Nitrogen fixation researcher gets $1.7 M

Davis, Calif.-A $1.7 million National Science Foundation grant has been awarded to University of California Davis Plant Pathology Professor Douglas Cook to pursue research on nitrogen fixation in legumes, including peas, beans, peanuts, and alfalfa. “Our research is aimed at better understanding how and to what extent crop domestication has impacted plants’ ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, which is critical for plant growth,” Cook said. “We’re looking for the genes that control nitrogen fixation capacity in hopes that they will lead us to more efficient nitrogen-fixing legume crops.”