN COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS AND CONTINUES THE LAND-GRANT EXTENSION LEGACY TO IMPROVE LIVES BY DELIVERING INNOVATIVE SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND EDUCATION AT THE INTERSECTION OF HEALTH, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EXTENSION PROGRAMS. SMITH-LEVER FUNDS ALLOCATED TO AGRILIFE EXTENSION ARE USED FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS, TOOLS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL, ONLINE COURSES, AND OTHER RESOURCES ON A LOCAL AND STATEWIDE LEVEL. THESE RESOURCES ARE USED BY THE AGRILIFE EXTENSION NETWORK OF AGENTS AND SPECIALISTS ACROSS TEXAS TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES AND OUTCOMES: TEACH IMPROVED AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION METHODS, EDUCATE ON ADVANCED HEALTH PRACTICES, PROVIDE RESOURCES AND EDUCATION ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND STEM PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, AND OTHER INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER SUBJECTS WHICH ARE PROVIDED THROUGH DEMONSTRATIONS, PUBLICATIONS, ONLINE COURSES, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER METHODS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS, THE SECOND LARGEST STATE IN THE NATION WITH NEARLY 30 MILLION CITIZENS OF A WIDE RANGE OF DIVERSITY ACROSS AGRICULTURAL AND HUMAN S ECTORS.

FUNDS PROVIDED THROUGH THE JOINT COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAMS AT 1862 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS AND UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION REORGANIZATION ACT PROGRAM ARE USED TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS, TOOLS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL, ONLINE COURSES AND OTHER RESOURCES ON A LOCAL AND STATEWIDE LEVEL. THESE RESOURCES ARE USED BY THE TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE NETWORK OF AGENTS AND SPECIALISTS ACROSS TEXAS TO TEACH IMPROVED AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION METHODS, EDUCATE ON ADVANCED HEALTH PRACTICES, PROVIDE RESOURCES AND EDUCATION ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND STEM PROGRAMS. RESOURCES, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND OTHER INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER SUBJECTS ARE PROVIDED THROUGH DEMONSTRATIONS, PUBLICATIONS, ONLINE COURSES, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER METHODS.

TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE (AGRILIFE EXTENSION) IS THE 1862 LAND-GRANT EXTENSION COMPONENT OF THE TEXAS A<(>&<)>M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. SINCE ITS BEGINNING IN 1876 AS A LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION, TEXAS A <(>&<)>M UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND NATURAL RESOURCES. THE AGRILIFE EXTENSION IS HEADQUARTERED IN COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS AND CONTINUES THE LAND-GRANT EXTENSION LEGACY TO IMPROVE LIVES BY DELIVERING INNOVATIVE SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND EDUCATION AT THE INTERSECTION OF HEALTH, AGRICULTURE, AND ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EXTENSION PROGRAMS. SMITH-LEVER FUNDS ALLOCATED TO AGRILIFE EXTENSION ARE USED FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS, TOOLS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL, ONLINE COURSES, AND OTHER RESOURCES ON A LOCAL AND STATEWIDE LEVEL. THESE RESOURCES ARE USED BY THE AGRILIFE EXTENSION NETWORK OF AGENTS AND SPECIALISTS ACROSS TEXAS TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES AND OUTCOMES: TEACH IMPROVED AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION METHODS, EDUCATE ON ADVANCED HEALTH PRACTICES, PROVIDE RESOURCES AND EDUCATION ON SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND STEM PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, AND OTHER INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER SUBJECTS WHICH ARE PROVIDED THROUGH DEMONSTRATIONS, PUBLICATIONS, ONLINE COURSES, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER METHODS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS, THE SECOND LARGEST STATE IN THE NATION WITH NEARLY 30 MILLION CITIZENS ACROSS AGRICULTURAL AND HUMAN SECTORS.

SMITH LEVER FFY22

SMITH LEVER FFY 2019

SMITH LEVER FFY 20

SMITH LEVER FFY 21

SMITH LEVER FY 2017

SMITH LEVER FFY 2018

SMITH LEVER FY 2014

SMITH LEVER- FY 2012

SMITH LEVER FY 2013

SMITH LEVER_FY 2016

SMITH LEVER_ FY 2015

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT TO ADDRESS RESPONSIVE AGRICULTURE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF HEALTH - A NEED EXISTS FOR ADAPTING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUPPLY SYSTEMS TO REDUCE THE MAJOR GAPS THAT EXISTS IN NUTRITION RESEARCH AT THE CRITICAL INTERSECTION OF RESPONSIVE AGRICULTURE, QUALITY FOOD PRODUCTION, HUMAN NUTRITION AND HEALTH; TO LOWER RATES OF DIET-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE AND REDUCE HEALTH CARE COSTS OF AMERICANS. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO DEVELOP THE RESEARCH PROGRAM INFRASTRUCTURE AND FOUNDATION THROUGH CAPACITY-BUILDING EFFORTS TO PERMIT A COOPERATIVE, INTEGRATED, AND MULTI-DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE AND THE USDA, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE THAT WILL BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN NUTRITION NEEDS CAN MORE PRECISELY ALIGN TO IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH. THE GOAL OF THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES THE SUPPORT AND EXECUTION OF THE NECESSARY REFURBISHMENT / RENOVATION OF THE COOPERATOR'S FACILITY (BORLAUG CENTER) TO PROVIDE UPDATED RESEARCHLABORATORIES AND OTHER SPACE. ACCOMPLISHING THE REFURBISHMENT/RENOVATIONS WILL PROVIDE A STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE RESEARCH FACILITY PERMITTING THE PARTIES TO CONDUCT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH STUDIES ADDRESSING THE ALIGNMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN NUTRITION NEEDS THAT IMPROVE HUMAN HEALTH.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS (PPC, OPUNTIA SPP.) IS A NUTRITIOUS PERENNIAL THAT THRIVES IN SEMI-ARID REGIONSOF THE U.S. AND IS TREATED AS AN AGRICULTURAL NUISANCE WHERE CONSIDERABLE FEDERAL AND PRIVATERESOURCES ARE SPENT ON CACTUS ERADICATION PROGRAMS. THIS NUTRIENT AND PHYTOCHEMICAL-RICHRESILIENT CROP PRESENTS A SUPERIOR SUBSTRATE IN INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL AND BIOFUEL BIOREACTORFERMENTATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, PPC THRIVES ON ARID AND SEMI-ARID MARGINAL LAND NOT SUITABLE FOROTHER AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS THIS STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE A VERTICALLYINTEGRATED SUSTAINABLE PPC SYSTEM WITHIN FIVE OBJECTIVES: 1) ASSESSMENT OF YIELD, QUALITY OF PPCUNDER VARYING AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, STAKEHOLDER EXTENSION OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, BARRIERS OFIMPLEMENTATION 2) OPTIMIZATION OF FERMENTATION STRATEGIES TO CARBOXYLIC ACIDS THAT ARE PRECURSORSTO MANY AGROCHEMICALS AND BIOFUELS AND OPTIMIZATION AND STANDARDIZATION OF PPC-BASED FOODINGREDIENTS IN COLLABORATION WITH FOOD INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS; 3) EVALUATE GLUCOSE-REGULATINGPROPERTIES OF OPTIMIZED PPC-BASED FOODS IN HUMAN CLINICAL NUTRITION PILOT STUDIES, INCLUDINGEXTENSION OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FOR RURAL CONSUMERS; 4) CONDUCT SOCIO-ECONOMICASSESSMENT OF PPC PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION TO DEVELOP A RESILIENT AND IMPACTFUL PPCFOOD SYSTEMS. 5) ESTABLISHMENT OF EXTENSION OUTREACH AND EDUCATION NETWORK, HIGH-IMPACT RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS AND 9-12TEACHERS WHILE BRINGING CUTTING-EDGE AGRICULTURAL, ENGINEERING, FOOD SCIENCE, AND NUTRITIONRESEARCH TO STUDENTS TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO ENGAGE CONFIDENTLY IN AGRICULTURAL ORSCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES AND CAREERS. PERFORM FEED-BACK-INTEGRATED INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTOF RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES. THIS PROJECT IS HIGHLY RELEVANT TO USDA PRIORITYAREAS: STRENGTHENING THE BIOECONOMY AND SUPPORTING NUTRITION SECURITY. THIS VERTICALLY INTEGRATEDPROJECT WILL DEVELOP A HIGH-VALUE PPC-BASED PRODUCTION CHAIN SUPPORTING LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOODSYSTEMS WHILE SUPPORTING NUTRITION IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND MENTORING OUR FUTURELEADERS IN CLIMATE RESPONSIVE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING. THE VAST EXTENSION AND EDUCATIONNETWORKS OF INVOLVED EXPERIENCEDINSTITUTIONS WILL ENSURE LONGEVITY OF THIS PROGRAM.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE SUSTAINABILITY OF US COTTON PRODUCTION IS PIVOTAL TO AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY IN THE SOUTHERN US. PROTECTING AND IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH, REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) EMISSIONS, AND ENHANCING INPUT USE EFFICIENCY ARE CENTRAL TO IMPROVING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF COTTON IN THE FACE OF CHANGING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT USDA-ERS REPORT ON TILLAGE AND CONSERVATION CROPPING IN THE US (CLAASSEN ET AL. 2018), 60% OF COTTON ACREAGE IS STILL UNDER CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE, COMPARED FOR EXAMPLE, TO ONLY 30% OR LESS IN SOYBEAN. TILLAGE INTENSITY HAS INCREASED DUE TO THE NEED TO CONTROL HERBICIDE-RESISTANT AND OTHER PROBLEMATIC WEEDS (CAST 2012), WHICH IS NOW WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT THE US COTTON BELT (HEAP 2023). INTENSIVE TILLAGE CONTRIBUTES GREATLY TO GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) EMISSIONS, STORED CARBON LOSS, AND A LOSS OF OVERALL SOIL HEALTH, WHILE CONSERVATION TILLAGE IS CONSIDERED A VITAL COMPONENT OF A SUSTAINABLE SOIL HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ELDER AND LAL 2008; USDA-NRCS 2017). COTTON IS INHERENTLY A LOW RESIDUE CROP, WHICH IN TURN ADDS LIMITED AMOUNTS OF CARBON DURING THE GROWING SEASON. BECAUSE COTTON IS COMMONLY GROWN WITH LOW RESIDUE CROPS IN ROTATION (CLAASSEN ET AL. 2018), THIS IS A MAJOR AREA WHERE RAPID GAINS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN SOIL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION. IN THIS REGARD, COVER CROPS AND LIVING MULCHES CAN PLAY A KEY ROLE (WICK ET AL. 2017). A RECENT ANALYSIS BY THE COTTON 2040 INITIATIVE REVEALED THAT COTTON IS A VULNERABLE CROP TO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS (WTW 2022). THERE IS A CRUCIAL NEED TO MAKE COTTON CULTIVATION A CARBON-NEUTRAL, OR BETTER YET A NET CARBON-POSITIVE ENTERPRISE, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY MITIGATING/ADAPTING TO THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THE MAJORITY OF US COTTON IS ALREADY GROWN IN MARGINAL SOILS WITH LOW ORGANIC MATTER CONTENT. POTENTIAL INCREASES IN TILLAGE TO MANAGE THE ANTICIPATED SURGE IN HERBICIDE-RESISTANT WEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE (RAMESH ET AL. 2017) IS EXPECTED TO EXACERBATE THIS PROBLEM. FURTHER, THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/MACHINE LEARNING (AI/ML)-ASSISTED PRECISION APPLICATION TECHNOLOGIES CAN GREATLY IMPROVE RESOURCE INPUT USE EFFICIENCY, WHICH CAN IN TURN REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS (E.G. COTTON INC. 2018). THESE PRECISION REGENERATIVE PRACTICES ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO CREATE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES, THROUGH, FOR EXAMPLE, CARBON CREDITING AND SUSTAINABLE COTTON MARKETS, AND EMPOWER THE RURAL AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE VIA EMPLOYMENT GENERATION.THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO APPLY IMPROVED PRECISION MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO ENABLE ENHANCED CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND REDUCED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION, PEST CONTROL, AND NUTRIENT AND WATER MANAGEMENT; AND TO ADDRESS LABOR CHALLENGES, STEWARD LAND, CREATE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY OF CLIMATE-SMART COTTON. ACHIEVING THIS WILL REQUIRE A COORDINATED EFFORT AMONG RESEARCHERS, EXTENSION SPECIALISTS, AND BROADER INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRO,JECT ARE: 1. DEVELOP REGENERATIVE COTTON PRODUCTION PRACTICES AND INVESTIGATE THEIR LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON US BELT-WIDE COTTON PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. 1.1. ESTABLISH SOIL ORGANIC CARBON AND CARBON INTENSITY BASELINES FOR ECOREGIONS IN THE US COTTON BELT; 1.2. INVESTIGATE REGENERATIVE PRACTICES FOR REDUCING TILLAGE AND IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH; 1.3. INVESTIGATE THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF REGENERATIVE PRACTICES IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE USING SIMULATION MODELS. 2. DEVELOP AND/OR EVALUATE PRECISION AI/ML AND SMART TECHNOLOGIES FOR RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION/ADAPTATION IN COTTON. 3. EVALUATE THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF PRECISION REGENERATIVE PRODUCTION PRACTICES AND DETERMINE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES. 4. EXPAND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT FARMERS&#39; MULTI-DIMENSIONAL EXPERIENCES OF ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE PRACTICES ACROSS THE COTTON BELT. 5. PROMOTE THE ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE, CLIMATE-SMART COTTON PRODUCTION PRACTICES THROUGH INNOVATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE EXTENSION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. 6. PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SCIENTISTS AND PRACTITIONERS, INCLUDING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND EMPOWER THE RURAL WORKFORCE.THIS INTEGRATED PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BRING TREMENDOUS BENEFITS TO THE US COTTON INDUSTRY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SOUND REGENERATIVE PRACTICES FOR REDUCING TILLAGE AND ADDRESSING CLIMATE-CHANGE IMPACTS. BY UTILIZING PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES, THERE WILL BE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE TIMELY DIAGNOSIS OF FIELD ISSUES AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SITE-SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR INCREASING INPUT USE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING GHG EMISSIONS. NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE GENERATED, IMPROVING OVERALL FARM PROFITABILITY. THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE ADOPTION OF PRECISION REGENERATIVE PRACTICES AND SMART-TECHNOLOGIES FOR COTTON PRODUCTION. THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF FARM WORKERS WILL BE IMPROVED. AUTOMATION WILL HELP ALLEVIATE LABOR SHORTAGE IN RURAL AREAS, WHILE EQUIPPING THEM FOR NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE PROJECT GOAL IS TO INTENSIFY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE WAY TOENHANCE AGRONOMIC, ECONOMIC, AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCY IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS (SGP) BYSUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES TO INCREASE C SEQUESTRATION, REDUCEGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS, DIVERSIFY PRODUCER INCOME STREAMS,CONSERVE SCARCE WATER, PROVIDE TRAINING ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AND ENHANCE RURAL ECONOMIES. INTHE TX AND OK SGP THERE HAS BEEN LIMITED RESEARCH FOCUSED ON INTEGRATING REGENERATIVE PRACTICESSUCH AS LIVESTOCK GRAZING, COVER CROPPING, AND CONSERVATION TILLAGE INTO COTTON/WHEAT CROPPINGSYSTEMS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WOULD BE THE FIRST EFFORT TO EVALUATE A SYSTEMS APPROACH TOREGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE ACROSS TX AND OK SEMI-ARID ECOREGIONS. PROJECT INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THEPROPOSED RESEARCH WILL ADDRESS MULTIPLE LONG-TERM GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE SAS PROGRAM PRIORITYAREA (A9201), AND INCLUDE: 1) INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITYBY PROVIDING REGENERATIVE PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH EDUCATION/OUTREACH (LANDSTEWARDSHIP; FOOD/AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND BIOSECURITY); 2) SUPPORTING NEEDED CHANGES TO COST-SHARE PROGRAM POLICIES REGARDING INCORPORATION OF LIVESTOCK INTO REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMSINVOLVING COVER CROPS (SOIL HEALTH AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; LAND STEWARDSHIP); AND, 3)INCREASING ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE PRACTICES IN THE SGP AND IMPROVE WATER USE EFFICIENCY,ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC PERFORMANCE (LAND STEWARDSHIP; FOOD/AGRICULTURALPRODUCTION AND BIOSECURITY, SOIL HEALTH AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; WATER). THIS PROJECT WILLPROVIDE FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION TO INCREASE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND PROFITABILITY OF MULTIPLECOMMODITIES ON A PER ACRE BASIS WHILE REDUCINGTHEENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT. EXTENSION ANDEDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE DEVELOPED AND DISSEMINATED OPENLY ACROSS THE SGPSANDNATIONALLY.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN THE GREAT PLAINS OF THE UNITED STATES FACES A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES FROM A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT AND IN PARTICULAR A MORE EXTREME CLIMATE THAT WILL INCLUDE MORE HEAT WAVES, LONGER DROUGHTS, AND MORE EXTREME RAINFALL EVENTS. IN ADDITION, THE VEGETATION IS CHANGING FROM ONE DOMINATED BY GRASSLANDS TO THAT DOMINATED BY MORE TREES AND SHRUBS. AND FINALLY, WILDFIRES ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON. NEW MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ARE BEING DEVELOPED THAT WILL HELP LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS BETTER COPE WITH THESE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES. THESE STRATEGIES INCLUDE THE STRATEGIC USE OF GOATS AND FIRE. GOATS ARE INCREDIBLY HARDY AND ARE ABLE TO COPE WITH MORE EXTREME WEATHER BUT IN ADDITION THEY CAN BE USED TO THE INVASION BY WOODY PLANTS. ADDITIONALLY THE STRATEGIC USE OF FIRE ALSO MAKES LANDSCAPES MORE PRODUCTIVE AND REDUCES THAT AMOUNT OF WOODY COVER. THERE ARE MAJOR SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS WITH RESPECT TO USING BOTH GOATS AND FIRE. ACCORDINGLY OUR PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH 7 RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION CENTERS ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFITS OF THESE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. THESE CENTERS WILL BE THE FOCAL POINT OF INTENSE EDUCATION AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THESE KINDS OF MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.

