70 Projects Funded in Michigan

Total Approved Budget: $18,546,825  |  Sum of Board Approved: $18,546,825
5891 – 2026 Panel: Environ/Water/Ren. Res.  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $570,000
UPR-TOR Regulation of Root Foraging in Soil Pore Structure: Linking Phosphate Uptake to Soil Carbon Dynamics
M. Dor U Ben Gurion ; F. Brandizzi U Michigan St.; R. Danieli U Michigan St.;
5872 – 2026 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $570,000
Harnessing wild wheat relatives: Multi-omics integration of seed and root metabolism in Aegilops longissima for improving bread wheat
Y. Brotman U Tel Aviv ; S. Rhee U Michigan St.; N. Sade U Tel Aviv ;
5853 – 2026 Panel: Crop Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $180,000
Examination of the potential involvement of stigma exudate exRNAs in regulating flower pollination and fire blight disease resistance     
Y. Leshem MIGAL R&D; G. Sundin U Michigan St.;
5684 – 2024 Panel: Food Product  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
ABA as a regulator of sucrose metabolism during endodormancy of potato tuber  
D. Eshel ARO, Min. Ag.; J. Jiang U Michigan St.;
5640 – 2024 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $309,000
Improving immune function in heat stressed dairy cows by modulating the activation of cannabinoid receptor 2  
M. Zachut ARO, Min. Ag.; B. Bradford U Michigan St.;
5607 – 2023 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
Can weed species adapt to climate change and agricultural practice via transgenerational phenotypic plasticity?
M. Matzrafi ARO, Min. Ag.; C. Brunharo U Penn State; E. Patterson U Michigan St.;
8071 – 2022 Panel: NIFAI  |  Duration: 2 yrs  |  Budget: $288,000
Active biodegradable food packaging from bio-waste of altern
E. Poverenov ARO, Min. Ag.; E. Almenar U Michigan St.; V. Rodov ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Galili Juran;
5343 – 2021 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
Elucidating carp responses and virulence strategies during CyHV-3 infection of hosts with different susceptibility patterns
B. Gorgoglione U Michigan St.; L. David U Hebrew ;
5317 – 2020 Panel: Food Product  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
Cold induced sweetening as a trigger for endodormancy release of potato seed tubers
D. Eshel ARO, Min. Ag.; J. Jiang U Michigan St.;
5167 – 2019 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
The role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating adipose tissue lipolysis and remodeling in postpartum dairy cows
M. Zachut ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Contreras U Michigan St.; J. Tam U Hebrew ;
5038 – 2017 Panel: Food Product  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
Postharvest sweetening of potato seed tubers and effects on their yield performance
D. Eshel ARO, Min. Ag.; J. Jiang U Michigan St.;
5010 – 2017 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
Improving fleshy fruit set by dissecting the AGL6 regulatory pathway
T. Arazi ARO, Min. Ag.; E. Grotewold U Michigan St.;
5009 – 2017 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
Cucumis fruit surface biology: Genetic analysis of fruit exocarp features in melon (C. melo) and cucumber (C. sativus)
R. Grumet U Michigan St.; A. Schaffer ARO, Min. Ag.; C. Barry U Michigan St.; J. Burger ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Gur ARO, Min. Ag.; Y. Tadmor ARO, Min. Ag.; M. Petreikov ARO, Min. Ag.;
4892 – 2016 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $290,000
Genetic manipulations of MC4R for increased growth and feed efficiency in fish           
Y. Gothilf U Tel Aviv ; R. Cone U Michigan; B. Levavi-Sivan U Hebrew ; S. Harpaz ARO, Min. Ag.;
9510 – 2014 Panel: MARD  |  Duration: 1 yrs  |  Budget: $50,000
Establishing a germplasm collection of East Mediterranean crucifer plant genetic resources
O. Barazani ARO, Min. Ag.; J. Conner U Michigan St.; J. Ziffer-Berger U Hebrew ; A. Al-Oqla Daradkah NCARE; T. Hijawi AIRD; N. Samara AIRD; I. Dworkin U Michigan St.;
4341 – 2010 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $310,000
Whole genome approach for genetic analysis in cucumber: Fruit size as a test case
A. Sherman ARO, Min. Ag.; R. Grumet U Michigan St.; R. Ophir ARO, Min. Ag.; N. Katzir ARO, Min. Ag.; Y. Weng USDA, ARS;
4322 – 2010 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $315,000
Scent biosynthesis in petunia flowers under normal and adverse environmental conditions
E. Pichersky U Michigan; A. Vainstein U Hebrew ; N. Doudareva U Purdue;
4229 – 2009 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $332,000
Structure, Function and Utilization of Plant Photosynthetic Reaction Centers
N. Nelson U Tel Aviv ; C. Yocum U Michigan;
4150 – 2008 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $333,000
Controlling Early Stages of DNA Repair for Gene-targeting Enhancement in Plants 
T. Wilson U Michigan; A. Levy Weizmann Inst.; T. Tzfira U Ben Gurion ;
4125 – 2008 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $305,000
