The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) have issued 27 research project awards, totaling more than $18 million, to support research into the relationships between plants, microbes, and other organisms in their environment. This new inter-agency collaboration builds on natural applications of the basic research funded by NSF to increase beneficial interactions and decrease harmful interactions between plants and other organisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and insects.

The next submission deadline for the FY18 Plant Biotic Interactions program (NSF 17-551) competition is September 1, 2017. More information and program contacts can be found on its program page.