KAUAI ALGAE FACILITY LONG-TERM TEST

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STRUCTURAL GENOMICS OF PERSISTENCE TARGETS FROM M. TUBERCULOSIS

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH: NEW ROOTS AWARD. CONTROL NUMBER: 1565-1501 TITLE: ''A FIELD-DEPLOYABLE MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING RHIZOTRON FOR MODELING AND ENHANCING ROOT GROWTH AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL FUNCTION''

SUSTAINING PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE RURAL ENTERPRISE AND AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (SPREAD) PROJECT IN RWANDA

THE PURPOSE OF THESE FUNDS IS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN ALL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH, PRODUCTION AND P ROTECTION, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, NUTRITION, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND OTHER EMERGING AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL AND WORLDWIDE LEVEL. AGRILIFE RESEARCH STRIVES TO CREATE, LEARN, AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND THE LIFE SCIENCES THAT NOURISHES HEALTH, PROTECTS NATURAL RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTS AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIES. OUR RESEARCH ENSURES HEALTHY LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS IMPROVE THROUGH ABUNDANT, AFFORDABLE, AND HIGH?QUALITY FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN TEXAS AND THE WORLD. AGRILIFE RESEARCH IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING CUTTING?EDGE SCIENTIFIC TOOLS AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR TEXAS PRODUCERS, INDUSTRY MEMBERS, AND URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THE NOURISHMENT AND WELL?BEING OF ALL PEOPLE. THESE EFFORTS LEAD TO THE STABILITY AND CONTINUAL ENHANCEMENT OF OUR STATE'S AGROECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, FURTHER ENSURING THE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND EXCELLENCE OF AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN HEALTH. AGRILIFE RESEARCH WORKING TO FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL CREATE ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS - SYSTEMS THAT CAN MEET THE DEMAND OF A GROWING POPULATION, CHANGING CLIMATE, FLUCTUATING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, UNPREDICTABLE GEOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS, DECLINING RESOURCES, AND PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES. OUR STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN AIMS AT MAKING FUNDAMENTAL SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES AND APPLYING THEM TO CREATE NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL ENH ANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS. THESE AGILE SYSTEMS CAN MEET THE NEEDS NOT ONLY OF FOOD AND FIBER, BUT ALSO OF CLEAN WATER AND AIR, FUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPES, IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELL?BEING, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RESOURCES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THE FOLLOWING ARE FOUR BROAD PRIORITY AREAS THAT AGRILIFE RESEARCH FOCUSES ON: 1) DISCOVER NEW INNOVATIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND SCIENCE?BASED SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE LIFE SCIENCES. 2) PROVIDE THE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH NECESSARY TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE HIGH?QUALITY, SAFE, AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FIBER SYSTEMS WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL IMPACTS. 3) ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY, PROFITABILITY, AND RESILIENCY OF AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND FOOD SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE WORLD. 4) DISCOVER, DISSEMINATE, AND FACILITATE THE ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AT THE INTERSECTION OF NUTRITION, HUMAN HEALTH, AND AGR ICULTURE. AGRILIFE RESEARCH ALLOCATES THESE HATCH FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE AGENCY FOR THE RESEARCHERS TO CONDUCT THEIR RESEARCH AND GROW THEIR PROGRAMS. RESEARCHERS ARE EXPECTED TO PUBLISH THEIR RESULTS AND GROW THEIR RESEARCH PROGRAM THROUGH OTHER EXTERNAL SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS. THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS, THE US AND THE WORLD BENEFIT FROM THE RESEARCH DONE BY THESE RESEARCHERS.

FY2019 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

THE PURPOSE OF THESE FUNDS IS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN ALL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH, PRODUCTION AND P ROTECTION, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, NUTRITION, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND OTHER EMERGING AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND WORLDWIDE LEVEL. THESE FUNDS ARE TO BE USED IN A COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE WAY BY WORKING WITH OTHER AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT IMPACT MULTIPLE STATES OR REGIONS. AGRILIFE RESEARCH STRIVES TO CREATE, LEARN, AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND THE LIFE SCIENCES THAT NOURISHES HEALTH, PROTECTS NATURAL RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTS AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIES. OUR RESEARCH ENSURES HEALTHY LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS IMPROVE THROUGH ABUNDANT, AFFORDABLE, AND HIGH?QUALITY FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN TEXAS, ACROSS VARIOUS REGIONS, AND THE WORLD. AGRILIFE RESEARCH IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING CUTTING?EDGE SCIENTIFIC TOOLS AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR PRODUCERS, INDUSTRY MEMBERS, AND URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THE NOURISHMENT AND WELL?BEING OF ALL PEOPLE. THESE EFFORTS LEAD TO THE STABILITY AND CONTINUAL ENHANCEMENT OF OUR STATE'S AGROECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, FURTHER ENSURING THE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND EXCELLENCE OF AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN HEALTH. AGRILIFE RESEARCH WORKING TO FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL CREATE ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS - SYSTEMS THAT CAN MEET THE DEMAND OF A GROWING POPULATION, CHANGING CLIMATE, FLUCTUATING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, UNPREDICTABLE GEOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS, DECLINING RESOURCES, AND PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES. OUR STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN AIMS AT MAKING FUNDAMENTAL SCIENTIFIC DISC OVERIES AND APPLYING THEM TO CREATE NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL ENHANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS. THESE AGILE SYSTEMS CAN MEET THE NEEDS NOT ONLY OF FOOD AND FIBER, BUT ALSO OF CLEAN WATER AND AIR, FUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPES, IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELL?BEING, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RESOURCES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THE FOLLOWING ARE FOUR BROAD PRIORITY AREAS THAT AGRILIFE RESEARCH FOCUSES ON: 1) DISCOVER NEW INNOVATIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND SCIENCE?BASED SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE LIFE SCIENCES. 2) PROVIDE THE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH NECESSARY TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE HIGH?QUALITY, SAFE, AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FIBER SYSTEMS WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL IMPACTS. 3) ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY, PROFITABILITY, AND RESILIENCY OF AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND FOOD SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, ACROSS REGIONS AND THE WORLD. 4) DISCOVER, DISSEMINATE, AND FACILITATE THE ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AT THE INTERSECTION OF NUTRITION, HUMAN HEALTH, AND AGRICULTURE. AGRILIFE RESEARCH ALLOCATES THESE HATCH MULTISTATE FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE AGENCY FOR THE RESEARCHERS TO CONDUCT THEIR RESEARCH AND GROW THEIR PROGRAMS. RESEARCHERS ARE EXPECTED TO PUBLISH THEIR RESULTS AND GROW THEIR RESEARCH PROGRAM THROUGH OTHER EXTERNAL SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS. THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS, THE US AND THE WORLD BENEFIT FROM THE RESEARCH DONE BY THESE RESEARCHERS.

FY2020 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

FY2022 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATEAGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

THE PURPOSE OF THESE FUNDS IS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN ALL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH, PRODUCTION AND P ROTECTION, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, NUTRITION, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND OTHER EMERGING AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL AND WORLDWIDE LEVEL. AGRILIFE RESEARCH STRIVES TO CREATE, LEARN, AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND THE LIFE SCIENCES THAT NOURISHES HEALTH, PROTECTS NATURAL RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTS AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIES. OUR RESEARCH ENSURES HEALTHY LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS IMPROVE THROUGH ABUNDANT, AFFORDABLE, AND HIGH?QUALITY FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN TEXAS AND THE WORLD. AGRILIFE RESEARCH IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING CUTTING?EDGE SCIENTIFIC TOOLS AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR TEXAS PRODUCERS, INDUSTRY MEMBERS, AND URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THE NOURISHMENT AND WELL?BEING OF ALL PEOPLE. THESE EFFORTS LEAD TO THE STABILITY AND CONTINUAL ENHANCEMENT OF OUR STATE'S AGROECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, FURTHER ENSURING THE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND EXCELLENCE OF AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN HEALTH. AGRILIFE RESEARCH WORKING TO FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL CREATE ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS - SYSTEMS THAT CAN MEET THE DEMAND OF A GROWING POPULATION, CHANGING CLIMATE, FLUCTUATING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, UNPREDICTABLE GEOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS, DECLINING RESOURCES, AND PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES. OUR STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN AIMS AT MAKING FUNDAMENTAL SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES AND APPLYING THEM TO CREATE NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL ENHANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS. THESE AGILE SYSTEMS CAN MEET THE NEEDS NOT ONLY OF FOOD AND FIBER, BUT ALSO OF CLEAN WATER AND AIR, FUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPES, IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELL?BEING, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RESOURCES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THE FOLLOWING ARE FOUR BROAD PRIORITY AREAS THAT AGRILIFE RESEARCH FOCUSES ON: 1) DISCOVER NEW INNOVATIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND SCIENCE?BASED SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE LIFE SCIENCES. 2) PROVIDE THE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH NECESSARY TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE HIGH?QUALITY, SAFE, AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FIBER SYSTEMS WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL IMPACTS. 3) ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY, PROFITABILITY, AND RESILIENCY OF AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND FOOD SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE WORLD. 4) DISCOVER, DISSEMINATE, AND FACILITATE THE ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AT THE INTERSECTION OF NUTRITION, HUMAN HEALTH, AND AGRICULTURE. AGRILIFE RESEARCH ALLOCATES THESE HATCH FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE AGENCY FOR THE RESEARCHERS TO CONDUCT THEIR RESEARCH AND GROW THEIR PROGRAMS. RESEARCHERS ARE EXPECTED TO PUBLISH THEIR RESULTS AND GROW THEIR RESEARCH PROGRAM THROUGH OTHER EXTERNAL SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS. THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS, THE US AND THE WORLD BENEFIT FROM THE RESEARCH DONE BY THESE RESEARCHERS.

FY2021 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

THE PURPOSE OF THESE FUNDS IS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN ALL ASPECTS OF AGRICULTURE, INCLUDING PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH, PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, NUTRITION, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND OTHER EMERGING AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL AND WORLDWIDE LEVEL. AGRILIFE RESEARCH STRIVES TO CREATE, LEARN, AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND THE LIFE SCIENCES THAT NOURISHES HEALTH, PROTECTS NATURAL RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTS AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIES. OUR RESEARCH ENSURES HEALTHY LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS IMPROVE THROUGH ABUNDANT, AFFORDABLE, AND HIGH-QUALITY FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN TEXAS AND THE WORLD. AGRILIFE RESEARCH IS COMMITTED TO DELIVERING CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC TOOLS AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR TEXAS PRODUCERS, INDUSTRY MEMBERS, AND URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THE NOURISHMENT AND WELL-BEING OF ALL PEOPLE. THESE EFFORTS LEAD TO THE STABILITY AND CONTINUAL ENHANCEMENT OF OUR STATE'S AGROECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, FURTHER ENSURING THE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND EXCELLENCE OF AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN HEALTH. RECENT HATCH-SUPPORTED RESEARCH AT TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE RESEARCH HAS LED TO ADVANCES IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMIC IMPACT. NOTABLE OUTCOMES INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF DROUGHT- AND DISEASE RESISTANT CROP VARIETIES, IMPROVED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT ENHANCE SOIL HEALTH AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY, AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL. THESE EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN INCREASED YIELDS, REDUCED INPUT COSTS, AND MORE RESILIENT CROPPING SYSTEMS FOR TEXAS PRODUCERS. RESEARCH ON FOOD SAFETY, ANIMAL HEALTH, AND LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTH AND GREATER PROFITABILITY FOR AGRICULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS. COLLECTIVELY, THESE IMPACTS SUPPORT THE CONTINUED VITALITY OF TEXAS AGRICULTURE AND BENEFIT PRODUCERS, CONSUMERS, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE. AGRILIFE RESEARCH IS WORKING TO FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL CREATE ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS - SYSTEMS THAT CAN MEET THE DEMAND OF A GROWING POPULATION, RESILIENCE TO WEATHER EXTREMES, FLUCTUATING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, UNPREDICTABLE GEOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENTS, DECLINING RESOURCES, AND PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES. OUR STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN AIMS AT MAKING FUNDAMENTAL SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES AND APPLYING THEM TO CREATE NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL ENHANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF ADAPTIVE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS. THESE AGILE SYSTEMS CAN MEET THE NEEDS NOT ONLY OF FOOD AND FIBER, BUT ALSO OF CLEAN WATER AND AIR, FUNCTIONAL LANDSCAPES, IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RESOURCES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THE FOLLOWING ARE FOUR BROAD PRIORITY AREAS THAT AGRILIFE RESEARCH FOCUSES ON: 1. DISCOVER NEW INNOVATIONS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND SCIENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE LIFE SCIENCES. 2. PROVIDE THE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH NECESSARY TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY, SAFE, AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FIBER SYSTEMS WITH LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL IMPACTS. 3. ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY, PROFITABILITY, AND RESILIENCY OF AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND FOOD SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE WORLD. 4. DISCOVER, DISSEMINATE, AND FACILITATE THE ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AT THE INTERSECTION OF NUTRITION, HUMAN HEALTH, AND AGRICULTURE. AGRILIFE RESEARCH ALLOCATES THESE HATCH FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE AGENCY FOR THE RESEARCHERS TO CONDUCT THEIR RESEARCH AND GROW THEIR PROGRAMS. RESEARCHERS ARE EXPECTED TO PUBLISH THEIR RESULTS AND GROW THEIR RESEARCH PROGRAM THROUGH OTHER EXTERNAL SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS. THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS, THE US AND THE WORLD BENEFIT FROM THE RESEARCH DONE BY THESE RESEARCHERS.

FY 2011 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE SECTIONS 3(B) AND 3(C) OF THE SMITH-LEVER ACT FOR COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAMS

THE CENTER ON CONFLICT AND DEVELOPMENT

FY2014 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CITRUS GREENING OR HUANGLONGBING (HLB) DISEASE, CAUSED BY CANDIDATUS LIBERIBACTER ASIATICUS (CLAS) IN THE U.S. IS THE MOST DEVASTATING CITRUS DISEASE TODAY, AND HAS INVADED ALL PRODUCTION AREAS IN THE U.S. DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL (FIELD DEPLOYABLE AND COMMERCIALLY VIABLE) HLB CONTROL STRATEGIES IS CRITICAL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE U.S. CITRUS INDUSTRY. IN THIS CAP, BY LEVERAGING PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN STATE AGENCIES, UNIVERSITIES, USDA-ARS, REGULATORY AFFAIRS CONSULTANTS, AND THE CITRUS INDUSTRY, WE WILL PURSUE ADVANCED TESTING AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF PROMISING HLB THERAPIES AND EXTEND OUTCOMES TO STAKEHOLDERS. THEGOAL IS TO FIND ONE OR MORE EFFECTIVE THERAPIES TO KILL CLAS AND CONTROL HLB. FOR THIS, WE WILL UTILIZE HIGH THROUGHPUT AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS CLAS-CITRUS HAIRY ROOT SYSTEM TO SCREEN POTENT ANTI-CLAS PEPTIDES AND SMALL MOLECULES, FOLLOWED BY RIGOROUS MULTI-LOCATION, MULTI-YEAR FIELD EVALUATIONS OF THE THERAPIES AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS.PROMISING THERAPIES WILL BE MOVED INTO A COMMERCIALIZATION PIPELINE FOR REGULATORY APPROVALS. ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDIES WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF BENEFITS TO THE CITRUS GROWERSAND A MULTI-STATE EXTENSION AND OUTREACH TEAM WILL USE DIVERSE MULTI-MEDIA OUTLETS TO DISSEMINATE PROJECT INFORMATION TO THE STAKEHOLDERS.

FY2018 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

FY2017 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STAT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

FY2012 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT TO TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH ( TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY''''S TO SUPPORT

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TOMATO IS ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY CULTIVATED, EXTENSIVELY CONSUMED, AND ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT HORTICULTURAL CROPS IN THE US. HOWEVER, THE US TOMATO INDUSTRY IS FACING CERTAIN MAJOR CHALLENGES, SUCH AS SUSTAINING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF DOMESTIC PRODUCTION, RESILIENCE TO THE INCREASED FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES DRIVEN BY CLIMATE CHANGE, AND MEETING CONSUMER DEMANDS FOR HIGH-QUALITY FRESH AND PROCESSED TOMATO PRODUCTS. HENCE, THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON DEVELOPING TOMATO LINES WITH HIGH WATER USE EFFICIENCY (WUE) AND HEAT TOLERANCE (HT) TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES COMPOUNDED BY A DYNAMIC AND CHANGING CLIMATE. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN APPROACH WILL LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF N REGIONALLY ADAPTED, DISEASE-RESISTANT, HIGH-QUALITY WUE AND HT ADVANCED BREEDING LINES THAT SUPPORT BREEDING FLAVORFUL, HIGH-QUALITY, HEALTHY TOMATOES, THUS ADDING VALUE FOR TOMATO BREEDERS, SEED COMPANIES, PRODUCERS, DISTRIBUTORS, PROCESSORS, AND RETAILERS VIA INCREASED CONSUMER DEMAND (SCRI FOCUS AREAS 1, 3, AND 5). MOREOVER, THE HIGH WUE AND HT TOMATOES WILL REDUCE THE COST OF TOMATO PRODUCTION WHILE ENHANCING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS AND SUPPORTING RURAL LIVING. THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON FIELD-GROWN TOMATOES, BUT THE IDENTIFIED TRAITS AND ADVANCED BREEDING LINES WILL BE USEFUL FOR TOMATOES GROWN IN OTHER PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. THE PROJECT WILL YIELD VITAL DATA, ADVANCED BREEDING LINES, MOLECULAR BREEDING TOOLS, ELITE INBRED LINES FOR FRESH, MATURE GREEN, AND PROCESSING TOMATO TYPES, AND NOVEL GENETIC DIVERSITY THAT BREEDERS CAN USE TO IMPROVE FUTURE VARIETIES.