The Molecular and Biochemical Basis of Terpenoid Aroma Formation in Tomato
E. Lewinsohn ARO, Min. Ag.; N. Doudareva U Purdue; Y. Sitrit U Ben Gurion ; E. Pichersky U Michigan;
4066 – 2007 Panel: Crop Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $270,000
The Unexpected Specificity of a Sea Anemone Small Toxin for Insect Na-channels and its Synergic Effects with Various Insecticidal Ligands: A New Model to Mimic
D. Gordon U Tel Aviv ; K. Dong U Michigan St.; M. Gurevitz U Tel Aviv ;
3987 – 2007 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $325,000
Deciphering the Luteal Transcriptome: Insights into the Mechanisms Regulating Corpus Luteum Regression
R. Meidan U Hebrew ; G. Smith U Michigan St.;
3910 – 2006 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $330,000
Genetic, Genomic and Biochemical Analysis of Arabidopsis Threonine Aldolase and Associated Molecular and Metabolic Networks
G. Jander Boyce Thompson; G. Galili Weizmann Inst.; Y. Shachar-Hill U Michigan St.;
3869 – 2006 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $315,000
Tomato Natural Insecticides: Elucidation of the Complex Pathway of Methylketone Biosynthesis
E. Fridman U Hebrew ; E. Pichersky U Michigan;
3853 – 2006 Panel: Aquaculture  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $218,000
Production of Seed Stocks for Sustainable Tank Cultivation of the Red Edible Seaweed Porphyra
A. Israel Isr. Ocean. Res.; J. Merrill U Michigan St.;
3735 – 2005 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $295,000
Ethylene Mediated Regulation of Cucumis Reproduction - from Sex Expression to Fruit Set
R. Grumet U Michigan St.; R. Perl-Treves U Bar Ilan ; J. Staub USDA, ARS;
3733 – 2005 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $355,000
Increasing Starch Accumulation via Genetic Modification of the ADP-glucose Pyrophosphorylase
A. Schaffer ARO, Min. Ag.; J. Preiss U Michigan St.; M. Petreikov ARO, Min. Ag.; I. Levin ARO, Min. Ag.;
3480 – 2003 Panel: Crop Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $320,000
Sensitivity of a wide array of insect sodium channels to anti-insect selective toxins: a key for preventing resistance buildup to pyrethroids
M. Gurevitz U Tel Aviv ; K. Dong U Michigan St.; D. Gordon U Tel Aviv ;
3437 – 2003 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $330,000
Integrating biochemical and genomic approaches to elucidate C6-C2 volatile production: improvement of floral scent and fruit aroma
N. Doudareva U Purdue; A. Vainstein U Hebrew ; E. Pichersky U Michigan; D. Weiss U Hebrew ;
3332 – 2002 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $305,000
Functional genomics of citral biosynthesis in aromatic plants: Pathway elucidation and applications.
E. Lewinsohn ARO, Min. Ag.; E. Pichersky U Michigan; J. Simon U Rutgers; N. Dudai ARO, Min. Ag.;
3139 – 2000 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $330,000
Ethylene Mediated Regulation of Sex Expression in Cucumis
R. Perl-Treves U Bar Ilan ; R. Grumet U Michigan St.; N. Katzir ARO, Min. Ag.; J. Staub USDA, ARS;
3133 – 2000 Panel: Food Product  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $290,000
Inhibition of the Gravitropic Shoot Bending in Stored Cut Flowers Through Control of Their Graviperception: Involvement of the Cytoskeleton and Cytosolic Calcium
S. Philosoph-Hadas ARO, Min. Ag.; P. Kaufman U Michigan; S. Meir ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Halevy U Hebrew ;
3008 – 1999 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $270,000
The Epidemiology of Avian Leukosis Virus-subtype J Infection in Broiler Breeder Flocks of Poultry and its Eradication from Pedigree Breeding Stock
M. Malkinson Isr. Vet. Inst.; I. Davidson Isr. Vet. Inst.; M. Kotler U Hebrew ; R. Witter USDA, ARS;
2999 – 1999 Panel: Crop Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $265,000
Isolation of Baculoviruses with Expanded Spectrum of Action against Lepidopteran Pests
N. Chejanovsky ARO, Min. Ag.; S. Thiem U Michigan St.;
2982 – 1999 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $250,000
The LX Senescence-Induced Ribonuclease in Tomato: Function and Regulation
A. Lers ARO, Min. Ag.; K. Keegstra U Michigan St.; P. Green U Michigan St.;
2769 – 1997 Panel: Aquaculture  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $287,000
The GH-IGF Axis in Sparus aurata: Possible Applications to Genetic Selection
B. Funkenstein Isr. Ocean. Res.; C. Duan U Michigan;
2709 – 1997 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $300,000
Biotechnology of Tomato Volatiles for Flavor Improvement
E. Lewinsohn ARO, Min. Ag.; E. Pichersky U Michigan; S. Gepstein Technion;
2707 – 1997 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $330,000
Molecular Interactions between Herpes and Retroviruses in Dually Infected Chickens and Turkeys
I. Davidson Isr. Vet. Inst.; H. Kung Case Western; R. Witter USDA, ARS;
2666 – 1996 Panel: Crop Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $300,000
Identification of Potyviral Domains Controlling Systemic Infection, Host Range and Aphid Transmission. 
