SBIR Phase I: Novel chemistry for enhancing drought tolerance in field crops

p该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过减少主要经济作物的水足迹，使美国农民能够适应气候变化。干旱是农民、农村经济和粮食供应链面临的最大风险之一;有限的降水和灌溉是作物生产力的主要制约因素。气候变化有可能进一步加剧干旱造成的作物损失，因为它改变了美国最多产的农业地区的降雨模式和天气条件。2012年，由于严重干旱，美国玉米产量比前一年减少20%。即使在与干旱有关的作物损失没有直接由农民承担的情况下，美国经济也会感受到影响。2012年，联邦农作物保险计划支付了创纪录的173亿美元保险索赔。虽然在田间管理和耐旱作物的开发方面已经取得了有希望的进展，但目前还没有增强田间作物对水分限制胁迫时期的稳健性的作物保护产品。一种可以应用于农田以减少灌溉需求并提高产量的产品将是同类产品中的第一种。p p这一小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发化学品，以加强主要大田作物的抗旱和增产，重点是玉米。非生物胁迫（干旱、盐碱和热胁迫等）是限制收获产量的主要因素，种植者在面临有限的水资源时几乎没有工具可用于提高产量和最大限度地降低风险。Asilomar Bio发现了一种合成化合物，可以增强作物对非生物胁迫的耐受性，并在田间试验中提高产量。该新型活性成分作为叶面喷雾剂或种子处理剂施用于作物。该提案的目的是确定这类新型化合物的结构-活性关系，并对该领域代表性化合物的剂量-反应行为进行基准测试。研究目标的成功完成将提高对玉米胁迫保护和水分利用的理解，并为这项技术的商业化提供背景。p

pThe broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to enable American farmers to adapt to climate change by reducing the water footprint of major commercial crops. Drought is one of the most significant risks for farmers, rural economies, and the food supply chain; limited precipitation and irrigation acts as a major constraint on crop productivity. Climate change threatens to further exacerbate crop losses due to drought by shifting rainfall patterns and weather conditions across Americas most productive agricultural regions. In 2012, US corn production was 20% below the previous year due to a severe drought. Even in cases where drought related crop losses are not borne directly by farmers, the effects are felt by the US economy. The Federal Crop Insurance Program paid out a record $17.3 billion in insurance claims during 2012. While there have been promising advances in field management and in the development of drought tolerant crops, there is currently no crop protection product that enhances the robustness of field crops to periods of water-limitation stress. A product that could be applied to fields to reduce irrigation needs and boost yield would be first in class./p pThis Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop chemistry for enhanced drought protection and yield enhancement in major field crops, with a focus on corn. Abiotic stress (drought, salinity, and heat stress, among others) is a major limitation on harvest yield, with few tools available for growers to enhance yields and minimize risk in the face of limited water. Asilomar Bio has discovered a synthetic compound that enhances crop tolerance to abiotic stress and enhances yield in field trials. The novel active ingredient is applied as a foliar spray or seed treatment to crops. The objectives of this proposal are the determination of structure-activity relationship of this novel class of compounds and benchmarking the dose-response behavior of a representative compound in the field. Successful completion of research objectives will result in enhanced understanding of stress protection and water use in corn as well as provide context for commercialization of this technology./p