SMITH LEVER 3B&C FUNDS

SMITH LEVER 3B&C FUNDS

FY2013 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

MOLECULAR BASIS FOR DIETARY CHEMOPREVENTION

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO EXPAND KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIES SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SARS-COV-2 TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF POTENTIAL ROLES OR ROUTES OF TRANSMISSION. THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO STUDY HOW SARS-COV-2 AFFECTS LIVESTOCK AND HOW IT CAN SPREAD BETWEEN ANIM

THE GOAL OF THE CENTER IS TO ESTABLISH AND VALIDATE EFFECTIVE, ACCURATE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MEANS FOR IDENTIFYING/CHARACTERIZING CARDIAC CHEMICA

FY2015 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

FY2016 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

PROBLEM AND BACKGROUNDKNOWN POPULARLY AS THE &#39;GREEN INDUSTRY&#39; OR THE &#39;ENVIRONMENTAL HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY&#39;, TURF IS A &GT;$100 BILLION SPECIALTY CROP INDUSTRY IN THE US WITH ABOUT 50 MILLION ACRES OF MANAGED TURF OPERATIONS NATIONWIDE (HAYDU ET AL. 2006; SRI 2012). TURFGRASS IS THE MOST WIDELY GROWN IRRIGATED CROP IN THE US (MILESI ET AL. 2005). TURF IS ALSO AMONG THE MOST ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT SPECIALTY CROPS, WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOCAL ECONOMIES AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION ACROSS THE NATION. GOLF COURSES, ATHLETIC/SPORTS FIELDS, SOD PRODUCTION OPERATIONS, AND RESIDENTIAL LAWNS ARE THE FOUR MAJOR SECTORS OF THE US TURF INDUSTRY.ANNUAL BLUEGRASS (POA ANNUA L.), KNOWN COMMONLY AS POA, IS THE MOST TROUBLESOME WEED IN MANAGED TURF SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE US, REVEALED RECENTLY BY A NATIONWIDE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA (VAN WYCHEN 2016). THIS WEED HAS GROWN TO EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS IN DIFFERENT TURF SYSTEMS, CAUSING SEVERE ECONOMIC LOSSES TO THE US TURF INDUSTRY. ANNUAL BLUEGRASS HAS HIGH LEVELS OF GENETIC DIVERSITY AND EXHIBITS RAPID ADAPTATION TO CLIMATIC GRADIENTS AND MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS. ANNUAL BLUEGRASS HAS A DISTINCTLY LIGHT-GREEN COLOR WITH WHITE FLOWER HEADS, AND ITS PRESENCE IS NOT TOLERATED IN MANAGED TURF SYSTEMS BECAUSE OF ITS SEVERE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON TURF QUALITY.EXISTING ANNUAL BLUEGRASS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS RELY HEAVILY ON HERBICIDES IN ALL FOUR MAJOR TURF SECTORS. ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF HERBICIDE RESISTANT WEEDS, ANNUAL BLUEGRASS RANKS THIRD AMONG ALL HERBICIDE-RESISTANT WEED SPECIES GLOBALLY, WITH RESISTANCE TO AT LEAST 9 DIFFERENT HERBICIDE SITES OF ACTION (HEAP 2018). THIS INCLUDES RESISTANCE TO ALL MAJOR HERBICIDES USED IN TURF SYSTEMS SUCH AS PHOTOSYSTEM II-, ACETOLACTATE SYNTHASE (ALS)- AND MITOSIS-INHIBITING HERBICIDES. ADDITIONALLY, ANNUAL BLUEGRASS RESISTANCE TO GLYPHOSATE HAS BEEN REPORTED (BROSNAN ET AL. 2012; MCELROY ET AL. 2013). EVOLUTION OF MULTIPLE HERBICIDE RESISTANCE IN THIS SPECIES IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AS THIS TREND HAS BEEN QUICKLY REMOVING IMPORTANT HERBICIDE OPTIONS FROM THE TURF MANAGER&#39;S TOOLBOX.THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR DEVELOPING SOUND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) BASED ON A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ECOLOGY AND BIOLOGY OF ANNUAL BLUEGRASS, CURRENT LEVELS OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE, AND THE NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF RESISTANCE EVOLUTION AND SPREAD IN THIS SPECIES. LIMITED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE LONGEVITY OF ANNUAL BLUEGRASS SEED IN THE SOIL. A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF SEEDLING EMERGENCE PATTERNS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DRIVERS GOVERNING EMERGENCE IS YET TO BE DEVELOPED, BUT WILL DIRECTLY INFORM APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT TIMING. SUCH INFORMATION CAN BE LINKED WITH WEATHER FORECASTS TO PROVIDE SEEDLING EMERGENCE ADVISORIES. MOREOVER, A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF PHENOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AS INFLUENCED BY ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES, AND KNOWLEDGE OF DEMOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS SUCH AS FECUNDITY WILL BE BENEFICIAL.AN IMPORTANT LESSON FROM HERBICIDE RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT IN AGRONOMIC CROPS IS THAT DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING BMPS THAT DO NOT CONSIDER HUMAN AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE ARE INEFFECTIVE. A ROBUST INTEGRATION OF HUMAN AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS WITH THE BIOPHYSICAL ASPECTS OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE IS CRITICAL IN INNOVATING EFFECTIVE WEED MANAGEMENT APPROACHES (ERVIN AND JUSSAUME 2014; ERVIN AND FRISVOLD 2016). THE HERBICIDE RESISTANCE EPIDEMIC IN ANNUAL BLUEGRASS IN MANAGED TURF SYSTEMS HAS LIKELY RESULTED FROM THE INTERACTION OF BIOPHYSICAL AND SOCIAL (BEHAVIORAL) SYSTEMS. A TURF MANAGER&#39;S DECISION TO RELY ON A NARROW SPECTRUM OF HERBICIDES FOR WEED CONTROL MAY BE INFLUENCED BY SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS, SUCH AS RELATIVE PRICES AND PERSONAL VALUES. THUS, TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE ANNUAL BLUEGRASS RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT, WE MUST UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE VARIOUS SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND BIOPHYSICAL FACTORS THAT SERVE AS BARRIERS TO BMP ADOPTION.PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND SUPPORTING HYPOTHESES1) CONDUCT SURVEYS AND DOCUMENT THE EXTENT OF ANNUAL BLUEGRASS SUSCEPTIBILITY/RESISTANCE TO KEY TURF HERBICIDES AND DEVELOP METHODS FOR RAPID RESISTANCE DETECTION [HYPOTHESIS: ANNUAL BLUEGRASS RESISTANCE IS PREVALENT IN MANAGED TURF SYSTEMS], 2) ESTABLISH PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF RESISTANCE PREVALENT IN ANNUAL BLUEGRASS ACROSS A REGIONAL SCALE [HYPOTHESIS: THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE OF NON-TARGET SITE RESISTANCE IN ANNUAL BLUEGRASS POPULATIONS], 3) GENERATE INFORMATION TO FILL CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE GAPS ON THE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF ANNUAL BLUEGRASS [HYPOTHESIS: ANNUAL BLUEGRASS EXHIBITS PROLONGED SEED PERSISTENCE IN SOIL WITH EXTENDED EMERGENCE PERIODICITY], 4) EVALUATE AND OPTIMIZE INNOVATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR INTEGRATION [HYPOTHESIS: NOVEL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES CAN BE OPTIMIZED TO PROVIDE DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON WEED GROWTH AND SEED PRODUCTION], 5) SURVEY TURFGRASS MANAGERS TO IDENTIFY SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND OTHER BARRIERS TO THE ADOPTION OF HERBICIDE RESISTANCE BMPS [HYPOTHESIS: A THOROUGH SOCIO-ECONOMIC INVESTIGATION WILL HELP IDENTIFY FACTORS INFLUENCING WEED MANAGEMENT DECISION MAKING BY TURFGRASS PRACTITIONERS], 6) DEVELOP A USER-FRIENDLY BIO-ECONOMIC DECISION-SUPPORT TOOL FOR FACILITATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BMPS [HYPOTHESIS: DECISION-SUPPORT TOOLS WILL ALLOW FOR EASY VISUALIZATION OF THE IMPACT OF VARIOUS MANAGEMENT OPTIONS ON LONG-TERM ECONOMICS, WEED POPULATION SIZE AND RISK OF RESISTANCE OVER SHORT-TERM RETURNS], 7) DEVELOP AND DELIVER AN EXTENSION PROGRAM FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF ANNUAL BLUEGRASS [HYPOTHESIS: ROBUST OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT UTILIZE ADVANCED TOOLS WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN PROMOTING BMP ADOPTION], AND 8) PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SCIENTISTS AND TURFGRASS PRACTITIONERS [HYPOTHESIS: INVOLVING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS, GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES WILL PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRAINING IN PREPARING THEM FOR TACKLING SIMILAR ISSUES IN FUTURE].STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENTTHE TEAM RECOGNIZES THE VITAL NEED FOR ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS IN DEFINING THE PROBLEM AND INTEGRATING THEIR EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE INTO BMP STRATEGIES. THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BASED ON CRITICAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS IN THE MANAGED TURF INDUSTRY. THESE INCLUDE: REGIONAL AND NATIONAL TURF INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS, TURFGRASS SOD PRODUCER GROUPS, GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS, ATHLETIC TURF MANAGERS, AND SCIENTISTS-AT-LARGE, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE GLOBAL HERBICIDE RESISTANCE ACTION COMMITTEE (HRAC) AND THE WEED SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA (WSSA). A STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY PANEL HAS BEEN FORMED INVOLVING KEY PERSONNEL FROM THE ABOVE SECTORS. A DETAILED STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO ENSURE SUSTAINED ENGAGEMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION PHASES.BROADER IMPACTS OF THIS PROPOSALTHE PRODUCTS AND DELIVERABLES OF THIS PROPOSAL ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE BROADER TURFGRASS INDUSTRY ACROSS THE NATION, INCLUDING THE STATES AND REGIONS NOT DIRECTLY REPRESENTED IN THE PROPOSAL. THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES AFFECTING WEED MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING AND ADOPTION OF BMPS ARE COMPARABLE IN THOSE AREAS. MOST OF THE NON-CHEMICAL TACTICS TO BE OPTIMIZED AND THE BMPS TO BE FORMULATED CAN BE APPLIED MORE BROADLY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF OTHER TURF WEEDS AS WELL. THUS, THE SOLUTIONS TO BE DEVELOPED IN THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT HERBICIDE RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT IN TURF WEEDS NATIONWIDE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROPOSED OUTREACH ACTIVITIES WILL DEVELOP A FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING AMONG THE BROADER STAKEHOLDERS OF PESTICIDE RESISTANCE EVOLUTION IN ANY BIOLOGICAL ORGANISM AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE IPM PRACTICES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ALL TURF PESTS (WEEDS, DISEASES, INSECTS, AND NEMATODES).

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOD IS TO INCREMENTALLY FUND THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,500,000.00 AND TO INCORPORATE THE STANDARD PROVISION O

THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (REFUGE) LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST ARIZONA ON THE U.S. MEXICO INTERNATIONAL BORDER SEEKS TO RESTORE SUSTAINABLE NATURAL HYDROLOGIC SYSTEMS ON THE REFUGE BENEFITING RIPARIAN AND CIENEGA HABITAT IN ADDITION TO SEVERAL REGIONAL FISH SPECIES CURRENTLY LISTED OR CLASSIFIED UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AS EITHER THREATENED ENDANGERED OR REGIONALLY EXTINCT. TO COMPLETE LARGE SCALE HABITAT RESTORATION IN THE RIO YAQUI WATERSHED FIRST AN ASSESSMENT WILL BE COMPLETED. THE WATERSHED ASSESSMENT WILL GENERALLY FOCUS ON GATHERING SURFACE WATER GROUND WATER AND HYDROGEOLOGY DATA CONDUCTING HYDROLOGIC HYDROGEOLOGIC HYDRAULIC GEOMORPHIC SEDIMENT AND WATER CHEMISTRY ANALYSES AND DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE WATERSHED RESTORATION PLAN (WRP) TO INFORM RESTORATION ACTIONS THAT SUPPORT THE HABITAT FOR SPECIES OF CONCERN ON THE REFUGE. INFORMED BY THE ASSESSMENT SBNWRS SELECTED HABITAT RESTORATION DESIGN WILL BE CONSTRUCTED. TEXAS A M AGRILIFE RESEARCH NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE (A M NRI) AND THE REFUGE PROPOSE A COLLABORATION TO PROVIDE FOR EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF THE FUNDS TO MEET INTENDED OBJECTIVES AND PROVIDE QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES AND PRODUCTS OVER MULTIPLE YEARS. THE REFUGE AND A M NRI PLAN TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WHERE THE REFUGE WILL PROVIDE FUNDING AND A M NRI WILL COORDINATE CONTRACTING EFFORTS APPROPRIATELY AND AS APPROVED BY THE REFUGE FOR SPENDING THE FUNDS ON THE WATERSHED ASSESSMENT HABITAT RESTORATION DESIGN AND THE HABITAT RESTORATION CONSTRUCTION. THE REFUGE WILL PROVIDE A TOTAL OF $5240222.04 TO BE UTILIZED FOR THE PROJECT OVER A 5 YEAR PERIOD. FUNDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SPENT OUT BY THE END OF 2030. A M NRI HAS REQUESTED 17.5% ($780607.54) TO COVER INDIRECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR ROLE IN MANAGING AND SPENDING OUT FUNDS AS AGREED UPON DURING THE LIFE OF THE AGREEMENT.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SHORT-DAY, SWEET ONIONS ARE GROWN IN SOUTHERN US STATES. CURRENTLY, MOST ONION PRODUCTION IN THESE STATES USE MANUAL HARVESTING DUE TO THE FRAGILE NATURE OF THE SHORT-DAY VARIETIES. LIMITED AVAILABILITY AND INCREASING COST OF LABOR HAS RESULTED IN DECREASED US SHORT-DAY ONION PRODUCTION AND A LACK OF COMPETITIVENESS WITH FOREIGN SOURCES. THE SOUTH TEXAS ONION COMMITTEE HAS STATED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VIABLE MECHANIZED HARVEST SYSTEM IS A HIGH PRIORITY.ONION HARVESTERS DEVELOPED FOR LONG-DAY ONIONS IN NORTHERN STATES HAVE BEEN TESTED WITH SHORT-DAY ONIONS, BUT GROWERS DID NOT JUDGE THOSE RESULTS TO BE SATISFACTORY. TOO MANY BULBS WERE DAMAGED TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR THE FRESH MARKET. HOWEVER, PAST ATTEMPTS WERE LIMITED TO SUBSTITUTING THE MECHANICAL HARVESTER FOR MANUAL LABOR AND DID NOT TAKE A WHOLE SYSTEM APPROACH. THIS PROPOSED WORK WILL ADDRESS THE MULTIPLE ASPECTS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE A SUCCESSFUL HARVEST SYSTEM; IDENTIFICATION OF SUITABLE CULTIVARS, ABILITY TO EVALUATE CULTIVAR SUITABILITY FOR MECHANICAL HARVEST, THE CULTURAL PRACTICES NEEDED TO PROPERLY PREPARE THE BULBS, AND THE DESIGN OF THE MECHANICAL ELEMENTS TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE DURING HARVEST, GRADING, AND PACKING. PROBABILITY OF ADOPTION OF THESE ADVANCES WILL BE MAXIMIZED BY PARTNERING WITH EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS, SEED COMPANIES, AND TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS. ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY THE STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY PANEL AND SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS IS INTEGRATED INTO THE PROPOSED RESEARCH AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. THIS PROJECT INCLUDES SHORT-DAY ONION AREAS OF GEORGIA, TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, AND CALIFORNIA, REPRESENTING THE FULL RANGE OF GROWING CONDITIONS FOR SHORT-DAY ONIONS.OUTCOMES (CULTIVAR DAMAGE THRESHOLDS, A HARVEST SUITABILITY INSTRUMENT, IMPROVED CULTIVARS, ECONOMIC ANALYSES) DIRECTLY ADDRESS FOUR OF THE FIVE FOCUS AREAS OF THE SCRI, WITH GREATEST IMPACT ON PLANT BREEDING/GENETICS AND IMPROVED PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY.

WORKING ON WELLNESS ENVIRONMENTS

FY 2011 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE SECTIONS 3(B) AND 3(C) OF THE SMITH-LEVER ACT FOR COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAMS

ASSESSMENT OF SOIL & WATER QUALITY IMPACTS OF MANURE APPLICAION PRACTICES; EFFICACY OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN VARIOUS SOILS/CROPS/CLIMATE REGIMES. GREAT PLAINS CESU NRC20MOU001099000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000004

PROTOZOAN PURINE PHOSPHORIBOSYLTRANSFERASES AS TARGETS TO TREAT MALARIA, AFRICAN TRYPANOSOMIASIS AND CHAGAS'S DISEASE

TELOMERE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN ARABIDOPSIS

SUSTAINABLE HERBACEOUS ENERGY CROP PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES

DEMONSTRATE THE BENEFITS OF INTEGRATION OF SOIL HEALTH PRINCIPLES THROUGH INCREASE CARBON SEQUESTRATION, REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASES, CLIMATE CHANGE, DIVERSIFY INCOME AND ENHANCE RURAL ECONOMIES.

A COLLABORATIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO AN ENDEMIC ZOONOTIC DISEASE IN CAMEROON: ENHANCING CAPABILITIES TO PREVENT, DETECT, AND RESPOND TO BRUCELLOSIS.

THE RIO GRANDE, WHICH EXTENDS 1,900 MILES FROM SOUTHERN COLORADO THROUGH NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS TO THE GULF OF MEXICO, IS THE FOURTH LONGEST US RIVER AND AMONG THE WORLD&#39;S TOP THIRTY. ITS LOWER REACH FORMS THE BORDER BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO AND APPROXIMATELY HALF OF ITS WATERSHED LAYS IN MEXICO. SNOW PACK FEEDS THE UPPER RIVER WHILE SUMMER MONSOONAL FLOW, PRIMARILY FROM THE RIO CONCHOS IN MEXICO, FEEDS THE LOWER RIVER. THE BASIN IS CHARACTERIZED BY HIGHLY VARIABLE WATER AVAILABILITY THAT IS COMPLICATED BY INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND INTRASTATE COMPACTS, AND WATER IN THE BASIN IS ESSENTIALLY FULLY ALLOCATED.THE RIO GRANDE IS ONE OF THE TOP 10 MOST ENDANGERED AMERICAN AND WORLD RIVERS. BASIN WATER RESOURCES, PLUS THE SOCIETIES, ECONOMIES, SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS THAT DEPEND ON THEM, ARE SERIOUSLY THREATENED BY DROUGHT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND RAPID POPULATION GROWTH. THE RIVER SUPPLIES WATER FOR OVER 6 MILLION PEOPLE AND 2 MILLION IRRIGATED ACRES. POPULATION GROWTH AND URBAN WATER DEMANDS ARE PROJECTED TO DOUBLE IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS. HIGH LEVELS OF POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT, LOW PERSONAL PER CAPITA INCOME AND WATER INSECURITY AMONGST THE POORER COMMUNITIES EXACERBATE WATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES. BASIN AGRICULTURE IS VALUABLE ($1 BILLION ANNUALLY) AND WITHDRAWS 80% OF THE FRESHWATER RESOURCES, WITH THE CROPS BEING GROWN INCLUDING PECANS, DAIRY, GRASS, ALFALFA, VEGETABLES, GRAPES, CITRUS, SUGARCANE, CORN, SORGHUM AND COTTON. CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTIONS ARE FOR AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE AND A DECREASE IN NET AVAILABLE WATER WITH THE AVERAGE BY 2080 APPROACHING THE DROUGHT OF RECORD ALONG WITH MORE ERRATIC RAINFALL AND SEVERE STORM EVENTS. HIGHER TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN INCREASED POTENTIAL EVAPOTRANSPIRATION, INCREASING CROP IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS AND FURTHER STRESSING WATER SUPPLIES. THE BASIN IS NOT ALONE IN THESE CHALLENGES AS MANY OTHER ARID-REGION RIVER SYSTEMS ARE FACING SIMILAR CRISES, WHICH PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT WATER MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES ARE OVERWHELMING CURRENT PRACTICES. THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR INNOVATIVE RESPONSES TO ADDRESS THESE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, WITH THE RIO GRANDE BEING AN IDEAL PLACE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES AND TEST TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT APPROACHES THAT CAN BETTER ADDRESS WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.THE BASIN IS CHARACTERIZED BY INTRASTATE, INTERSTATE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS SUGGESTING HIGH VISIBILITY AND CRITICALLY IMPORTANT NEEDS. CHRONIC WATER SHORTAGES ARE COMMON AND CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTIONS SUGGEST DECREASES IN WATER AVAILABILITY, ALTERED TIMING AND AMOUNTS OF PRECIPITATION/RUNOFF, INCREASING ET AND INCREASED CLIMATE VARIABILITY. DURING LOW FLOW YEARS, GROUNDWATER IS USED TO SUPPLEMENT WATER SHORTAGE SITUATIONS. AQUIFER STOCKS ARE DECLINING PLUS THERE IS INCREASED INTRUSION OF BRACKISH WATER FROM DEEPER DEPTHS. THIS WATER SUPPLY SITUATION, COUPLED WITH RAPID POPULATION GROWTH, PLACES SIGNIFICANT STRAIN ON WATER SUPPLIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE. COMBINING THIS WITH A HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE, VALUABLE AGRICULTURE-SUPPORTING EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME TO RELATIVELY POOR RURAL COMMUNITIES, THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES TO NOT EFFECTIVELY MANAGING WATER RESOURCES WITHIN THE BASIN, WHICH IS HIGHLY REPRESENTATIVE OF MANY SITUATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD WITH GROWING ECONOMIES AND POPULATIONS. ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCES, NEW CROPS AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND IMPROVED WATER CONSERVATION ARE ALL NEEDED TO SUSTAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY MEETING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL NEEDS. DESPITE THE BENEFITS OF CONSERVING FRESHWATER, PURSUING WATER SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION AND INCREASING LOCAL CONTROL OF WATER SUPPLIES, MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN THAT LIMIT ALTERNATIVE WATER USE. IN PARTICULAR, LIMITED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) FOR EMPLOYING THESE WATERS FOR IRRIGATION, CURRENT ALLOCATIONS AND ASSOCIATED COSTS/BENEFITS/RISKS.THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE QUESTIONS: 1) HOW CAN ALTERNATIVE WATERS BE USED ON THE FARM AND IN NEARBY COMMUNITIES FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, PROCESSING AND OTHER USES? WHAT NONTRADITIONAL SOURCES OF WATER ARE AVAILABLE THAT CONSERVES GROUNDWATER AND RIVER FRESHWATER? 2) WHAT TECHNOLOGIES AND TRAINING ARE NEEDED TO ASSIST IN CONSERVING AND EFFICIENTLY USING THE WATER AVAILABILITY PORTFOLIO? 3) WHAT EFFECTIVE WATER TREATMENT, WATER APPLICATION, WATER REUSE AND SALINITY MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES ARE ECONOMICAL AND SUSTAINABLE? 4) HOW CAN WATER CONVEYANCE, APPLICATION AND USE PRACTICES BE IMPROVED? 5) WHAT SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION IS NECESSARY FOR APPROPRIATE INSTITUTIONAL, POLICY, REGULATORY AND GOVERNANCE DECISIONS? 6) WHAT NEW KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION COMMUNICATED TO AGRICULTURAL AND NONAGRICULTURAL WATER USERS WILL IMPROVE THE SITUATION?THIS PROJECT ALLOWS LEVERAGING PRIOR WORK TO ADVANCE SOLUTIONS TO GROWING WATER STRESS THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO ARID BASINS GLOBALLY. THE PROPOSED HYDROLOGIC, AGRONOMIC AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH EXTENSION AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDEDINFORMATION FOR WATER PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION AND INCREASING BASIN AGRICULTURE VIABILITY.