R. Grumet U Michigan St.; B. Raccah ARO, Min. Ag.;
2434 – 1995 Panel: Food Product  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $330,000
Signal Transduction Pathway of Hormonal Action in Control and Regulation of the Gravitropic Response of Cut Flowering Stems during Storage and Transport
S. Philosoph-Hadas ARO, Min. Ag.; P. Kaufman U Michigan; S. Meir ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Halevy U Hebrew ;
2399 – 1995 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $300,000
Analysis of Senescence Inducible Ribonuclease in Tomato: Gene Regulation and Function
A. Lers ARO, Min. Ag.; P. Green U Michigan St.;
2316 – 1994 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $300,000
Mapping the Chicken Genome, Including Loci Affecting Traits of Economic Importance
M. Soller U Hebrew ; H. Cheng USDA, ARS; L. Crittenden USDA, ARS;
2265 – 1994 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $300,000
Degradation of Abnormal Proteins in Chloroplasts of Higher Plants
Z. Adam U Hebrew ; E. Pichersky U Michigan;
2175 – 1993 Panel: Food Product  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $250,000
Prestorage Heat Treatment to Inhibit Chilling Injury and Delay Ripening in Tomato Fruit
S. Lurie ARO, Min. Ag.; D. Dilley U Michigan St.; J. Klein ARO, Min. Ag.; I. Wilson U Michigan St.;
1942 – 1992 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $170,000
Reduction of Reticuloendotheliosis in Foundation Breeding Flocks of Chickens: A Combined Immunological and Molecular Biological Approach
M. Malkinson Isr. Vet. Inst.; R. Witter USDA, ARS; I. Davidson Isr. Vet. Inst.;
1913 – 1991 Panel: Food Product  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $230,000
Design and Function of Modified Atmosphere Packaging Systems for Fresh Produce: a Unified Approach for Optimizing Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and Relative Humidity
A. Cameron U Michigan St.; S. Ben-Yehoshua ARO, Min. Ag.; R. Hernandez U Michigan St.;
1873 – 1991 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $210,000
Asymmetric Somatic Hybridization: Developing a Gene Transfer System for Solanaceous Vegetable Crops
K. Sink U Michigan St.; S. Izhar ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Nachmias ARO, Min. Ag.;
1819 – 1991 Panel: Aquaculture  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $240,000
Biochemical and Physiological Regulation of Lipid Synthesis in Unicellular Algae with Special Emphasis on W-3 Very Long Chain Lipids
A. Sukenik Isr. Ocean. Res.; P. Roessler U Denver; A. Livne Isr. Ocean. Res.; J. Ohlrogge U Michigan St.;
1556 – 1989 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $210,000
Molecular Genetic Analysis of Traits of Economic Importance in Poultry
L. Bacon USDA, ARS; M. Soller U Hebrew ; J. Beckmann ARO, Min. Ag.;
1386 – 1988 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $200,000
Induced Plant Cell Wall Modification: Analysis of Herbicide-Resistant Tomato Cells Processing Altered Cell Wall Composition
D. Delmer U Hebrew ; D. Lamport U Michigan St.;
1384 – 1988 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $180,000
Studies on the Mechanism and Regulation of Plant Cell-Cell Communication: Effects of Hormones and Light on the Symplast Continuum
M. Schindler U Michigan St.; B. Epel U Tel Aviv ;
1266 – 1988 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $200,000
Marek's Disease Virus Antigen B Proteins and Gene
Y. Becker U Hebrew ; R. Witter USDA, ARS; M. Malkinson Isr. Vet. Inst.;
1110 – 1987 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $220,000
Molecular Approaches for Breeding Tomato Resistant to the TYLCV Geminivirus
H. Czosnek U Hebrew ; E. Pichersky U Michigan; D. Zamir U Hebrew ; Y. Antignus ARO, Min. Ag.; S. Cohen ARO, Min. Ag.;
829 – 1985 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $200,000
The Role of Cell-Mediated Immunity in Genetic Resistance to Disease in Chickens
L. Bacon USDA, ARS; D. Heller U Hebrew ;
811 – 1985 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $200,000
Molecular Approaches to the Improvement of Economic Traits in Poultry
L. Crittenden USDA, ARS; M. Soller U Hebrew ; D. Salter USDA, ARS; J. Beckmann ARO, Min. Ag.;
788 – 1985 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $200,000
The Molecular Basis of Cytoplasmic Male Sterility in Sugar-Beet (Beta vulgaris 1.)
