Clemson University

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. Current Global Reserve of Phosphate Rock, the Main Source for 90% of Phosphorus Fertilizer That Is Currently Produced, Is Expected to Be Depleted Within the Next 100 Years. Hence the Diversification of Phosphorus Inputs Is Critical for the Global Food Security. Mycorrhizae Are Beneficial Fungal Species That Associate With Plant Roots and Help Acquire Soil Phosphorus That Are Otherwise Unavailable to Plants. This Ability of Mycorrhizae to Tap Into the Less Available Form of Phosphorus, If Utilized Correctly, Would Help to Alleviate the Overdependence of Chemical Fertilizers in Agriculture and Improve the Sustainability of Production Systems. Though Many Types of Mycorrhizal Species Can Associate With Plant Roots, the Overall Productivity of Plants Depends on the Identity of the Plant and Fungal Species That Is Engaged in the Symbiotic Partnership. the Mismatch of the Plant and Fungal Trait Can Result in Detrimental Outcomes With Loss of Plant Productivity. the Mechanism Governing the Selective Association of Plant and Mycorrhizae That Result in Positive Productivity of Crops Remains Unknown; the Elucidation of Which Is the Main Objective of This Research.using Sorghum as the Study Species, Researchers Will Use Cutting-edge Analytical and Experimental Approaches to Understand the Signaling Mechanism of Plants That Facilitate the Germination and Association of the Fungus With Plant Roots. Further, the Researchers Will Measure the Diversity and Function of the Chemicals Produced by Plant Roots and the Microorganisms in the Vicinity of the Roots to Understand the Ability of Different Sorghum Accessions to Sustain a Beneficial Microbial Community. by Combining Coarser and Finer-level Observations, Researchers Will Identify Ten Sorghum-mycorrhizal Pairs That Would Be the Most Productive in a Phosphorus-limited Environment and Would Further Test the Performance Under Field Conditions.by Identifying the Factors Regulating the Positive Outcome of Symbiotic Associations, Thisresearch Will Enable the Selection of Optimal Sorghum-mycorrhizal Pairs That Would Perform Better in Marginal Lands. the Results of This Experiment Would Also Be Applicable in Selecting Ideal Plant Mycorrhizal Associations in Other Grain Crops, Including Corn, and Would Enhance Soil Health and Sustainability. Overall, the Proposed Approach Will Decrease the Dependence of Agriculture on Chemical Fertilizers, the Continued Application of Which Are Unsustainable Due to the High Energy Consumption for Production and Impending Depletion of Raw Materials.