THE YOUNG WOMEN LEAD (YWL) PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST APPROXIMATELY 650 YOUNG AFGHAN WOMEN TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE SHORT, POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN FEMALE-SPECIFIC EMPLOYMENT FIELDS.

COMPARATIVE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TRAINING FOR VETERINARIANS

SYNTHETIC CROP FOR DIRECT DROP-IN BIOFUEL PRODUCTION THROUGH RE-ROUTING PHOTORESPIRATION INTERMEDIATES AND ENGINEERING TERPENOID PATHWAYS

SMITH LEVER 3B&C FUNDS

TEST OF RAPAMYCIN IN AGING DOGS (TRIAD) - SUMMARY RAPAMYCIN IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING GEROPROTECTIVE AGENTS IDENTIFIED TO DATE, WITH PROVEN ABILITY TO ENHANCE LONGEVITY AND IMPROVE HEALTH IN LABORATORY ANIMALS AND PROMISING OUTCOMES FROM MORE LIMITED HUMAN STUDIES. ORIGINALLY EMBEDDED WITHIN THE DOG AGING PROJECT (DAP), THE TEST OF RAPAMYCIN IN AGING DOGS (TRIAD) IS A CLINICAL TRIAL FOR LONGEVITY AND HEALTHSPAN METRICS IN NON-DISEASED, NORMATIVELY AGING COMPANION DOGS. WITH 150 DOGS ALREADY ENROLLED, TRIAD WILL ENGAGE A FURTHER 430 COMPANION DOGS TO COMPLETE STUDY OBJECTIVES. NOTABLE FOR THIS PROPOSAL: 1) THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL NECESSARY PROTOCOLS ARE IN PLACE AND APPROVED; 2) THE RAPAMYCIN FORMULATION IS PURCHASED AND BEING UTILIZED; AND 3) ENROLLMENT, RANDOMIZATION, AND CLINICAL EVALUATION HAVE ALREADY BEGUN IN OVER 20 CLINICAL SITES, ATTESTING TO THE FEASIBILITY AND EFFICACY OF STUDY IMPLEMENTATION. THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AIMS ARE PROPOSED: AIM 1. CONDUCT A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED VETERINARY CLINICAL TRIAL TO DETERMINE WHETHER ONCE-WEEKLY RAPAMYCIN TREATMENT INCREASES LIFESPAN AND DECREASES DISEASE ONSET IN COMPANION DOGS. AIM 1 TESTS IF RAPAMYCIN TREATMENT INITIATED IN OLDER, MODERATE TO LARGE DOGS WILL A) INCREASE LIFESPAN AND B) MAINTAIN HEALTH IN 580 COMPANION DOGS. THE TREATMENT GROUP WILL RECEIVE 0.15 MG/KG RAPAMYCIN ONCE EACH WEEK FOR 1 YEAR WITH 2 YEARS FOLLOW-UP (TOTAL TRIAD DURATION 3 YEARS). EXAMS, SURVEYS, AND SAMPLES WILL BE COLLECTED THROUGHOUT. THE IMPACT OF RAPAMYCIN ON LIFESPAN AND AGE-RELATED DISEASE INCIDENCE, INCLUDING: CANCERS, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, IMMUNE HEALTH, SENSORY LOSS, CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, JOINT DISEASE, AND COGNITIVE DECLINE, WILL BE MEASURED. AIM 2. DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF RAPAMYCIN ON PARAMETERS OF FUNCTION AND HEALTH IN COMPANION DOGS. AIM 2 TESTS THE HYPOTHESIS THAT RAPAMYCIN IMPROVES A) PHYSICAL (ALL DOGS); B) NEUROLOGIC (290 DOGS); AND C) CARDIOVASCULAR (290 DOGS) FUNCTION. DOGS WILL BE ENROLLED AND MONITORED IN SPECIALTY CLINICS ATTENDED BY BOARD- CERTIFIED VETERINARY CARDIOLOGISTS OR NEUROLOGISTS. ALL PARAMETERS WILL BE COLLECTED EVERY 6 MONTHS FOR THE 3-YEAR DURATION OF TRIAD. ASSESSMENTS INCLUDE PHYSICAL FUNCTION AND FRAILTY, NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION, COGNITION, MARKERS OF ALZHEIMER’S-LIKE PATHOLOGY, BLOOD PRESSURE, ELECTROCARDIOGRAM, AND CARDIAC FUNCTION. TRIAD WILL DETERMINE WHETHER RAPAMYCIN INCREASES LIFESPAN AND IMPROVES HEALTHSPAN IN AGING COMPANION DOGS WHO LIVE WITH HUMANS AND DEMONSTRATE MANY CONDITIONS RELEVANT TO OLDER ADULTS. PROTOCOLS AND PIPELINES FOR DATA ACQUISITION, HARMONIZATION, AND INTEGRATION ARE ESTABLISHED. THERE IS UNIFORMITY AND CONSISTENCY IN MEASURES ACROSS ALL SITES. ADVERSE EVENTS CAN BE RAPIDLY DETECTED AND ADDRESSED. TRIAD IS A PSEUDO-PRAGMATIC DESIGN THAT ENGAGES PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE, DATA EXTRACTION FROM PRIVATE RECORDS, AND INVOLVES DOGS IN THEIR HOMES. TRIAD WILL HAVE AN OUTSIZED IMPACT ON GEROSCIENCE AS IT WILL CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE CLINICAL TRIAL DESIGN, RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES, LOGISTIC IMPLEMENTATION, DATA ANALYSIS, AND INTEGRATION.

REGULATION OF NEONATAL MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

THE EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM (EFNEP) DELIVERED BY TRAINED PARAPROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS FROM TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE HELPS FAMILIES AND YOUTH ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIORS NECESSARY FOR NUTRITIONALLY SOUND DIETS, CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE OVERALL FAMILY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL WELL-BEING. FEDERAL FUNDS WILL SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF RESEARCH BASED NUTRITION EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CURRICULA TO LIMITED-RESOURCE FAMILIES, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS ACROSS TEXAS. THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO EMPLOY AND TRAIN PARAPROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS WHO DELIVER LESSONS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND SUPPORT PROGRAM OPERATIONS AND EVALUATION. ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING AUDIENCE-SPECIFIC ADULT CURRICULUM AND AGE APPROPRIATE YOUTH CURRICULA FOR GRADES K-2, 3-5, AND 6-12; INTEGRATING RELEVANT NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EDUCATION; PROVIDING HANDS-ON FOOD PREPARATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DEMONSTRATIONS; AND OFFERING CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EFNEP PARAPROFESSIONALS TO ENSURE FIDELITY TO PROGRAM STANDARDS. EFNEP FAMILIES ARE OFTEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH SCHOOLS, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, HOUSING AUTHORITIES, SHELTERS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, PARENTING CLASSES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, ENSURING PROGRAMS REACH THOSE AT GREATEST NUTRITIONAL RISK. PROGRAM DELIVERABLES INCLUDE DELIVERING RESEARCH-BASED CURRICULA STATEWIDE, EXPANDING OUTREACH TO OLDER YOUTH AUDIENCES, INCREASING PARTICIPANT EN GAGEMENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND FOOD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BEHAVIORS, AND STREAMLINING ONBOARDING AND TRAINING FOR EDUCATORS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED PLATFORMS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DIET QUALITY OF ADULTS AND YOUTH, FOOD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIORS, AS WELL AS STRENGTHENED PROGRAM INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENHANCE EDUCATOR RETENTION AND R EACH. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE LIMITED-RESOURCE ADULTS, PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, YOUTH, AND YOUNG ADULTS ACROSS TEXAS WHO FACE DISPROPORTIONATE RISKS RELATED TO FOOD INSECURITY, OBESITY, AND CHRONIC DISEASE.

TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE'S, EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM (EFNEP), ASSISTS UNDERSERVED FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN ACQUIRING THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES, AND CHANGED BEHAVIORS NECESSARY FOR NUTRITIONALLY SOUND DIETS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF TOTAL FAMILY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL WELFARE. PROGRAM SERIES ARE DELIVERED USING RESEARCH?BASED CURRICULA AND EVIDENCE?BASED APPROACHES TO LEARNING. EACH EDUCATIONAL SERIES IS FACILITATED BY ETHNICALLY DIVERSE PARAPROFESSIONAL (PEER) WHO SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH. EFNEP GRADUATES WILL: IMPROVE THEIR DIETS, IMPROVE THEIR NUTRITION PRACTICES, STRETCH THEIR FOOD DOLLARS FARTHER, HANDLE FOOD MORE SAFELY, AND INCREASE THEIR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS. TEXAS A<(>&<)>M EFNEP AUDIENCES INCLUDE LOW?INCOME PARENTS AND OTHER ADULT CAREGIVERS (SUCH AS GRANDPARENTS AND GUARDIANS) WHO HAVE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARING AND PREPARING FOOD FOR THEIR CHILDREN, WITH EMPHASIS ON FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. LIMITED RESOURCED PREGNANT WOMEN AND TEENS ARE ANOTHER KEY AUDIENCE FOR PROGRAMMING. CURRENTLY, EFNEP IS OPERATING IN 11 TEXAS URBAN COUNTIES INCLUDING BEXAR, CAMERON, DALLAS, EL PASO, FORT BEND, HARRIS, HIDALGO, NUECES, TARRANT, TRAVIS, AND WILLACY. THE COMBINED POPULATION IN THESE COUNTIES REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 53% OF THE STATE'S TOTAL POPULATION.

TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE'S, EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM (EFNEP), ASSISTS UNDERSERVED FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN ACQUIRING THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES, AND CHANGED BEHAVIORS NECESSARY FOR NUTRITIONALLY SOUND DIETS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF TOTAL FAMILY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL WELFARE. PROGRAM SERIES ARE DELIVERED USING RESEARCH?BASED CURRICULA AND EVIDENCE?BASED APPROACHES TO LEARNING. EACH EDUCATIONAL SERIES IS FACILITATED BY ETHNICALLY DIVERSE PARAPROFESSIONAL (PEER) WHO SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH. EFNEP GRADUATES WILL: IMPROVE THEIR DIETS, IMPROVE THEIR NUTRITION PRACTICES, STRETCH THEIR FOOD DOLLARS FARTHER, HANDLE FOOD MORE SAFELY, AND INCREASE THEIR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS. TEXAS A<(>&<)>M EFNEP AUDIENCES INCLUDE LOW?INCOME PARENTS AND OTHER ADULT CAREGIVERS (SUCH AS GRANDPARENTS AND GUARDIANS) WHO HAVE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARING AND PREPARING FOOD FOR THEIR CHILDREN, WITH EMPHASIS ON FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. LIMITED RESOURCED PREGNANT WOMEN AND TEENS ARE ANOTHER KEY AUDIENCE FOR PROGRAMMING. CURRENTLY, EFNEP IS OPERATING IN 11 TEXAS URBAN COUNTIES INCLUDING BEXAR, CAMERON, DALLAS, EL PASO, FORT BEND, HARRIS, HIDALGO, NUECES, TARRANT, TRAVIS, AND WILLACY. THE COMBINED POPULATION IN THESE COUNTIES REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 53% OF THE STATE'S TOTAL POPULATION.

TEXAS A<(>&<)>M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE’S, EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM (EFNEP), ASSISTS UNDERSERVED FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN ACQUIRING THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ATTITUDES, AND CHANGED BEHAVIORS NECESSARY FOR NUTRITIONALLY SOUND DIETS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF TOTAL FAMILY DIET AND NUTRITIONAL WELFARE. PROGRAM SERIES ARE DELIVERED USING RESEARCH‐BASED CURRICULA AND EVIDENCE‐BASED APPROACHES TO LEARNING. EACH EDUCATIONAL SERIES IS FA CILITATED BY ETHNICALLY DIVERSE PARAPROFESSIONAL (PEER) WHO SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH. EFNEP GRADUATES WILL: IMPROVE THEIR DIETS, IMPROVE THEIR NUTRITION PRACTICES, STRETCH THEIR FOOD DOLLARS FARTHER, HANDLE FOOD MORE SAFELY, AND INCREASE THEIR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS. TEXAS A<(>&<)>M EFNEP AUDIENCES INCLUDE LOW‐INCOME PARENTS AND OTHER ADULT CAREGIVERS (SUCH AS GRANDPARENTS AND GUARDIANS) WHO HAVE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARING AND PREPARING FOOD FOR THEIR CHILDREN, WITH EMPHASIS ON FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. LIMITED RESOURCED PREGNANT WOMEN AND TEENS ARE ANOTHER KEY AUDIENCE FOR PROGRAMMING. CURRENTLY, EFNEP IS OPERATING IN 11 TEXAS URBAN COUNTIES INCLUDING BEXAR, CAMERON, DALLAS, EL PASO, FORT BEND, HARRIS, HIDALGO, NUECES, TARRANT, TRAVIS, AND WILLACY. THE COMBINED POPULATION IN THESE COUNTIES REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 53% OF THE STATE'S TOTAL POPULATION.

FY2011 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

EFNEP FFY 22

EFNEP FFY 21

EFNEP FFY 20

SELF-ELIMINATING STRATEGY TO CONTROL GENE DRIVE

EFNEP FFY 19

THIS PROJECT AIMS TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF U.S.-PRODUCED MELONS (CUCUMIS MELO L.) AND THEREFORE ADDRESSES SCRI GOALS BY: STRENGTHENING THE COMPETITIVENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE U.S. SPECIALTY CROP INDUSTRY AND BOLSTERING CONSUMPTION OF REGIONALLY PRODUCED SPECIALTY CROPS EXPANDING THE DIVERSITY OF ADAPTED VARIETIES THROUGH BREEDING AND IMPROVING PRODUCTION PRACTICES. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS STAKEHOLDER-DRIVEN APPROACH WILL LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT OF UNIQUE CULTIVARS (WITH IMPROVED QUALITY SAFETY AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES) AND INCREASE CONSUMER LOYALTY AND REPEAT PURCHASING (SCRI FOCUS AREAS 1 3 AND 5). THE PROPOSED PROJECT HAS FIVE OBJECTIVES: (1) IDENTIFY AND ANALYZE FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMER BEHAVIORS RELATED TO MELON PURCHASE AND CONSUMPTION; (2) DEVELOP CULTIVARS THAT ADDRESS PRODUCER AND CONSUMER NEEDS USING GENOMICS-ASSISTED SELECTION AND BREEDING TO HARNESS GENETIC DIVERSITY OF MELON VARIETIES AND IMPROVE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY FLAVOR SAFETY AND STRESS RESISTANCE; (3) DEVELOP REGION- AND CULTIVAR-SPECIFIC AGRONOMIC PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND SAFETY ATTRIBUTES; (4) IDENTIFY CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS AND DEVELOP PRE- AND POST-HARVEST STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION; (5) ESTABLISH A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE RESEARCH EXTENSION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR MELONS WITH A FOCUS ON IMPROVING CONSUMER AWARENESS AND MEETING THE CONSUMER DEMAND FOR SAFE HIGH-QUALITY MELONS THAT EXCEED MINIMUM QUALITY STANDARDS THEREBY RESULTING IN PROFITABILITY FOR PRODUCERS AND RETAILERS. THE CAP TEAM SPANS 13 DISCIPLINES AND INSTITUTIONS FROM 7 STATES. WE EXPECT THAT ENHANCING MELON QUALITY NUTRITION AND SAFETY WHILE PROVIDING ELITE CULTIVARS WELL-SUITED TO REGIONAL PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION WILL BENEFIT PRODUCERS PROCESSORS DISTRIBUTORS AND CONSUMERS NATION-WIDE.

