Research Initiation Award: Next generation sequencing (NGS) of Freedom Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus)-associated fungal communities

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU-UP）研究启动奖（RIAs）为hbcu中开始建立研究项目的STEM初级教师提供支持，也为那些在担任行政职务后可能已经回到教职员工队伍或需要重新定向和重建研究项目的职业中期教师提供支持。教师可以在自己的学校、美国国家科学基金会资助的中心、研究密集型机构或国家实验室进行研究。RIA项目将有助于进一步提高教师的研究能力和效率，改善其所在机构的研究和教学，并使本科生参与研究经验。在国家科学基金会的支持下，奥尔康州立大学将进行一项研究，研究与能量草（如巨型芒草）相关的真菌群落。该项目将提高主要研究者的研究能力以及奥尔康州立大学的教学和学习。本科生将受益于与大学和行业合作伙伴的合作以及真菌生态学的研究经验和培训。这种经历将有助于培养本科生的能力，并支持国家建立一支强大的STEM劳动力队伍的努力。本研究的目的是研究巨型芒草真菌群落和根内生菌在提高原料生产中的作用。具体目标是：1)利用新一代测序工具（基因座定位Illumina MiSeq测序）研究植物茎、根和根际真菌群落的组成、多样性和丰富度以及季节和时间变化；2)分离鉴定根定殖真菌内生菌，通过生长室研究筛选出共生型和寄生/致病性真菌内生菌。本研究结果将：1)提供与重要C4能源草相关的真菌生物群系的蓝图；2)确定真菌多样性和组成的非生物驱动因素及其空间结构；3)为剖析丛枝菌根真菌对巨型芒草高氮可持续性的贡献奠定基础；4)确定根系真菌内生菌对宿主的影响。本研究将为未来的校企合作奠定基础，以开展大型芒草微生物共生关系的更大规模合作研究。该项目将与堪萨斯州立大学合作进行。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Research Initiation Awards (RIAs) provide support to STEM junior faculty at HBCUs who are starting to build a research program, as well as for mid-career faculty who may have returned to the faculty ranks after holding an administrative post or who needs to redirect and rebuild a research program. Faculty members may pursue research at their home institution, at an NSF-funded Center, at a research intensive institution or at a national laboratory. The RIA projects are expected to help further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, to improve research and teaching at his or her home institution, and to involve undergraduate students in research experiences. With support from the National Science Foundation, Alcorn State University will conduct research to examine the fungal communities associated with energy grasses such as the giant miscanthus. The project will enhance the research capabilities of the principle investigator as well as teaching and learning at Alcorn State University. Undergraduate students will benefit from the collaborations with university and industry partners and the research experiences and training in fungal ecology. This experience will help to build the competency of the undergraduate students and support the nation's efforts in building a robust STEM workforce. The aim of the proposed study is to examine the giant miscanthus fungal communities and the role of root endophytes in enhancing feedstock production. Specific objectives are: 1) to employ next generation sequencing (NGS) tools (locus targeted Illumina MiSeq sequencing) to examine the composition, diversity and richness, and the seasonal and temporal variation of fungal communities of the shoot, root and rhizosphere; and 2) to isolate and identify root colonizing fungal endophytes and to select mutualistic and parasitic/pathogenic fungal endophytes by growth chamber studies. Findings from this study will: 1) provide a blueprint of the fungal biome associated with an important C4 energy grass; 2) identify abiotic drivers of fungal diversity and composition and their spatial structuring; 3) lay the foundation for dissecting the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi towards high nitrogen sustainability of giant miscanthus; 4) identify the impact of root fungal endophytes on the host. This study will prepare the foundation for future university-industry partnership to conduct larger collaborative investigations on the microbial symbiosis of giant miscanthus. This project will be conducted in collaboration with Kansas State University.