INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University (WVSU) has been awarded a $400,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Defense to support a plant science initiative led by WVSU Researcher Dr. Padma Nimmakayala. This funding will help the university study how plants cope with harsh conditions like drought, salty soil and exposure to heavy metals.

The grant will support the purchase of a high-tech machine called the Plant-Ditech functional phenotyping system. This tool enables researchers to observe how plants respond to various conditions without harming them. Additionally, the university will use the funds to acquire controlled-environment growth chambers to test how plants cope with stress.

“This grant will benefit approximately 50-60 undergraduate and 20 master’s students in the biological sciences and plant science at WVSU by providing access to precise phenotyping techniques through courses, as well as faculty-directed research in plant breeding, genomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics and environmental studies,” Nimmakayala said.

With this new equipment, WVSU aims to become a leader in plant research in the United States by aligning itself with a select group of universities with access to this advanced technology. This project marks a significant step toward enhancing research facilities in WVSU’s biotechnology programs. 

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