EFNEP FFY 2018

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRIION EDUCATION PROGRAM

TEXAS EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE RESEARCH IN PLANT BREEDING, GENETICS, GENOMICS, FOCUS AREA. POLYPLOID SPECIALTY CROPS CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO FOOD, FIBER AND ORNAMENTAL PRODUCTION, WITH AN ANNUAL US CROP VALUE OVER $9 BILLION AND MANY TIMES GREATER GLOBALLY. DESPITE THE IMPORTANCE OF POLYPLOID CROPS, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GENOMICS-ASSISTED BREEDING IN THESE CROPS HAS LAGGED COMPARED TO DIPLOID SPECIES. THE MAJOR IMPEDIMENTS TO USING GENOMIC TOOLS, BASED ON EXTENSIVE RESEARCHER AND STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS, ARE THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF SOFTWARE SUITABLE FOR POLYPLOIDS (MOST TOOLS ARE DEVELOPED FOR DIPLOID CROPS), TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, AND TRAINING. THE PRESENT PROJECT ADDRESSES THESE DEFICIENCIES BY DEVELOPING COMPUTATIONAL TOOLS FOR QTL ANALYSIS, GENOMIC SELECTION AND HAPLOTYPE ANALYSIS IN POLYPLOID CROPS; TRAINING POLYPLOID BREEDERS AND GENETICISTS TO USE THESE TOOLS; AND APPLYING THE TOOLS FOR GENOMICS-ASSISTED BREEDING IN PUBLIC BREEDING PROGRAMS FOR POTATO, BLACKBERRY, TURFGRASS, KIWI, SWEETPOTATO AND ROSE. A KEY OUTPUT OF THE PROJECT IS A POLYPLOID BREEDING COMMUNITY RESOURCE WEB SITE TO SERVE AS A REPOSITORY OF THE COMPUTATIONAL TOOLSETS, GENOMIC INFORMATION, TRAINING DATASETS FROM SEVERAL CROPS, AND TRAINING MATERIALS. SUCCESS IN THIS PROJECT WILL ENABLE THE ROUTINE USE OF GENOMIC TOOLS TO ACCELERATE THE RATE OF GENETIC GAIN IN A WIDE ARRAY OF POLYPLOID CROP BREEDING PROGRAMS, WHICH WILL LEAD TO CULTIVARS WITH HIGHER QUALITY, GREATER PRODUCTIVITY, AND MORE RESILIENCE TO BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESS. THE PROJECT WILL HAVE A LONG-TERM POSITIVE IMPACT ON SPECIALTY CROP INDUSTRIES BY TRAINING A NEW GENERATION OF PLANT BREEDERS CAPABLE OF USING ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL TOOLS FOR POLYPLOID CROPS.

SMITH LEVER 3B&C FUNDS

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES OF THE BRAZOS VALLEY

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE ROSE LANDSCAPES VIA ROSE ROSETTE DISEASE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, SOCIOECONOMIC ASSESSMENTS AND BREEDING RRD RESISTANT ROSES WITH STABLE BLACK SPOT RESISTANCE

USING FAMILY FOCUSED GARDEN, NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAMS TO REDUCE CHILDHOOD OBESITY

WORK ON CONSERVATION MODELS, DATABASES, AND DOCUMENTATION; SUPPORT FOR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND MODELING PROTOCOLS TO SUPPORT APEX USE IN CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES.

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

MANAGEMENT OF ZEBRA CHIP TO ENHANCE PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF US POTATO PRODUCTION

CAMP BULLIS VEGETATION STUDY

COFFEE RESILIENCE PROJECT FOR CENTRAL AMERICA

DEVELOPING GPR FOR ENHANCED ROOT AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON IMAGING...

SUCCESS?POWERED BY YOU

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH NEW DE-FOA-0003405 – TEOSYNTE AWARD CONTROL NUMBER: 3405-1507 TITLE: DEVELOPING FIELD-DEPLOYABLE LOW N2O EMISSION SORGHUM HYBRIDS USING BIOLOGICAL NITRIFICATION INHIBITION AND NITROGEN FIXATION THIS COMPETITIVE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR A RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ENTITLED, “DEVELOPING FIELD-DEPLOYABLE LOW N2O EMISSION SORGHUM HYBRIDS USING BIOLOGICAL NITRIFICATION INHIBITION AND NITROGEN FIXATION” IS AWARDED TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH UNDER ARPA-E FOA NUMBER DE-FOA-0003405(TECHNOLOGIES TO EMEND AND OBVIATE SYNTHETIC NITROGEN’S TOLL ON EMISSIONS (TEOSYNTE)) AND CONTROL 3405-1507. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO DEVELOP AND MARKET N2LOW SORGHUM HYBRIDS WITH GENETIC TRAITS TO REDUCE N2O EMISSIONS, MAINTAIN HIGH YIELDS, AND LOWER FERTILIZER APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.

HOMEOSTATIC REGULATION OF FOLATE METABOLISM

CONTROL OF VIRUS INDUCED LYSIS

SMITH LEVER 3 B&C FUNDS

TEXAS FOOD DEFENSE AND ANIMAL FOOD PRODUCT TESTING FOR MICROBIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL HAZARDS, GENOME SEQUENCING, AND SPECIAL PROJECT TRACKS

UNDERSTANDING PROTEIN RADICALS

INTEGRATING COMMUNITY NUTRITION WITH IMPROVED PREGNANCY OUTCOMES

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SORGHUM IS A DROUGHT-TOLERANT, NON-GMO CROP USED FOR FOOD AND FEED PRODUCTION AROUND THE WORLD.THE U.S. IS THE WORLD&#39;S LARGEST SORGHUM PRODUCER, WITH A STAGGERING 7.31 MILLION ACRES PLANTED IN2021. DESPITE THIS, THE ACREAGE DEDICATED TO ORGANIC SORGHUM IN THE U.S. IS EXTREMELY LIMITED. THISPROPOSAL IS MOTIVATED BY URGENT DEMANDS FROM STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP DROUGHT AND PEST-TOLERANTSORGHUM CULTIVARS SUITABLE FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION. OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES SUCH AS THE AVAILABILITY OFIRRIGATION WATER, SOIL DETERIORATION IN CERTIFIED ORGANIC LANDS, AND THE DESIRE TO DIVERSIFY FARMENTERPRISES HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE NECESSITY FOR THIS PROJECT. OUR FOUR-YEAR PROJECT ENGAGESRESEARCHERS IN MAJOR SORGHUM-PRODUCING STATES (TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, AND KANSAS) AND POTENTIAL STATES,SUCH AS SOUTH CAROLINA AND CALIFORNIA, TO ADDRESS SIGNIFICANT GAPS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THISPROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY HIGH-PERFORMING GRAIN AND FORAGE SORGHUM VARIETIES UNDER ORGANICMANAGEMENT, AND SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE SORGHUM INTO EXISTING ORGANIC CROPPING SYSTEMS WHERESORGHUM IS A SIGNIFICANT COMMODITY OR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A NOVEL INCLUSION. OUR PROJECT WILLDELIVER NEW ORGANIC SORGHUM VARIETIES, INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, AND INSIGHTS INTO THEECONOMIC, MARKET, AND CLIMATE-SMART POTENTIAL OF SORGHUM-BASED ORGANIC CROP ROTATIONS. WE WILLFOSTER A COMMUNITY OF INDIVIDUALS EQUIPPED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO SUCCEED INTHE GROWING ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY THROUGH OUR EDUCATION APPROACH. OUR EFFORTS TO ADVANCETHE SCIENCE OF ORGANIC SORGHUM PRODUCTION AND OUTREACH WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT GROWERS, INCLUDINGHISPANIC GROWERS BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT ORGANIC CROPPING SYSTEM.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR EXPANDING ORGANIC COTTON AREA AND PRODUCTION IN THE US DUE TO RAPIDLY INCREASING CONSUMER DEMANDS FOR ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCTS AND VERY LOW DOMESTIC SUPPLIES. ACHIEVING THIS WILL REQUIRE A COORDINATED EFFORT AMONG RESEARCHERS, EXTENSION SPECIALISTS, AND BROADER INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SUSTAINABLY EXPAND ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCTION IN THE US COTTON BELT THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF REGENERATIVE PRODUCTION PRACTICES. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE: 1. PARTNER WITH LONG-TERM ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCERS TO OBSERVE AGRONOMIC PRACTICES, TRACK SOIL HEALTH, CONDUCT ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS, AND IDENTIFY SOCIOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES; 2. EVALUATE AGRONOMIC, ECOSYSTEM, AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF LOCALLY SUITABLE REGENERATIVE PRACTICES; 3. EVALUATE WEED SUPPRESSIVE POTENTIAL OF ADVANCED BREEDING/ALREADY DEVELOPED COTTON LINES FOR UTILIZATION IN ORGANIC PRODUCTION; 4. EXPAND ADOPTION OF ORGANIC PRODUCTION PRACTICES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE EXTENSION AND DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES; 5. PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SCIENTISTS AND ORGANIC PRACTITIONERS. THESE OBJECTIVES WERE DEVELOPED BASED ON EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCTION AND MARKETING.UNDERSTANDING THE AGRONOMIC, ECONOMIC, AND MARKETING STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY LONG-TERM ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCERS IS CRITICAL IN OUR EFFORTS TO INCREASE ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCTION IN THE US COTTON BELT. THROUGH FIELD VISITS AND DISCUSSIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A 4-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCERS MANAGING A TOTAL OF 63 CERTIFIED/TRANSITIONING ORGANIC FIELDS, SPANNING ACROSS NEW MEXICO, TEXAS, AND TENNESSEE. THESE FIELDS INCLUDE TRANSITIONING (&LT;3 YRS) AND CERTIFIED ORGANIC OPERATIONS RANGING FROM 1 TO 12 YEARS IN DURATION. THESE ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCERS HAVE AGREED TO COLLABORATE THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT AND ARE ENTHUSIASTIC TO LEARN ABOUT NEW MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, SOIL HEALTH, AND CARBON MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES IN WORKING WITH THE TEAM. A TOTAL OF 23 CONVENTIONAL COTTON FIELDS IN AN ADJACENT LOCALITY WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED AS A BASIS FOR COMPARISON. THUS, A TOTAL OF 86 FIELDS WILL BE STUDIED OVER 4 YEARS.THE OBJECTIVE 1 OF THE PROPOSED OREI PROJECT WILL DIRECTLY INVOLVE THESE 86 COTTON FIELDS COVERING APPROXIMATELY 7500 ACRES IN TEXAS (56 FIELDS), 3000 ACRES IN NEW MEXICO (24 FIELDS), AND ~100 ACRES IN TENNESSEE (6 FIELDS). IN TEXAS, THE FIELDS WILL COMPRISE TWO EQUAL SETS OF IRRIGATED AND DRYLAND COTTON SINCE BOTH ARE COMMON, WHEREAS IN NM AND TN ALL FIELDS ARE IRRIGATED. IN COLLABORATION WITH THESE ORGANIC COTTON FARMERS, WE WILL STUDY THE IMPACT OF AGRONOMIC PRODUCTION PRACTICES FOLLOWED BY EACH PARTICIPATING FARMER ON COTTON GROWTH, PEST INCIDENCE (WEEDS, INSECT PESTS, DISEASES, NEMATODES), YIELD, AND QUALITY OVER A PERIOD OF 4 YEARS (OBJECTIVE 1A). BY CONNECTING WITH THESE ORGANIC PRODUCERS AND STUDYING THE,IR OPERATIONS, OUR GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY PRODUCTION PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN VIABLE FOR THEM AND ALSO IDENTIFY WHERE CHALLENGES STILL EXIST, AND IMPROVEMENTS COULD STILL BE MADE. THESE PRODUCERS MAY HAVE ALREADY OVERCOME MAJOR ADOPTION BARRIERS SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY GROWING ORGANIC COTTON OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS; HOWEVER, THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THESE PRACTICES IS UNKNOWN, ESPECIALLY FROM THE SOIL HEALTH STANDPOINT. FOR EXAMPLE, A FARMER RELYING HEAVILY ON TILLAGE FOR WEED CONTROL MAY BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY GROW THE CROP SHORT-TERM, BUT THIS PRACTICE CAN SEVERELY COMPROMISE SOIL HEALTH OVER THE LONG-TERM. BY CLOSELY MONITORING SOIL HEALTH INDICATORS (OBJECTIVE 1B), WE WILL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHICH PRACTICES ARE PROMOTING COTTON YIELD WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING SOIL HEALTH IN THE LONG RUN AND WHICH ONES NEED IMPROVEMENTS. OUR CONTACT FARMERS HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THE INFORMATION ON INPUT COSTS AND SALE PRICES, WHICH WILL BE USED TO CONDUCT A PARTIAL BUDGET ANALYSIS AND DETERMINE THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF THEIR OPERATIONS. THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE BENEFITS OF SOIL HEALTH PROMOTION MEASURES OBTAINED WITH REGENERATIVE PRACTICES SUCH AS COVER CROPPING (OBJECTIVE 1C). THESE FARMERS WILL ALSO BE ENGAGED IN SOCIOECONOMIC INVESTIGATIONS TO UNDERSTAND BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION (OBJECTIVE 1D). COLLABORATION WITH THESE FARMERS WILL ALSO HELP US UNDERSTAND THEIR OPERATIONS FOR THOROUGH SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS OF THEIR PRACTICES AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES.IN OBJECTIVE 2, FULLY-REPLICATED SMALL-PLOT EXPERIMENTS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN CERTIFIED ORGANIC FIELDS IN NEW MEXICO, TEXAS, AND TENNESSEE OVER A 4-YEAR PERIOD TO EVALUATE SPECIFIC REGENERATIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES CURRENTLY NOT IN COMMON USE BY FARMERS IN THE REGION. THE EXPERIMENTS IN TENNESSEE ARE EXPECTED TO ASSIST WITH EXPANDING ORGANIC COTTON RESEARCH AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING LOCALLY-RELEVANT RESEARCH DATA, THESE PLOTS WILL ALLOW FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OF REGENERATIVE PRACTICES AS WELL AS SERVE AS DEMONSTRATION VENUES. ADDITIONALLY, EVALUATIONS WILL BE CARRIED OUT TO SELECT COTTON VARIETIES WITH WEED-SUPPRESSIVE POTENTIAL FOR UTILIZATION IN ORGANIC PRODUCTION (OBJECTIVE 3).THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND DELIVER OUTREACH/EXTENSION PROGRAMS TO FOSTER CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE ORGANIC COTTON INDUSTRY IN THE US COTTON BELT (OBJECTIVE 4). THE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDE BROADER STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT FOR ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS AMONG VARIOUS PARTIES INVOLVED IN ORGANIC COTTON PRODUCTION, MARKETING, AND CONSUMPTION. FURTHERMORE, A ROBUST EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY IS PLANNED FOR TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS AND PRACTITIONERS, UTILIZING THE BROAD RANGE OF FIELD ACTIVITIES PLANNED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT (OBJECTIVE 5).OVERALL, THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES CRITICAL STAKEHOLDER-IDENTIFIED NEEDS. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE FINDINGS WILL GREATLY ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ORGANIC COT,TON PRODUCTION PRACTICES THAT ARE PROFITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY PROMOTE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND HELP INCREASE THE ACREAGE AND PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC COTTON IN THE US.

SCALE-UP OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC PRODUCT TO ENABLE THE ECONOMIC RENEWABLE AVIATION FUELS

COMBATTING ROSE ROSETTE DISEASE: SHORT AND LONG TERM APPROACHES

NEUROENDOCRINE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON PUBERTY

CENTER FOR TRANSLATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH

CRAPEMYRTLE IS THE MOST POPULAR FLOWERING LANDSCAPE TREE IN THE U.S., WITH A 2014 WHOLESALE VALUE OF $66M. CRAPEMYRTLE BARK SCALE (CMBS), A NEW EMERGING PEST FROM ASIA, IS SEVERELY IMPACTING THIS INDUSTRY, AND POSES A UNIQUE RISK TO OTHER MAJOR CROPS INCLUDING SOYBEAN, APPLE, AND POMEGRANATE. ITS NEWLY-REPORTED INFESTATION ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRY MAY POSE A THREAT TO THE NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITY AND ECOSYSTEM. WITH A MULTI-STATE, TRANSDISCIPLINARY AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION, AND THE OVERALL GOAL TO MANAGE CMBS, OUR PROPOSAL CONTRIBUTES TO THE LONG-TERM PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF CRAPEMYRTLE PRODUCTION AND LANDSCAPE USES, AND HELP PROTECT AGAINST FUTURE RISKS TO OTHER COMMODITIES FROM THIS PEST.BUILT UPON THREE YEARS OF CMBS RESEARCH AND OUTREACH WITH TREMENDOUS STAKEHOLDER SUPPORT, THIS SCRI PROJECT WILL ACCOMPLISH THESE: 1. EVALUATE NON-CHEMICAL (BIOLOGICAL, CULTURAL AND MECHANICAL) IPMS; 2. EVALUATE CHEMICAL EFFICACY AND POTENTIAL IMPACT ON BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND POLLINATORS, BASED ON UNDERSTANDING OF CMBS BIOLOGY; 3. EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE HOSTS AND FEEDING PREFERENCE FOR FUTURE PLANT SELECTION AND DEVELOPMENT; 4. IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF CONSUMER AND INDUSTRY PREFERENCES AND BARRIERS TO CRAPEMYRTLE SALES AND CONSUMERS&#39; WILLINGNESS TO PAY DUE TO CMBS; AND 5. DEVELOP 2-WAY INFORMATION PIPELINE (CMBS MONITORING NETWORK THROUGH TRAINING VOLUNTEERS AND COMMERCIAL/PROFESSIONAL STAKEHOLDERS; A BMP TRAINING CURRICULUM; AND AN OUTREACH NETWORK). OUR PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THREE LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED FOCUS AREAS: EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THREATS FROM PESTS AND DISEASES, INCLUDING THREATS TO SPECIALTY CROP POLLINATORS, RESEARCH IN PLANT GENETICS TO IMPROVE CROP CHARACTERISTICS, SUCH AS PEST MANAGEMENT, AND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY, PRODUCTIVITY, AND PROFITABILITY OVER THE LONG TERM.

STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL STUDIES OF PROTEIN KINASE C REGULATION

CELL POLARITY, ASYMMETRIC CELL DIVISION AND DIFFERENTIATION IN PLANTS.

