Cultivar-specific rhizosphere fungi for enhanced crop stress resilience and nutrient efficiency
Research platform leveraging non-endosymbiotic fungi isolated from rice rhizospheres to improve nitrogen use efficiency, photosynthetic performance, and stress tolerance. Fungal isolates exhibit cultivar-specific associations and auxin (IAA) biosynthesis capabilities, offering a biological approach to boost crop productivity under biotic and abiotic stressors.
Overview
This research program isolates and characterizes non-endosymbiotic fungi from rice rhizospheres that form cultivar-specific associations with their host plants. These fungi contribute beneficial metabolic functions, notably auxin (IAA) biosynthesis, and extend the plant's absorptive reach through hyphal networks. The work targets improvements in nitrogen use efficiency, photosynthetic efficiency, and resilience against biotic stressors (such as pathogens) and abiotic stressors (including drought, herbicide exposure, and crop rotation effects). By understanding and harnessing these fungal partners, the program aims to develop biological inputs that enhance crop performance and sustainability.
Technical specifications
Key capabilities and findings:
- Isolation and morphological plus molecular identification of non-endosymbiotic fungi from rice rhizospheres in paddies across the USA and Hunan, China
- Demonstration of IAA biosynthesis by select isolates using coleoptile curvature bioassays and colorimetric assays
- Evidence of cultivar-specific fungal associations, with certain isolates repeatedly recovered from specific USA rice cultivars
- Bioinformatic identification of likely Trp-dependent IAA biosynthesis pathway genes distinct from prokaryotic counterparts, enabling discrimination between fungal and bacterial contributions to rhizosphere auxin pools
- Planned controlled growth-chamber and greenhouse validation measuring plant nitrogen use efficiency, photosynthetic efficiency, biomass, and stress responses
- Metagenomic monitoring of prokaryotic flora and fungal effects in collaboration with Texas A&M University
Technology readiness level
The program is at an early-to-mid stage of development. Fungal isolates have been successfully collected and characterized from multiple geographic locations, with IAA biosynthesis confirmed and cultivar specificity documented. The next phase involves controlled growth-chamber and greenhouse experiments to validate functional effects on plant physiology and stress tolerance, alongside metagenomic characterization of associated microbial communities. The technology is not yet ready for commercial deployment but is positioned for translational validation through collaborative research partnerships.
About University of West Florida
UWF is a comprehensive regional public research university of more than 15,000 students, with an applied, civic orientation rooted in Northwest Florida. Its Pensacola campus and regional locations support close engagement with employers, public agencies, and community organizations. The Haas Center, an EDA University Center, provides workforce, economic, survey, and industrial-innovation services, while the Sea3D lab gives students and industry partners access to additive-manufacturing capabilities. The Office of Industrial Innovation provides a central entry point for companies seeking UWF expertise, complemented by a joint doctoral program with Pensacola-based IHMC. Research is supported by the NSF, NIH, and U.S. Department of Defense, with technology-transfer resources for patenting, licensing, and commercialization.
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