University of Nebraska and Iowa State University Receive NSF Funding for Breakthrough Technologies in Food Security
The National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the United Kingdom Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council have begun a collaboration to develop cutting-edge responses to fundamental food security questions. These "Breakthrough Technology Awards" enable the "high-risk, high-reward" research that is essential to developing solutions to drought, flood, pests, and disease.
"This competition called for scientists and engineers to collaborate and build new, effective solutions to improve crop systems by harnessing all available technologies."
The tri-agency collaboration is providing approximately $10 million to twenty projects focusing on developing technology that increases agricultural security. Among the winning projects is a joint endeavor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State University. The project is entitled: A wearable plant sensor for real-time monitoring of sap flow and stem diameter to accelerate breeding for water use efficiency.