AUTOMATED TERRA PHENOTYPING SYSTEM FOR GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF ENERGY CROPS

NAMS-DECISIONS CENTER: NEW APPROACH METHODS FOR DECISIONS ON INDUSTRIAL AND CONSUMER-USE CHEMICALS - PROJECT SUMMARY THE NAMS DECISIONS CENTER IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, MODELERS, AND EDUCATORS WORKING TO INTEGRATE NEW APPROACH METHODOLOGIES (NAMS) INTO REGULATORY DECISION-MAKING FOR CHEMICAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE CENTER IS TO DEVELOP DEFINED APPROACHES FOR USING MATURE COMBINATORIAL IN VITRO AND IN SILICO NAMS TO ENHANCE READ-ACROSS METHODS, REDUCING RELIANCE ON ANIMAL TESTING. A KEY CHALLENGE IN REPLACING TRADITIONAL ANIMAL TESTS IS PROVING SUFFICIENT SIMILARITY BETWEEN CHEMICALS, WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR REGULATORY ACCEPTANCE OF READ-ACROSS APPROACHES. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF OVER 1,100 INDUSTRY-PROPOSED READ- ACROSS ADAPTATIONS SUBMITTED TO THE EUROPEAN CHEMICALS AGENCY (ECHA) FOUND THAT ONLY 8% WERE ACCEPTED, PRIMARILY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TOXICOKINETIC AND TOXICODYNAMIC DATA—GAPS THAT NAMS COULD HELP FILL. TO ADDRESS THIS, THE CENTER PROPOSES FIVE SPECIFIC AIMS. AIM 1: CENTER MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION, WILL ENSURE EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE THROUGH AN INTERNAL STEERING COMMITTEE AND GUIDANCE FROM AN EXTERNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION FROM REGULATORY AGENCIES, INDUSTRY AND NGOS. AIM 2: DEVELOPING POPULATION-BASED NAMS FOR READ-ACROSS, WILL BE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING READ-ACROSS APPROACHES USING POPULATION-BASED IN VITRO AND IN SILICO NAMS. THIS WORK WILL INCLUDE COMPLEX IN VITRO MODELS FOR GUT PERMEABILITY, LIVER METABOLISM, AND RENAL CLEARANCE, POPULATION VARIABILITY STUDIES USING HUMAN-DERIVED CELL PANELS, ION MOBILITY SPECTROMETRY-MASS SPECTROMETRY AS A RAPID TOOL FOR TOXICOKINETICS, TOXICODYNAMIC VARIABILITY ASSESSMENT WITH HUMAN LYMPHOBLAST CELL LINES, THESE WILL BE COMBINED INTO POPULATION-TOXICOKINETICS/TOXICODYNAMICS NAMS. THREE PILOT PROJECTS FOCUSED ON CENTER-RELEVANT STUDIES WILL BE ALSO INCLUDED. AIM 3: NAMS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION, WILL CONSIST OF THREE CORES: ADMINISTRATIVE CORE WILL PROVIDE CENTER OVERSIGHT, DATA MANAGEMENT & BIOINFORMATICS CORE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DATA INTEGRATION AND BIOSTATISTICS SUPPORT, AND NAMS RESOURCES CORE WILL INCLUDE RESOURCES FOR DEVICE FABRICATION AND TRANSCRIPTOMICS. AIM 4: NAMS QUALIFICATION AND REGULATORY ACCEPTANCE, WILL ENSURE THE ROBUSTNESS AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND COMBINATORIAL NAMS. WITH EXPERTISE IN REGULATORY QUALIFICATION, THIS AIM WILL HELP FACILITATE REGULATORY ACCEPTANCE OF CENTER- DEVELOPED NAMS-BASED APPROACHES. AIM 5: TRAINING, OUTREACH, AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WILL CONDUCT ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS (ELSI) RESEARCH (IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDER CONCERNS, CLARIFY VALIDATION EXPECTATIONS, AND REFINE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES), WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING (CREATE NAMS EDUCATION MATERIALS FOR HIGH-SCHOOL/COLLEGE STUDENTS, REGULATORS, INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, AND ACADEMICS), AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (ENCOURAGE REGULATORY ADOPTION THROUGH TARGETED WORKSHOPS AND READ-ACROSS CASE STUDIES). OVERALL, THE NAMS DECISIONS CENTER AIMS TO REVOLUTIONIZE CHEMICAL SAFETY ASSESSMENTS BY INTEGRATING NAMS INTO DEFINED READ-ACROSS APPROACHES. BY ACCELERATING CHEMICAL EVALUATIONS AND REDUCING RELIANCE ON ANIMAL TESTING, THIS INITIATIVE WILL MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND REGULATORY DECISION-MAKING.

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

TEXAS ANIMAL FEED REGULATORY PROGRAM STANDARDS MAINTENANCE AND PREVENTIVE CONTROLS INITIATIVE

ALIGNING PRODUCTION AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS TO ENHANCE DIET AND HEALTH OUTCOMES - CHILDREN'S NUTRITION RESEARCH CENTER AND TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH SCIENTISTS WILL COLLABORATIVELY CONDUCT A BROAD RANGE OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ADDRESS THE CRITICAL INTERSECTION OF PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE WITH HUMAN, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ECONOMIC HEALTH OUTCOMES. ADVANCING THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEM COHESIVENESS WILL IMPROVE DIETS AND HEALTH OUTCOMES, REDUCE DIET-RELATED HEALTH CARE COSTS, LIMIT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE AGRICULTURE SYSTEM, AND REDUCE FOOD WASTE WHILE INCREASING FOOD PRODUCTION TO LEVELS NEEDED TO NOURISH THE ESTIMATED 9+ BILLION PEOPLE ON EARTH BY 2050.

SMITH LEVER 3B&C FUNDS

TO ENHANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF LIVESTOCK OPERATIONS IN TEXAS THROUGH ADVANCED MONITORING, RESEARCH, AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES.

EVALUATION OF A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT APPROACH TO CATALYZE BUILT ENVIRONMENT CHANGEAND PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG RURAL RESIDENTS

THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY (TAMU) CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED POLICY RESEARCH CENTER COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST PROVIDES CONGRESS, PARTICULARLY THE HOUSE AND SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEES, AND USDA LEADERSHIP WITH RAPID-RESPONSE ECONOMIC ANALYSES AND DATA FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND THE POLICY-MAKING PROCESS TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL OUTCOMES FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS. DELIVERABLES INCLUDE CONFIDENTIAL WRITTEN REPORTS AND IN-PERSON BRIEFINGS TO LAWMAKERS, THEIR STAFF, AND USDA LEADERSHIP UPON REQUEST. THIS AGREEMENT ALSO SUPPORTS TAMU’S TECHNICAL WORK USED DIRECTLY BY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS. FOR EXAMPLE, TAMU CONTINUES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE ITS FARMER DECISION AID TOOL THAT GUIDES PRODUCERS TOWARDS CHOOSING RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS (PRICE LOSS COVERAGE OR AGRICULTURAL RISK COVERAGE) TO BEST PROTECT THEIR FINANCIAL HEALTH. TAMU, WITH SUPPORT FROM OCE, HAS ALSO DEVELOPED MODELS TO FORECAST THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS (SUCH AS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM) WHICH CAN BE USED TO ASSIST LAWMAKERS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO REDUCE WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE IN FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UNDER USDA’S PURVIEW. ANALYTICS PRODUCED FROM THESE MODELS ARE DELIVERED CONFIDENTIALLY TO POLICYMAKERS AND USDA LEADERSHIP THROUGH WRITTEN REPORTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND/OR IN-PERSON BRIEFINGS.

THE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD POLICY CENTER (AFPC) WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST (OCE) TO CONDUCT UNBIASED ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM POLICIES AND CROP INSURANCE PROVISIONS AND CHARACTERIZE THE EFFECTS OF ALTERNATIVE POLICIES ON REPRESENTATIVE FARMS. THE JOINT EFFORT WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING A WIDE RANGE OF POLICIES ON THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF REPRESENTATIVE FARMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND HOW ALTERNATIVE POLICIES WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY. ALSO UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, AFPC WILL CONDUCT ANALYSES OF POLICIES RELATED TO FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND NUTRITION. ADDITIONAL WORK EXPLORES THE DEEPER ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS THAT UNDERLIE CROP INSURANCE, FARM AND FOOD POLICIES. AFPC WILL ALSO CREATE, DISTRIBUTE, MAINTAIN, AND SUPPORT DECISION TOOLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS. WORK PERFORMED UNDER THIS CONTRACT PROVIDES PUBLIC BENEFITS THROUGH SEVERAL AVENUES. FIRST, OUR WORK PROVIDES POLICY MAKERS WITH TIMELY, OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ON THE EFFECTS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM AND FOOD POLICIES THAT ARE UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION. SECOND, OUR WORK PROVIDES DEEPER UNDERSTANDING TO POLICY MAKERS, EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND THE APPLIED ECONOMICS PROFESSION OF CONCEPTUAL ISSUES UNDERLYING THE U.S. FARM BILL, INCLUDING CROP INSURANCE AND FARM AND FOOD PROGRAMS. THIRD, U.S. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS BENEFIT DIRECTLY FROM OUR PROVISION OF TOOLS TO HELP THEM MAKE DECISIONS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE REGARDING GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. FOURTH, FOOD ASSISTANCE ANALYSIS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO POLICYMAKERS RELATING TO THE FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD ASSISTANCE NEEDS AND NUTRITION, AND THE LIKELY EFFECTS OF PROGRAM CHANGES. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING EXPECTED RESULTS AND BENEFITS APPEARS IN THE DESCRIPTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL TASKS BELOW.

THE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD POLICY CENTER (AFPC) WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST (OCE) TO CONDUCT UNBIASED ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM POLICIES AND CROP INSURANCE PROVISIONS AND CHARACTERIZE THE EFFECTS OF ALTERNATIVE POLICIES ON REPRESENTATIVE FARMS. THE JOINT EFFORT WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING A WIDE RANGE OF POLICIES ON THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF REPRESENTATIVE FARMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND HOW ALTERNATIVE POLICIES WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY. ALSO UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, AFPC WILL CONDUCT ANALYSES OF POLICIES RELATED TO FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND NUTRITION. ADDITIONAL WORK EXPLORES THE DEEPER ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS THAT UNDERLIE CROP INSURANCE, FARM AND FOOD POLICIES. AFPC WILL ALSO CREATE, DISTRIBUTE, MAINTAIN, AND SUPPORT DECISION TOOLS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS. WORK PERFORMED UNDER THIS CONTRACT PROVIDES PUBLIC BENEFITS THROUGH SEVERAL AVENUES. FIRST, OUR WORK PROVIDES POLICY MAKERS WITH TIMELY, OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ON THE EFFECTS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM AND FOOD POLICIES THAT ARE UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION. SECOND, OUR WORK PROVIDES DEEPER UNDERSTANDING TO POLICY MAKERS, EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND THE APPLIED ECONOMICS PROFESSION OF CONCEPTUAL ISSUES UNDERLYING THE U.S. FARM BILL, INCLUDING CROP INSURANCE AND FARM AND FOOD PROGRAMS. THIRD, U.S. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS BENEFIT DIRECTLY FROM OUR PROVISION OF TOOLS TO HELP THEM MAKE DECISIONS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE REGARDING GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS. FOURTH, FOOD ASSISTANCE ANALYSIS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO POLICYMAKERS RELATING TO THE FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD ASSISTANCE NEEDS AND NUTRITION, AND THE LIKELY EFFECTS OF PROGRAM CHANGES. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING EXPECTED RESULTS AND BENEFITS APPEARS IN THE DESCRIPTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL TASKS BELOW.

HAFB NATURAL RESOURCE SUPPORT

THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR FOREIGN ANIMAL AND ZOONOTIC DISEASE DEFENSE

COUPLING OF PROTEIN SYNTHESIS WITH CELL DIVISION

WOUNDED WARRIORS SUPPORT PROGRAM

SMITH LEVER 3 B&C FUNDS

A GENOMIC AND BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF MITOCHONDRIAL RESPIRATORY CHAIN BIOGENESIS

UNDERSTANDING THE SKELETON IN DOWN SYNDROME - SUMMARY/ABSTRACT THIS NEW R01 APPLICATION ENTITLED “UNDERSTANDING BONE MASS IN DOWN SYNDROME” IS FOCUSED ON DETERMINING THE CELLULAR MECHANISM FOR THE LOW BONE TURNOVER WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN PEOPLE AND MICE WITH DOWN SYNDROME (DS), AND ON CHARACTERIZING FRACTURE HEALING RESPONSES IN DIFFERENT DS MOUSE MODELS TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO HOW TO BETTER TARGET FRACTURE HEALING IN THE DS POPULATION WITH INCREASED PROPENSITY TO FRACTURE. THIS PROPOSAL WILL DETERMINE THE CONTRIBUTION OF REGULATOR OF CALCINEURIN 1 (RCAN1) THAT IMPACTS BOTH NF-B ACTIVITY IN OSTEOCLASTS AND WNT SIGNALING IN OSTEOBLASTS/OSTEOCYTES TO THE INHERENTLY LOW BONE MINERAL DENSITY (BMD) IN DS. THE PROPOSED EXPERIMENTS WILL ALSO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF CESSATION OF THE CURRENT CLINICAL BONE ANABOLIC INTERVENTIONS IN THE SETTING OF DS AS WELL AS DEFINE DS FRACTURE HEALING. AIM 1 WILL ELUCIDATE THE PATHWAYS THROUGH WHICH RCAN1 CONTROLS OSTEOCLAST AND OSTEOBLAST DIFFERENTIATION AND FUNCTION. AIM 2 WILL PROVIDE THE FIRST DIRECT EVIDENCE OF FRACTURE HEALING AND REPAIR IN THE CONTEXT OF LOW BONE ACCRUAL AND DS. AIM 3 WILL DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF DISCONTINUATION OF CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL ANABOLIC THERAPIES (ANTI-SCLEROSTIN ANTIBODY AND INTERMITTENT PTH) ON BONE MASS ACCRUAL IN THREE PRECLINICAL MOUSE MODELS OF DS. THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS STUDY WILL LEAD TO A PARADIGM SHIFT IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DS BONE PHENOTYPE AND A NEW LANDSCAPE OF HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH THAT WILL PROVIDE CLARIFICATION OF THE MECHANISMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOW BONE MASS IN DS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR NEW DIRECTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF THE FRACTURES AND PROFOUND OSTEOPENIA THAT AFFECTS THIS POPULATION.

WORKING ON WELLNESS (WOW)

IRAQ AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION REVITALIZATION: SECOND IMPLEMENTATION PHASE

TARGETING PLASMA MEMBRANE SPATIAL DYNAMICS TO SUPPRESS ABERRANT WNT SIGNALING

CHROMATIN REGIONS, GENES AND PATHWAYS THAT CONFER SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CHEMICAL-INDUCED DNA DAMAGE

THE SOUTHERN REGION WATER RESOURCE PROJECT

FOUNDATIONAL STUDIES FOR PRECISION NUTRITION - PROJECT SUMMARY THE INCIDENCE OF CARDIOMETABOLIC DISEASE HAS SOARED DURING LAST HALF-CENTURY DESPITE NATIONAL EFFORTS TO IMPROVE HEALTH THROUGH UNIVERSAL DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS. A CRITICAL LIMITATION OF THIS APPROACH IS THE LACK OF CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO DIETARY RESPONSE DIFFERENCES BASED ON AN INDIVIDUAL’S GENETICS, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE NASCENT FIELD OF PRECISION NUTRITION. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP THE FOUNDATION AND AN EXPERIMENTAL PLATFORM TO SUPPORT IN-DEPTH BIOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF PRECISION NUTRITION INTERVENTIONS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP AN EXPERIMENTAL GENETIC REFERENCE PLATFORM THAT MODELS HUMAN GENETIC DIVERSITY INTO A MODEL FOR PRECISION NUTRITION. ALTHOUGH LARGELY RELYING ON A DISCOVERY-DRIVEN APPROACH, THE CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT A MAJOR FAILING OF PUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS HAS BEEN GENERALIZATION OF DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT THROUGH MATCHING DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS TO AN INDIVIDUAL’S METABOLIC NEEDS, CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH WILL BE GREATLY IMPROVED AT THE INDIVIDUAL AND POPULATION LEVEL. THIS HYPOTHESIS IS BASED ON PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED WORK. THE RATIONALE IS THAT COMPLETION OF THESE STUDIES WILL IDENTIFY GENETIC AND METABOLIC FACTORS AND HIGH-LEVEL MECHANISMS BY WHICH DIET INFLUENCES DIFFERENTIAL CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH THAT CAN BE USED TO DEVELOP NEW PARADIGMS FOR PRECISION NUTRITION. THE PROPOSED WORK WILL ALSO PROVIDE A REPOSITORY OF DATA AND SAMPLES FROM THE COLLABORATIVE CROSS, A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE MOUSE GENETIC REFERENCE POPULATION. THE CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS WILL BE TESTED BY PURSUING THREE AIMS: 1) IDENTIFY CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH TRAITS THAT ARE INFLUENCED BY GENE-BY-DIET (GXD) INTERACTIONS; 2) DETERMINE THE GENETIC ARCHITECTURE REGULATING DIET-DEPENDENT EFFECTS ON CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH; AND 3) VALIDATE A PRECISION NUTRITION PARADIGM TO PREDICT EFFECTS OF DIET ON CARDIOMETABOLIC DISEASE. THESE AIMS WILL BE PURSUED USING AN INNOVATIVE COMBINATION OF A NOVEL, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE MOUSE GENETIC REFERENCE POPULATION AND HUMAN RELEVANT DIETS FOR WHICH SUBSTANTIAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA EXISTS ON THEIR CARDIOMETABOLIC EFFECTS. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT WILL DETERMINE THE HEALTH IMPACT THAT INDIVIDUAL GENETIC VARIATION HAS ON RESPONSE TO COMMON DIETS AND IDENTIFY THOSE CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE INFLUENCED BY GXD INTERACTIONS. IT IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT WILL PROVIDE A PUBLIC DATABASE OF PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES AND A SAMPLE REPOSITORY OF TISSUES FOR FUTURE MOLECULAR ANALYSES, PROVIDING A CRITICAL FOUNDATION FOR THE NASCENT FIELD OF PRECISION NUTRITION. THE EXPECTED OUTCOME OF THIS PROJECT IS A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW DIET INFLUENCES CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH IN AN EXPERIMENTAL GENETIC REFERENCE POPULATION, AN ESSENTIAL FIRST STEP TO SUPPORT FUTURE PROJECTS IN PRECISION NUTRITION. THE RESULTING DATA WILL HAVE AN IMPORTANT POSITIVE IMPACT BECAUSE IT WILL PROVIDE A PARADIGM SHIFT TOWARD PRECISION NUTRITION BY: A) IDENTIFYING CARDIOMETABOLIC PHENOTYPES INFLUENCED BY GXD RESPONSES; B) ELUCIDATING THE GENETIC ARCHITECTURE AND HIGH-LEVEL MECHANISMS OF UNIQUE RESPONSES TO DIET; C) VALIDATING PUTATIVE DIET RESPONSES THROUGH CONFIRMATORY STUDIES; AND D) GENERATING A RICH DATABASE OF GXD RESPONSES AND A SAMPLE REPOSITORY FOR USE BY THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY.

