Plant Production and Protection (Engineering)

The objective of this topic area is to enhance crop production in both conventional and organic systems by creating and commercializing engineering technologies that enhance system efficiency and profitability and that protect crops from pests and pathogens in economically and environmentally sound ways. Engineering projects must describe the system need; design specifications, functionality and reliability; and cost benefit analysis. Where feasible, projects should describe the testing metrics, experimental design, and materials and methods to collect and analyze data on the metrics. Projects must create solutions that are scalable to address problems in commercial agriculture. Applications to the 8.13 topic area should focus on engineering solutions that directly improve crop production and protection. Applications proposing topics outside of crop production and protection should contact the NPL to ensure that that project is a fit in the program area. Applications for the Phase I program must address early stage, proof of concept research as is specified in this RFA. Adaptation of existing technologies to new crops, regions, pest, etc. must require significant innovation as to fit the proof-of-concept nature of the Phase I program.