Jonesboro — Arkansas State University has been awarded $2.2 million by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to lead a collaborative research project aimed at improving drought tolerance in rice and wheat, two essential food crops globally.
The initiative, titled “Collaborative Research: FEC: Boosting Tolerance to Water Stress in Rice and Wheat Using Mycorrhizal Inoculants,” is part of NSF’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Research Infrastructure Improvement: Focused Collaborations (RII-FEC). Dr. Argelia Lorence, a professor of metabolic engineering, is heading the project alongside co-principal investigator Dr. Scott A. Mangan, associate professor of ecology. Arkansas State is partnering on the four-year effort with the University of Kansas, the University of Nebraska, and Kansas State University.
The research aims to address growing concerns over how prolonged drought conditions are impacting agricultural regions. Scientists will explore how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi)—naturally occurring soil fungi that form symbiotic relationships with plant roots—can enhance drought resilience in rice and wheat. These fungi are known to improve nutrient uptake, water absorption, and overall plant growth.
“In this grant, we seek to develop strategies to boost the tolerance to water stress in rice and wheat using mycorrhizal fungal inoculants,” said Lorence. “With droughts becoming more common and severe, developing strategies to keep growing rice with less water is important and the reason why this study is significant.”
The project engages multiple scientific disciplines, including plant biology, ecology, physiology, and genomics, alongside field research. It also incorporates an assessment of socioeconomic factors influencing farmers’ willingness to adopt fungal inoculant technologies.
Dr. Travis Marsico, vice provost for research, innovation, and discovery at A-State, described the broader scope of the project. “A-State is leading a complex $6 million total award across three states and four universities addressing applied research to improve rice and wheat crop yields,” Marsico said. “Through this project, Dr. Lorence and her team demonstrate collaborative leadership on a topic important to Arkansans. This is what we do at A-State—make important, relevant discoveries that move us forward.”
In addition to agricultural innovation, the grant will support workforce development by funding training programs for undergraduate and graduate students. The project also aims to foster educational outreach across Arkansas and among partner institutions.
The project commenced on August 1, 2023, and is scheduled to continue through July 31, 2030, underscoring A-State’s ongoing focus on sustainable agriculture and food security challenges.