J. Hirschberg U Hebrew ; L. McIntosh U Michigan St.; . Theurer USDA, ARS; J. Saunders USDA, ARS;
751 – 1985 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $190,000
Induction of Alloplasmic Cytosterility in Tomato by Somatic Hybridization
A. Zelcer ARO, Min. Ag.; K. Sink U Michigan St.; S. Izhar ARO, Min. Ag.;
750 – 1985 Panel: Crop Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $200,000
Forecasting, Detection and Evaluation of Resistance to Ergosterol Biosynthesis-Inhibiting Fungicides in Pathogens of Apple Scab, Pear Scab and Powdery Mildews
E. Shabi ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Jones U Michigan St.; T. Katan ARO, Min. Ag.;
644 – 1984 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $284,200
Studies on Marek's Disease Virus Antigen B Protein and Gene
Y. Becker U Hebrew ; R. Witter USDA, ARS; M. Malkinson Isr. Vet. Inst.; K. Nazerian USDA, ARS;
381 – 1982 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $210,000
Nutrition, Physiology, Environment Interactions in Turkeys
S. Hurwitz ARO, Min. Ag.; . Sharpe U Texas A&M; M. Pines ARO, Min. Ag.; C. Scanes U Rutgers; I. Plavnik ARO, Min. Ag.; . Polin U Michigan St.; . Lipstein ARO, Min. Ag.;
298 – 1981 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $60,450
Regulation of Leghemoglobin Biosynthesis
Y. Avissar U Ben Gurion ; . Nadler U Michigan St.;
296 – 1981 Panel: Animal Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $170,000
Methods of Reducing Lymphoid Leukosis Virus Infection in Foundation Egg and Broiler Breeding Flocks
L. Crittenden USDA, ARS; M. Malkinson Isr. Vet. Inst.; . Okazaki USDA, ARS; . Zeitlin Poultry Breeder; A. Fadly USDA, ARS; E. Smith USDA, ARS;
113 – 1981 Panel: Ag. Innovation & Engi  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $190,000
Produce Damage Simulator-Detector
K. Peleg Technion; . Dewey U Michigan St.;
227 – 1980 Panel: Ag. Innovation & Engi  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $300,000
Engineering and Horticultural Research on Improving the Mechanical Harvesting of Peppers
D. Marshall U Michigan St.; I. Wolf ARO, Min. Ag.; . Price U Michigan St.; K. Alper ARO, Min. Ag.; M. Orzolek U Penn State; D. Palevitch ARO, Min. Ag.;
174 – 1980 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 2 yrs  |  Budget: $35,000
A Comparison of the Mechanism of Cellulose Synthesis in Bacteria and Higher Plants
M. Benziman U Hebrew ; D. Delmer U Michigan St.;
134 – 1980 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $209,875
Development of Somatic Hybridization Systems Involving Cytoplasmic Traits
S. Izhar ARO, Min. Ag.; K. Sink U Michigan St.; R. Frenkel ARO, Min. Ag.; J. Beckmann ARO, Min. Ag.;
80 – 1980 Panel: Crop Health  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $180,000
A Study of the Mechanism of Photosynthetic Herbicide Action with the Aim of Improving Weed Control and Thereby Increasing the Efficiency of Water and Soil Utilization
C. Arntzen U Michigan St.; I. Ohad U Hebrew ;
85 – 1979 Panel: Animal Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $327,175
Nutrition and Reproduction of Turkeys under Different Environmental Conditions
S. Hurwitz ARO, Min. Ag.; . Polin U Michigan St.;
84 – 1979 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 3 yrs  |  Budget: $195,625
The Effect of Water Stress on Solanum Species of Potential Use as Source of Steroidal Drugs Physiological, Biochemical, Agricultural and Genetic Aspects
Z. Yaniv Bachrach ARO, Min. Ag.; E. Heftmann USDA, ARS; D. Palevitch ARO, Min. Ag.; A. Hanson U Michigan St.; A. Levy ARO, Min. Ag.; M. Weissenberg ARO, Min. Ag.;
5 – 1979 Panel: Crop Production  |  Duration: 2 yrs  |  Budget: $37,500
Concentration and Metabolism of Indolyc Growth Hormones in Fruit Trees
E. Epstein ARO, Min. Ag.; R. Bandurski U Michigan St.;