SMITH LEVER 3 B&C FUNDS

TEXAS EXPANDED FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM

NATURAL RESOURCES&HABITAT MANAGEMENT AND SPECIES MONITORING (KARST, GCW), JB SAN ANTONIO, TX

REACHING WELL: WELL CHURCH, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY

MOLECULAR BASIS OF VIRAL DNA SENSING THROUGH THE CGAS-STING PATHWAY

SMITH LEVER_FY 2016

CIRCADIAN REGULATION OF CELLULAR HOMEOSTASIS - BIOLOGICAL CLOCKS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN HOW ORGANISMS ADAPT TO DAILY (CIRCADIAN), MONTHLY (CIRCALUNAR), AND ANNUAL (CIRCANNUAL) CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT BY REGULATING RHYTHMIC FLUCTUATIONS IN METABOLISM, HORMONE AND NEUROTRANSMITTER RELEASE, SENSORY CAPABILITIES AND BEHAVIORS, INCLUDING SLEEP. DISRUPTION OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS (E.G. SHIFT WORK, TIME ZONE CHANGES (“JET LAG”), OR SOCIAL JET LAG), CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT PHYSIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES INCLUDING SLEEP AND METABOLIC DISORDERS, AS WELL AS INCREASED RISK OF STROKE AND CANCER. RECENT DATA INDICATE THAT THE CIRCADIAN CLOCK IS DEVELOPMENTALLY REGULATED AND THAT ITS TIME-KEEPING ACTIVITY IS SUSPENDED IN DIFFERENTIATING TISSUES TO ALLOW CLOCK COMPONENTS TO FUNCTION IN A “DEVELOPMENTAL CLOCK”, THAT REGULATES STEM/PROGENITOR CELL BIOLOGY AND DIFFERENTIATION, AMONG OTHER PROCESSES. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT KNOWN HOW THIS FUNCTIONAL SHIFT FROM CIRCADIAN TO DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES IS ACHIEVED, NOR IS IT KNOWN HOW CLOCK COMPONENTS CONTROL NORMAL OR MALIGNANT STEM/PROGENITOR CELL BEHAVIORS. THE MOUSE MAMMARY GLAND IS A POWERFUL MODELS SYSTEM FOR THE STUDY OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, DEVELOPMENT, AND STEM/PROGENITOR CELL BIOLOGY. LINEAGE TRACING STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE MAMMARY GLAND HARBORS DYNAMIC CELL POPULATIONS IN WHICH SELF-RENEWING UNIPOTENT BASAL AND LUMINAL STEM CELL LINEAGES GIVE RISE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE LINEAGES DURING DUCTAL ELONGATION, AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAST CANCER CELLULAR HETEROGENEITY. WE HAVE SHOWN THAT PER2, A TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR IN THE CIRCADIAN CLOCK, IS DIFFERENTIALLY EXPRESSED DURING MAMMARY GLAND DEVELOPMENT, AND IS REQUIRED FOR BRANCHING MORPHOGENESIS, SUGGESTING A CIRCADIAN CLOCK-INDEPENDENT DEVELOPMENTAL ROLE. OUR RECENT DATA USING PER2-/- MOUSE MAMMARY GLANDS SUGGEST THAT PER2 MAY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAMMARY EPITHELIAL CELL LINEAGE COMMITMENT AND HOMEOSTASIS, AND MAY DO SO BY REGULATING THE EXPRESSION OF EYA2 AS WELL AS INFLUENCING WNT/B-CATENIN AND TGF-B SIGNALING. MOREOVER, WE HAVE FOUND THAT CIRCADIAN DISRUPTION IN MICE RESULTS IN DOWN REGULATION OF PER2 EXPRESSION IN MAMMARY EPITHELIAL CELLS AND INCREASED EYA2 EXPRESSION AND ACTIVATION OF WNT/B-CATENIN. BASED ON THESE NEW RESULTS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT PER2 FUNCTIONS TO INTEGRATE THE CIRCADIAN CLOCK WITH THE DEVELOPMENTAL CLOCK TO CONTROL HOMEOSTASIS OF MAMMARY EPITHELIAL CELL TYPES DURING DUCTAL ELONGATION AND BRANCHING MORPHOGENESIS. TO ADDRESS THIS HYPOTHESIS THREE SPECIFIC AIMS ARE PROPOSED. AIM 1 WILL TEST CIRCADIAN AND CIRCADIAN DISRUPTION DEPENDENT CHANGES IN STEM AND PROGENITOR CELLS IN THE DEVELOPING MAMMARY GLAND. AIM 2 WILL FOCUS ON THE ROLE OF PER2 IN LINEAGE COMMITMENT USING GENETIC REPORTERS TO TRACE MAMMARY CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND EXAMINE THE EFFECT OF PER2 ON STEM CELL HOMEOSTASIS. STUDIES IN AIM 3 WILL DETERMINE PER2-DEPENDENT REGULATION OF EYA2 GENE EXPRESSION AND REGULATION OF B-CATENIN IN MAMMARY GLAND MORPHOGENESIS. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS AIM WE WILL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS THAT GOVERN THE INTERACTION OF PER2 AND EYA2 AS WELL AS THE EFFECT ON WNT/ TGFB SIGNALING IN BRANCHING MORPHOGENESIS.

T&E AND AT-RISK HABITAT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AT AIR FORCE INSTALLATIONS IN SOUTHEAST US

UPGRADING LIGNIN-CONTAINING BIOREFINERY RESIDUES FOR BIOPLASTICS

BREAD PHENO: HIGH THROUGHPUT PHENOTYPING EARLY STAGE ROOT BULKING IN CASSAVA USING GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

WORKING ON WELLNESS ENVIRONMENTS (WOW-W) - WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH LOCAL AGENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE EXTENSION AND PRAIRIE VIEW COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WILL EXPAND THE WORKING ON WELLNESS ENVIRONMENTS (WOW-E) PROGRAM FROM 4 TEXAS COUNTIES TO 13. THROUGH EDUCATION, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, LOCAL LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WILL FOSTER SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS TO GUIDE SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT IMPROVEMENTS, REDUCING THE BURDEN OF OBESITY ON THESE COUNTIES BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHIER FOODS AND CONNECTING EVERYDAY PLACES TO CREATE AN ACTIVE LIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR RESIDENTS IN THE TARGETED COMMUNITIES. A MAJORITY OF THE PROPOSED COUNTIES ARE PREDOMINANTLY HISPANIC, AND MANY COMMUNITIES WITHIN THEM ARE DESCRIBED AS UNDERSERVED WITH RESPECT TO ACCESS TO RESOURCES THAT CAN PROMOTE HEALTH AND REDUCE OBESITY RISK. IN ADDITION TO HAVING AN OBESITY RATE OVER 40%, COUNTY RESIDENTS ALSO ENDURE ADDITIONAL HEALTH DISPARITIES RELATED TO OBESITY SUCH AS LIMITED ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE, FOOD DESSERTS, PHYSICAL INACTIVITY, POVERTY, LACK OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND MEDICAL CARE, AND LOW LEVELS OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. TEXAS’ RAPIDLY GROWING POPULATION AND GEOGRAPHIC SPREAD PRESENTS ADDITIONAL OBSTACLES TO ADDRESSING THESE HEALTH ISSUES. THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE 13 COUNTIES EXCEEDS TWO MILLION AND ENTAIL BOTH RURAL AND URBAN SETTINGS. THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND SIZES OF THESE COUNTIES POSE A CHALLENGE AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL WITH RESPECT TO COMMUNITY EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND CAPITAL TO SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLICY CHANGES. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM A PROGRAM SUCH AS THIS HOP HELPS LEVERAGE EXISTING RESOURCES AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. AGRILIFE EXTENSION AND PRAIRIE VIEW EXTENSION HAVE A STRONG AND RESPECTED PRESENCE IN THESE COUNTIES. WHILE IT IS EVIDENT THAT OUR CURRENT EDUCATIONAL, GARDENING, AND WALKING PROGRAMS ARE SUCCESSFUL AMONG MANY PARTNERS, ADDITIONAL OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE EFFORTS ARE NEEDED FOR CRUCIAL INTERVENTIONS INTERTWINED INTO EVERYDAY LIFE AND HEALTH DECISIONS. THERE IS A CLEAR NEED AND READINESS TO EXPAND BEYOND LOCAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TO LARGER, HIGHER IMPACT PROGRAMS AND PSE INTERVENTIONS. STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES FOR THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL COMBINE ELEMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY CHANGE MODEL. KEY ELEMENTS WILL INCLUDE COALITION SUPPORT, OUTREACH, WORKSHOPS, ASSESSMENTS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MINI-GRANTS, AND EVALUATION. COMPONENTS OF THIS MODEL HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN RELATED EXTENSION PROGRAMS. ENVIRONMENTAL AND OR POLICY INTERVENTIONS WILL BE IDENTIFIED BY LOCAL LEADERS AND GROUPS AFTER THEY CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS AND DEVISE ACTION PLANS WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND KEY PARTNERS. THIS SOCIOECOLOGICAL MODEL (SEM) APPROACH HAS BEEN SHOWN TO SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORT POLICY, SYSTEMS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES THAT ADDRESS OBESITY ISSUES. BY EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING LOCAL LEADERS AND GROUPS TO EXPAND THEIR NETWORKS AND FOSTER CHANGE, THEY CAN INCREASE ACCESS TO AND PURCHASING OF HEALTHIER FOODS AS WELL AS IMPROVE ACCESS TO AND USE OF SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE PLACES FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IN TURN, RELATED OUTCOMES WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE BURDENS IMPACTING OBESITY RATES AND HEALTH DISPARITIES.

PHOSPHORYLATION AND UBIQUITINATION OF IMMUNE SENSORY COMPLEXES IN INNATE IMMUNE S

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SPECIALTY CROPS ACCOUNT FOR 51% OF 9.6 MILLION CASES OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS IN THE U.S. FOODBORNE ILLNESS CAUSED BY CONTAMINATED SPECIALTY CROPS IS ESTIMATED TO PRODUCE AN ANNUAL BURDEN TO THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY OF APPROXIMATELY $18 BILLION. THE OVERARCHING OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP NOVEL SPRAYING/DIPPING SOLUTIONS AND COATINGS TO IMPROVE THE MICROBIOLOGICAL SAFETY OF FARMING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES USED IN HARVESTING AND FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES USED FOR STORING, SORTING, AND PROCESSING OF SPECIALTY CROPS. IN ADDITION, THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY AIMS AT REDUCING WATER USAGE NEEDED FOR CLEANING THESE TOOLS AND SURFACES, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY.ANTIFOULING CHARACTERISTICS ON THE MATERIAL(S)/OBJECT(S) OF INTEREST WILL BE INCORPORATED VIA A SYNERGISTIC COMBINATION OF NANOTEXTURING AND PERMANENT/COVALENT ATTACHMENT OF INERT, LONG-CHAIN HYDROPHOBIC MOLECULES. THE EASE OF CLEANING OF BACTERIA AND DIRT WILL BE EVALUATED THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT HYDROLOGICAL ASSAYS.WE WILL DEVELOP REGIONAL/NATIONAL EXTENSION OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO DISSEMINATE RESULTS THROUGH INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. WE WILL WRITE REPORTS, PRESENT RESULTS AT NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS, AND ORGANIZE WORKSHOPS FOR SPECIALTY CROP GROWERS AND PACKERS AND FARMING TOOL, ACCESSORY, AND SURFACE MANUFACTURERS TO DEVELOP AND IDENTIFY BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR INHIBITING PATHOGEN ATTACHMENT AND ITS TRANSMISSION TO CONSUMERS.THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS ENHANCING THE ABILITY OF SPECIALTY CROP GROWERS/PACKERS TO PRODUCE, PACK, AND MARKET SAFE COMMODITIES FOR U.S. CONSUMERS AS THE SCRI PROGRAM SEEKS TO ACCOMPLISH.

INFEWS/T3: DECISION SUPPORT FOR WATER STRESSED FEW NEVUS DECISIONS (DS-WSND)

MILITARY LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION PROGRAM AT FT. HOOD

GCCESU BLM NOC ENHANCEMENT OF APEX MODEL FOR SIMULATING SOIL EROSION AND SALT TRANSPORT IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN

FY 2011 FORMULA GRANT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HATCH ACT FOR STATE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS

SYNTHETIC MICROORGANISMS TO ENABLE LIGNIN TO FUEL CONVERSION

MOD TO EXERCISE OPT PERIOD 1 AND INCREASED EFFORT TO TASK 1 THROUGH 5.

TEXAS STATE CHEMIST ANIMAL FEED REGULATORY PROGRAM STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION AND ISO17025 ACCREDITATION ROADMAP

AF GRANTS TO THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY TO SUDAN PROJECT: SUDAN

MECHANISMS AND OPTIMIZATION OF ENDOSOMAL ESCAPE FOR CELL DELIVERY APPLICATIONS

A POLY-OMIC STUDY OF THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING MATERNAL DIET INTERVENTIONS FOR OFFSPRING OBESITY AND NAFLD

NOVEL MECHANISM OF ARYL HYDROCARBON RECEPTOR-MEDIATED DIFFERENTIAL GENE REGULATION

RNA PENETRATIONS INTO BACTERIA. - PROJECT SUMMARY SINGLE-STRANDED RNA BACTERIOPHAGES (SSRNA PHAGES) ARE SMALL NEAR-ICOSAHEDRAL VIRUSES THAT USE RNA AS GENETIC MATERIAL TO INFECT BACTERIA THROUGH RETRACTILE PILI. RECENTLY >15,000 NEW SSRNA PHAGES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BUT THEIR HOSTS AND MECHANISMS OF INFECTION REMAIN UNKNOWN. OF THE STEPS DURING THE INFECTION CYCLE OF SSRNA PHAGES, HOW PHAGES PACKAGE THE GENOMIC RNA AND RECOGNIZE ITS SPECIFIC HOST ARE ONLY KNOWN FOR MODEL SSRNA COLIPHAGES SUCH AS MS2 AND QSS; AND HOW RNA IS ULTIMATELY DELIVERED INTO THE CYTOSOL IS OBSCURE. FROM THE PRELIMINARY DATA, THE PIS FIND THAT THE PREVIOUS PARADIGM SET FOR THE INFECTION MECHANISM OF SSRNA PHAGE BASED ON MODEL COLIPHAGES CAN NO LONGER BE APPLIED TO OTHER SSRNA PHAGES. HOST RECEPTORS OF SSRNA PHAGES, THE RETRACTILE PILI, ARE USUALLY INVOLVED IN THE VIRULENCE OF PATHOGENIC BACTERIA AND THE SHARING OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT PLASMIDS. THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON PHAGES PP7 AND AP205, WHICH INFECT PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA AND ACINETOBACTER SPP., RESPECTIVELY, VIA THE TYPE IV PILI (T4P). THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO DETERMINE THE MECHANISMS INVOLVED IN PP7/AP205 PACKAGING, AND RNA PENETRATION INTO THE HOST, A PROCESS WHICH INVOLVES BOTH HOST RECOGNITION AND RNA ENTRY. SPECIFIC AIMS ARE TO REVEAL THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS FOR (1) THE PACKAGING OF PP7/AP205, (2) THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN PP7/AP205 AND T4P BEFORE RNA ENTRY, AND (3) THE DETACHMENT OF T4P DURING RNA ENTRY. THIS WORK WILL NOT ONLY REVEAL INSIGHTS INTO THE INFECTION MECHANISM OF SSRNA PHAGES BUT ALSO PROVIDE GUIDELINES TO ENGINEER SSRNA PHAGES FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSE: SSRNA PHAGES WILL BE ENGINEERED AS MEANS TO DETACH PILI OF PATHOGENIC BACTERIA, AS AN ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY FOR TREATING MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIAL INFECTIONS. UNLIKE TRADITIONAL PHAGE THERAPY BY LYSING PATHOGENS, VIRULENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE SPREAD ARE INACTIVATED BY BREAKING PILI WHILE LEAVING THE CELLS TO GROW, WITHOUT EXERTING SELECTIVE PRESSURE ON THE HOST TO DEVELOP FURTHER RESISTANCE. SUCH A METHOD ALSO AVOIDS THE RELEASE OF ANY UNWANTED CELL CONTENTS INCLUDING DNA, PROTEINS, AND TOXINS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT WHICH COULD INTERFERE WITH OTHER BACTERIA OR AFFECT HUMAN CELLS. IN THE FUTURE, THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE A BASIS FOR DEVELOPING A METHOD FOR PACKAGING AND DELIVERY OF A LARGE NUMBER OF FOREIGN RNAS INTO BACTERIAL CELLS. DUE TO THE SHORT LIFE OF RNAS INSIDE THE CELL, THEY ALLOW TRANSIENT REGULATION OF THE CELLS AND ARE LESS LIKELY TO EXERT LONG-TERM GENETIC EFFECTS AS IN THE CASE OF DNA PLASMIDS. IN ADDITION, RNA DELIVERY WITH SSRNA PHAGES DOES NOT RELY ON THE ARTIFICIAL PREPARATION OF CELLS COMPETENT FOR HEAT-SHOCK OR ELECTROPORATION, WHICH IS HARD TO PERFORM IN SITU.

EXPANDED FOOD & NUTRITION PROGRAM

MULTI-STREAM INTEGRATED BIOREFINERY

SCALING-UP PRECISION SUSTAINABLE INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENTOLUTIONS TO US FIELD CROP PRODUCERS. USDA-NRCS-NHQ-CIGOFT-20-GEN0010750

CONSERVATION PROGRAM SUPPORT

ITAM IN SUPPORT OF INFANTRY TRAINING MISSIONS ON FT. HOOD

THE PURPOSE OF THE WORK IS TO EXECUTE NATURAL RESOURCE PROJECTS IN SUPPORT OF EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE (AFB), ROBINS AFB, AND THE AIR FORCE CIVIL ENGINEER CENTER. TEXAS A M NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE (TAMU-NRI) WILL PROVIDE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTALLATION SUPPORT SERVICES AS STATED IN THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (CA). TAMUNRIS WORK FOCUSES ON THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY AND APPLIED RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, POLICY AND ECONOMIC ANALYSES, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND INCLUDES: (1) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION TO FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESEARCH AGENCIES, AND THEIR POTENTIAL PARTNERS. (2) DEVELOPING PROGRAMS OF RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION THAT INVOLVES THE BIOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL SCIENCES NEEDED TO ADDRESS RESOURCE ISSUES AND INTERDISCIPLINARY PROBLEM-SOLVING AT MULTIPLE SCALES AND IN AN ECOSYSTEM CONTEXT AT THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL LEVEL. (3) WORKING IN COLLABORATION AMONG FEDERAL AGENCIES AND UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTNER INSTITUTIONS. TAMU-NRI WILL PERFORM ACTIVITIES INCLUDING RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND EDUCATION TO FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND RESEARCH AGENCIES AND THEIR PARTNERS. CAPABILITIES INCLUDES BIOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES NEEDED TO ADDRESS NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ISSUES AT MULTIPLE SCALES AND IN AN ECOSYSTEM CONTEXT. THE OUTCOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES WILL ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SIKES ACT (16 USC 670A), ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA), DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 4715.03, NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION PROGRAM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTIVE 4700.4, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, DOD REGULATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS, EXECUTIVE ORDERS (EOS), DOD INSTALLATION INTEGRATED NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLANS (INRMPS), AND USFWS TAMU-NRI CA IN SUPPORT OF ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES, FLORA, FAUNA, AND HABITAT MANAGEMENT ON FEDERAL LANDS. BENEFICIARIES OF THIS WORK INCLUDE MULTIPLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES BY PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT NATURAL RESOURCES ON FEDERAL LANDS. NO SUB-RECIPIENT ACTIVITIES ARE ANTICIPATED. FUTURE FUNDING IS EXPECTED AND OTHER SOUTHEASTERN INSTALLATIONS WILL BE SUPPORTED AS REQUESTED WHEN FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE.

