Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center solicits research on development of environmentally friendly bioherbicides and strategies to control invasive Phragmites australis and other invasive plants. This project will be a collaborative effort to explore the role of microbial endophytes in enhancing the growth and stress tolerance of invasive Phragmites australis and use that information to develop a new, low-toxicity bioherbicide that offers resource managers more treatment options for this noxious plant. The proposed collaborative work will fill the research gap and work to generate a new model for combating invasive species by reducing their competitive abilities through targeting their symbiotic association using low-toxicity compounds or antagonistic microbes. Past and ongoing investments in this line of research are producing promising new technologies that are supported by several patent applications and patents, some of which have already been licensed by commercial entities. However, additional work is needed in field testing and development as commercial partners are engaged.