PLANT IMPROVEMENT PLATFORM

Drive innovative science and technology that expands discovery opportunities across all plant science fields to deliver applied solutions.

AREAS OF FOCUS

• Crop stress protection

• Agrisymbiotics

• New plant varieties

• Genomics and genome editing

For over 130 years, NC State has focused on understanding agriculture from the groundup, from seed to harvest. This includes extensive studies and publications on underlying genetics and plant breeding, the soil and root system, water and nutrient delivery, crop protection methods and plant physiology. The Plant Improvement platform focuses on how plants interact with their environment, including soil, climate and biotic and abiotic plant stresses by investigating plant components and what it takes to grow them. With greater understanding of how to manipulate a plant’s surroundings and genetic make-up, the more we can develop solutions that improve plant yield and advance plant science.

GOAL 1: UTILIZE SEED FUNDING PROGRAM TO DRIVE FACULTY AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH N.C. PSI

Key Initiatives

• Provide seed funding for new N.C. PSI projects or concepts to catalyze the development of research teams within the NC State ecosystem (e.g., partnering with NC State interdisciplinary academies and related research teams); stimulate new ideas, team formation, and data and technology development to be competitive for large-scale funding programs; and designate funds specifically to engage graduate and postdoctoral students in related research activities

• Identify and pursue seed funding to support exploration of causal genes or develop new technologies and integrate basic and applied scientists to drive product development

• Provide and market Plant Sciences Building technology, infrastructure and other resources for affiliated N.C. PSI projects

• Provide seed funding for technical staff and other resources at research stations and for on-farm, field-based programs

N.C. PSI STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT

Strategic Priority 1.1: Integrate technology and data management capabilities into all aspects of N.C. PSI

Strategic Priority 1.2: Transform the future of agriculture through large-scale interdisciplinary pursuits

Strategic Priority 1.3: Position N.C. PSI as a regional hub for plant sciences economic impact

Strategic Priority 2.1: Elevate N.C. PSI’s presence across NC State, throughout North Carolina and around the world

Strategic Priority 2.2: Prioritize engagement with the North Carolina agriculture sector

Strategic Priority 3.1: Establish N.C. PSI as a model for interdisciplinary structure, governance, policy, staffing and sustainable funding

Strategic Priority 3.2: Develop sustainable funding model for N.C. PSI

GOAL 2: ESTABLISH ENVIRONMENT THAT DRIVES COLLISIONS BETWEEN PLANT BREEDERS AND FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCHERS

Key Initiatives

• Hold problem-based meetings focused around clearly-defined challenges, facilitating a shared understanding of gaps or issues, identifying prospective solutions and pursuing relevant grant opportunities

• Establish working groups for key areas of focus or challenges along with a roster of faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral students interested in or affiliated with the platform

• Leverage data analytics software and existing university tools to identify prospective research teams and align research agendas

• Establish conduit for plant breeders to deploy new varieties that are built on pushing the boundaries of plant science and have real-world applications

• Position the Plant Sciences Building demo lab as an active place for researchers to respond to real-world needs like phenotype and molecular biology demonstrations

• Hold regular research lightning talks or workshops to serve as an idea exchange and continually align the work of plant breeders and researchers

N.C. PSI STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT

Strategic Priority 1.1: Integrate technology and data management capabilities into all aspects of N.C. PSI

Strategic Priority 2.1: Elevate N.C. PSI’s presence across NC State, throughout North Carolina and around the world

Strategic Priority 2.2: Prioritize engagement with the North Carolina agriculture sector

N.C. PSI PLATFORM GOALS: PLANT IMPROVEMENT

GOAL 3: LEVERAGE N.C. PSI AND PLATFORM INFRASTRUCTURE TO BUILD COLLABORATIONS AND DRIVE ENGAGEMENT AMONG FACULTY, STUDENTS AND INDUSTRY

Key Initiatives

• Hold industry forums to understand private industry needs and challenges, identify overlapping areas of focus, align students with internship opportunities to support these needs, and discuss ways N.C. PSI can support related research and development priorities (e.g., small molecules)

• Provide affiliated researchers with access to seed and microbial storage solutions

• Promote and connect researchers with Plant Sciences Building greenhouses to support programs like speed breeding

• Establish models for gene testing and provide researchers with model access

• Develop menu of platform offerings and how to access N.C. PSI and/or platform resources (e.g., information on Plant Sciences Building resources, demo lab success stories or case studies, virtual tours or videos and research expertise of affiliated faculty)

• Hold workshops or seminars on next-generation crops designed to understand knowledge and technology gaps and clarify how N.C. PSI and partners can generate value or solutions to address these needs (e.g., Plant Breeding Consortium)

• Develop whitepapers focused on research concept ideas that align with grant funding areas of interest

N.C. PSI STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT

Strategic Priority 1.1: Integrate technology and data management capabilities into all aspects of N.C. PSI

Strategic Priority 1.2: Transform the future of agriculture through large-scale interdisciplinary pursuits

Strategic Priority 1.3: Position N.C. PSI as a regional hub for plant sciences economic impact

Strategic Priority 2.1: Elevate N.C. PSI’s presence across NC State, throughout North Carolina and around the world

Strategic Priority 2.2: Prioritize engagement with the North Carolina agriculture sector

Strategic Priority 2.3: Expand N.C. PSI partnerships and strengthen external collaborations