THE NATIONAL CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ZOONOTIC AND ANIMAL DISEASE DEFENSE

EXPANDED FOOD & NUTRITION PROGRAM

EXPANDED FOOD & NUTRITION PROGRAM

UNLOCKING BIN1 FUNCTION IN OLIGODENDROCYTES AND SUPPORT OF AXON INTEGRITY - PROJECT SUMMARY MYELIN IS ESSENTIAL TO RAPID AXONAL IMPULSE PROPAGATION AND LONG-TERM INTEGRITY AND SURVIVAL OF AXONS. CEREBRAL WHITE MATTER ALTERATIONS ARE COMMON EARLY FEATURES IN LATE-ONSET ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE (AD) BRAINS, YET THE CELLULAR BASIS FOR THESE CHANGES, LONG BEFORE THE FORMATION OF SENILE PLAQUES AND TAU-CONTAINING NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES, REMAINS LARGELY UNEXPLORED. LARGE UNBIASED TRANSCRIPTOME STUDIES RECENTLY REVEALED ALTERATIONS IN MYELINATION AND AXONAL INTEGRITY AT THE EARLY STAGE OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, SUGGESTING POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF MYELIN-PRODUCING OLIGODENDROCYTES TO AD PATHOGENESIS. INTERESTINGLY, THE SECOND MOST PREVALENT GENETIC RISK FACTOR FOR LATE-ONSET ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, BIN1, IS HIGHLY EXPRESSED BY MATURE OLIGODENDROCYTES. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT BIN1 FUNCTIONS IN OLIGODENDROCYTES UNDER PHYSIOLOGICAL OR PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA SUGGEST THAT BIN1 PROTEIN IS DISTRIBUTED AT DISCRETE LOCATIONS IN THE CYTOPLASMIC CHANNELS OF UNCOMPACT MYELIN REGIONS. MOREOVER, SPECIFIC DELETION OF BIN1 IN MATURE OLIGODENDROCYTES IN ADULT BRAIN RESULTS IN AGE-DEPENDENT DISRUPTION OF AXON INTEGRITY AND DEGENERATION IN THE ABSENCE OF OVERT DEMYELINATION. BECAUSE OLIGODENDROCYTE USES CYTOPLASMIC CHANNELS TO CONNECT SOMA TO DISTANT PERIPHERAL PROCESSES THAT ENWRAP AND INTERACT WITH THE AXON, AND BECAUSE BIN1 PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN VESICLE DYNAMICS AND MEMBRANE REMODELING, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT BIN1 FUNCTIONS IN OLIGODENDROCYTE/AXON COMMUNICATION AND THAT LOSS OR DYSFUNCTION OF THE OLIGODENDROCYTE-BIN1 AXIS AGGRAVATES AGE-ASSOCIATED MYELIN/AXON DETERIORATION AND TAU PATHOLOGY. IN THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL, WE WILL USE OLIGODENDROCYTE-SPECIFIC BIN1 CONDITIONAL KNOCKOUT MICE TO INVESTIGATE THE FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF OLIGODENDROCYTE-BIN1 IN MYELIN/AXONAL INTEGRITY IN NORMAL AGING AND IN A TAUOPATHY MOUSE MODEL OF AD. UNDERSTANDING BIN1-ASSOCIATED PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS WILL LIKELY PROVIDE NEW INSIGHTS INTO HOW THIS RISK FACTOR MIGHT RELATE TO THE ONSET AND/OR PROGRESSION OF LATE-ONSET ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DEMENTIAS.

ESA MITIGATION CREDITS AT EGLIN AFB, FL.

ESA RECOVERY SCIENCE SUPPORT

DNA REPAIR PATHWAY CHOICE AND SIGNIFICANCE IN TARGETED GENOME EDITING OF AEDES AEGYPTI

NUTRIENT-SENSING GHS-R IN MACROPHAGE REPROGRAMMING AND INFLAMM-AGING

EXPANDED FOOD & NUTRITION PROGRAM

MITOPHAGY DEPENDENT REGULATION OF MAMMARY GLAND DIFFERENTIATION - SUMMARY MITOCHONDRIA OPERATE AS A CENTRAL HUB FOR MANY METABOLIC PROCESSES BY SENSING AND RESPONDING TO THE CELLULAR ENVIRONMENT TO MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS. CONSEQUENTLY, THEIR DISRUPTION IS A KEY FACTOR IN THE ONSET AND PROGRESSION OF MANY HUMAN CONDITIONS, INCLUDING METABOLIC DISORDERS, NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES, AND CANCER. MITOCHONDRIAL HOMEOSTASIS IS PRIMARILY MAINTAINED THROUGH THE RECYCLING OF DAMAGED MITOCHONDRIA BY TARGETED AUTOPHAGY, TERMED MITOPHAGY. MITOPHAGY IS TISSUE-SPECIFIC AND OCCURS IN RESPONSE TO BOTH CELLULAR STRESS AND DIFFERENTIATION CUES. DIFFERENTIATION-CUED MITOPHAGY IS OFTEN TERMED PROGRAMMED MITOPHAGY AND HAS RECENTLY GAINED ATTENTION FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO EPIGENETIC STATUS, CELL FATE DECISIONS, METABOLIC ADAPTATION AND DIFFERENTIATION. ALTHOUGH THESE AND OTHER EFFECTS HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO MITOPHAGY, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE UPSTREAM SIGNALING PATHWAYS THAT INDUCE MITOPHAGY TO MEET SPECIFIC CELLULAR NEEDS. DISTINCT MORPHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES IN MITOCHONDRIA EXIST DURING THE POST-NATAL STAGES OF MAMMARY GLAND DEVELOPMENT. THIS SUGGESTS THAT MITOPHAGY PLAYS AN IMPORTANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TISSUE. IDENTIFYING THE MECHANISM BY WHICH MITOCHONDRIAL HOMEOSTASIS IS MAINTAINED DURING MAMMARY GLAND DEVELOPMENT WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED INSIGHT INTO THE BROADER ROLE OF MITOCHONDRIAL ADAPTATION IN NORMAL DEVELOPMENT AND DISEASE. WE HAVE SHOWN THAT SINGLEMINDED-2S (SIM2S; EXPRESSED FROM SIM2), IS DIFFERENTIALLY EXPRESSED DURING MAMMARY GLAND DEVELOPMENT AND IS A KEY REGULATOR OF FUNCTIONAL MAMMARY GLAND DIFFERENTIATION. OUR RECENT RESULTS UTILIZING MAMMARY GLAND- SPECIFIC OVER- AND UNDER-EXPRESSING SIM2S TRANSGENIC MICE SHOW THAT SIM2S IS REQUIRED FOR FUNCTIONAL LACTATION, AND DOES SO, IN PART, THROUGH DIRECT INTERACTION WITH THE PRKN MITOPHAGY COMPLEX. BASED ON THESE NEW RESULTS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT MITOPHAGY-DEPENDENT MITOCHONDRIAL ADAPTATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR MAMMARY GLAND FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENTIATION AND THAT SIM2S IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN MITOCHONDRIAL HOMEOSTASIS. TO ADDRESS THIS HYPOTHESIS WE PROPOSE TWO SPECIFIC AIMS. IN AIM 1, WE WILL DETERMINE THE MITOPHAGY-DRIVEN METABOLIC TRANSITION REQUIRED FOR MAMMARY EPITHELIAL CELL DIFFERENTIATION BY CROSSING THE MITO-QC MOUSE MODEL WITH MMTV-SIM2S AND SIM2FL/FL MICE TO ASSESS MITOPHAGY AND MITOCHONDRIAL ARCHITECTURE AND METABOLIC ADAPTATION. IN AIM 2, WE WILL DEFINE THE PHYSICAL BASIS FOR, AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES OF, INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SIM2S, ATM, PINK1/PRKN, AND LC3 IN MITOPHAGY AND MAMMARY GLAND DIFFERENTIATION. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS PROPOSAL WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO HERETOFORE UNKNOWN MECHANISMS OF MITOCHONDRIAL ADAPTATION UNDER PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS. WE EXPECT RESULTS FROM THESE STUDIES WILL HELP DEFINE THE MECHANISM OF MITOCHONDRIAL ADAPTATION IN MAMMARY GLAND DEVELOPMENT, LACTATION, AND CANCER.

ENHANCING THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO MILITARY AGRICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

HEPATIC TGFBETA1 IN CONTROL OF TYPE 2 DIABETES AND NASH VIA FOXO1 SIGNALING - PROJECT SUMMARY OVERNUTRITION INDUCES INSULIN RESISTANCE, WHICH IS A HIGH-RISK FACTOR FOR T2D AND NASH. THE MECHANISM UNDERLYING INSULIN RESISTANCE-INDUCED HEPATIC LIPOGENESIS, FIBROSIS, APOPTOSIS, AND INFLAMMATION FOR NASH IS UNCLEAR. HIGH LEVELS OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-SS1 (TGFSS1) IN BLOOD AND TISSUES WERE OBSERVED IN BOTH HUMAN AND MICE WITH T2D AND NASH. TGF-SS1 PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN A DIVERSE RANGE OF CELLULAR RESPONSES, INCLUDING EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX (ECM) SYNTHESIS AND APOPTOSIS WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR TISSUE HOMEOSTASIS, BUT THE MOLECULAR MECHANISM BY WHICH TGFSS1 REGULATES GLUCOSE METABOLISM AND LIVER FUNCTION IS INCOMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD. THE FORKHEAD TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR FOXO1 IS A KEY DOWNSTREAM TARGET OF THE INSULIN PI3KPROTEIN KINASE B (AKT) SIGNALING PATHWAY AND THE GLUCAGONCAMPPROTEIN KINASE A (PKA) SIGNALING PATHWAY. AKT PHOSPHORYLATES FOXO1-SER253, TRIGGERING FOXO1 NUCLEAR EXPORT AND CYTOPLASMIC SEQUESTRATION FOR UBIQUITINATION. BY CONTRAST, PKA PHOSPHORYLATES FOXO1-SER273 TO PROMOTE FOXO1 NUCLEAR TRANSLOCATION AND PROTEIN STABILITY IN HEPATOCYTES. UPON METABOLIC STRESS SUCH AS OVERNUTRITION, FOXO1 HYPERACTIVATION PROMOTES HEPATIC GLUCOSE PRODUCTION (HGP) AND HYPERGLYCEMIA. IN THIS PROPOSAL, THE PI HYPOTHESIZES THAT HEPATIC TGFSS1 PLAYS KEY ROLE IN CONTROL OF FOXO1 VIA PHOSPHORYLATION AT S273 (FOXO1-PS273), ENHANCING FOXO1 NUCLEAR ACTIVITY, AND INDUCING HYPERGLYCEMIA, LIVER FIBROSIS AND INFLAMMATION, AND PROMOTING T2D AND NASH. IN AIM 1, PI AND HIS TEAM WILL USE GENETIC APPROACHES TO 1) DELETE THE TGFSS1 GENE IN THE LIVER OF MICE (L-TGFSS1KO) WITH OR WITHOUT ACTIVE FOXO1-S273D/D MUTATION, OR 2) GENERATE LIVER-SPECIFIC OVEREXPRESSION TGFSS1 MICE (L-TGFSS1OE) WITH OR WITHOUT INACTIVE FOXO1-S273A/A MUTATION, INVESTIGATING WHETHER HEPATIC TGFSS1 IS A KEY CONTROLLER FOR FOXO1-PS273 IN PROMOTING HGP, APOPTOSIS, LIVER FIBROSIS AND INFLAMMATION FOLLOWING THE NASH DIET FEEDING. AIM2 IS TO USE MOUSE PRIMARY HEPATOCYTES, BONE MARROW- DERIVED MACROPHAGES, AND HEPATIC STELLATE CELLS (HSC) TO DETERMINE THE MECHANISMS BY WHICH TGFSS1 PROMOTES MACROPHAGE DEPOLARIZATION AND HSC ACTIVATION VIA FOXO1-PS273 IN HEPATOCYTES. THE SPECIFIC- DOMAIN INTERACTIONS OF SMAD3 AND FOXO1 AND RELATED TARGET GENES EXPRESSION IN HEPATOCYTES WILL BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED. AIM 3 IS TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER SUPPRESSION OF SYSTEMATIC OR HEPATIC TGFSS1 SIGNALING IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE PREVENTION OF T2D AND NASH IN MICE, IN A FOXO1 DEPENDENT MANNER. OVERALL, USING THE GENETIC, GENOMIC, BIOINFORMATIC, AND PHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACHES, THE PI AND HIS TEAM ARE FULLY EQUIPPED TO INVESTIGATE THE NEW PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL ROLE OF HEPATIC TGF-SS1FOXO1-PS273TGFSS1 LOOPING SYSTEM IN CONTROL OF T2D AND NASH, WHICH WILL PROVIDE NOVEL INSIGHTS ON MECHANISM OF DIABETES AND NASH.

NEW AWARD DE-FE0032108 WITH TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH. PROJECT TITLED: CONTINUOUS ALGAE-BASED CARBON CAPTURE AND UTILIZATION TO TRANSFORM ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

DIET INDUCED MODIFICATIONS OF MICROBIOTA METABOLITES IN COLON TUMORIGENESIS

TO CONDUCT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM POLICIES, CROP INSURANCE PROVISIONS, AND FARM TRANSITIONS ON US AGRICULTURE AND SPECIFICALLY THE IMPACTS ON REPRESENTATIVE FARMS. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING A WIDE RANGE OF POLICIES ON THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF REPRESENTATIVE FARMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND HOW ALTERNATIVE POLICIES WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY.

THE AGRICULTURAL FOOD POLICY CENTER (AFPC) WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST (OCE) TO CONUCT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM POLICIES, CROP INSURANCE PROVISIONS, AND FARM TRANSTIONS ON US AGRICULTURE, AND SPECIFICALLY THE IMPACTS ON REPRESENTATIVE FARMS. THE JOINT EFFORT WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING A WIDE RANGE OF POLICIES ON THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF REPRESENTATIVE FARMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND HOW ALTERNATIVE POLICIES WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY.

TO CONDUCT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM POLICIES, CROP INSURANCE PROVISIONS, AND FARM TRANSITIONS ON US AGRICULTURE AND SPECIFICALLY THE IMPACTS ON REPRESENTATIVE FARMS. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING A WIDE RANGE OF POLICIES ON THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF REPRESENTATIVE FARMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND HOW ALTERNATIVE POLICIES WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY.

THE AGRICULTURAL FOOD POLICY CENTER (AFPC) WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST (OCE) TO CONUCT ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE FARM POLICIES, CROP INSURANCE PROVISIONS, AND FARM TRANSTIONS ON US AGRICULTURE, AND SPECIFICALLY THE IMPACTS ON REPRESENTATIVE FARMS. THE JOINT EFFORT WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR EXAMINING A WIDE RANGE OF POLICIES ON THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF REPRESENTATIVE FARMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND HOW ALTERNATIVE POLICIES WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY.

HATCH REGULAR FUNDS

ROLE OF ARYL HYDROCARBON RECEPTOR IN MICROBIOTA-COLON STEM CELL INTERACTIONS

SIM2 REGULATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IN DOWN SYNDROME - SUMMARY DOWN SYNDROME (DS) IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF GENETIC DISORDER AFFECTING APPROXIMATELY 1/750 NEWBORNS IN THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR. DS IS CAUSED BY AN EXTRA COPY OF ALL OR PART OF THE LONG ARM OF HUMAN CHROMOSOME 21 (HSA21). THE DS PHENOTYPE IS HIGHLY COMPLEX AND VARIABLE INCLUDING COMMON PHENOTYPES SUCH CHARACTERISTIC FACIAL FEATURES, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, SKELETAL MUSCLE WEAKNESS AND VARIABLE PHENOTYPES INCLUDING HEART DEFECTS, INCREASED INCIDENCE OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, TYPE 2 DIABETES AND OBESITY. IT IS BECOMING CLEAR THAT MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS ARE MAJOR UNDERLYING FACTORS IN DS-RELATED PATHOLOGIES. IMPAIRMENT IN RESPIRATION, ATP PRODUCTION AND MITOCHONDRIA STRUCTURE HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED IN SKELETAL MUSCLE AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN DS PATIENTS AND MOUSE MODELS. HOWEVER, THE MECHANISM DRIVING MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IN DS IS STILL NOT CLEAR. WE HAVE SHOWN THAT SINGLEMINDED 2 (SIM2), A GENE THAT WAS INITIALLY CLONED ON HSA21 AND A MEMBER OF THE BHLH/PAS FAMILY OF PROTEINS, IS EXPRESSED IN SKELETAL MUSCLE CELLS AND REGULATES WHOLE SYSTEM METABOLISM. OUR RECENT RESULTS USING GAIN AND LOSS FUNCTION CELL LINES AND MOUSE MODELS HAVE FOUND THAT SIM2 REGULATES MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION, NOT AS A CLASSICAL TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR, BUT BY INTERACTING DIRECTLY WITH MITOCHONDRIA AND MODULATING MITOCHONDRIAL RESPIRATION (MRC), POTENTIALLY THROUGH INTERACTION WITH THE MITOCHONDRIA RESPIRATORY CHAIN. BASED ON THESE NEW RESULTS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT INCREASED EXPRESSION OF SIM2 IN DS SKELETAL MUSCLE PROMOTES MITOCHONDRIAL ACTIVITY, RESULTING IN INCREASED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION. TO ADDRESS THIS HYPOTHESIS WE PROPOSE THREE SPECIFIC AIMS. IN AIM 1, WE WILL DETERMINE THE ROLE OF SIM2 IN THE MITOCHONDRIAL RESPIRATORY COMPLEX IN DS. WE WILL ALSO DEFINE THE PHYSICAL BASIS FOR, AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES OF, INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SIM2 AND THE MITOCHONDRIA RESPIRATORY CHAIN COMPLEX IN METABOLISM. IN AIM 2, WE WILL DETERMINE THE ROLE OF SIM2 IN DS-ASSOCIATED SKELETAL MUSCLE DYSFUNCTION BY CROSSING THE WELL- ESTABLISHED DS MOUSE MODEL, DP(16)1YEY/+ DS, WITH WHOLE BODY SIM2+/- KNOCKOUT MICE. IN ADDITION, WE WILL ALSO DETERMINE THE IMPACT LOSS OF SIM2 HAS ON MITOCHONDRIAL TURNOVER AND STRUCTURE BY CROSSING THE MITO-QC MOUSE MODEL WITH SIM2+/- MICE. IN AIM 3, WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RECENT ADVANCES IN SYNTHETIC ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDE (ASO) TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOP AND TEST IN CELL CULTURE AND DS MOUSE MODELS USING A SIM2 ASO DRUG FOR DS. WE EXPECT RESULTS FROM THESE STUDIES WILL HELP DEFINE THE MECHANISM OF MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IN DS.

DIETARY FLAVONOIDS-MICROBIOTA-AH RECEPTOR INTERACTIONS IN THE GUT

PHAGE LYSIS

THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR FOREIGN ANIMAL AND ZOONOTIC DISEASE DEFENSE