The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has given $635,000 in grants to the University of North Texas (UNT)’s Department of Biological Sciences and BioDiscovery Institute. This funding will support cotton plant research and the purchase of laser microdissection equipment for high-resolution research in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma.
The first grant of $294,000 over three years was given to Brian G. Ayre and Roisin C. McGarry. They are researching ways to improve the resilience and productivity of cotton, particularly the bast fibers found in the plant’s stem. These fibers, currently underused, could be a potential alternative to synthetic fiber from fossil fuels.
Their research aims to understand the genetic networks that control the formation of this plant tissue. This could help cotton producers assess the economic potential of the plant tissue and its possible uses. Ayre believes that understanding bast fiber development could increase crop returns and contribute to fundamental science.