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CORVALLIS, Ore. – Thirty-three research grants totaling $372,235 have been awarded to Oregon State University scientists by the Agricultural Research Foundation (ARF) of Oregon.

The funded research projects range from a study of naturally occurring herbicides for weed control to the development of flexible biofilms for the prevention of sunburn in apples.

The foundation awarded the grants, most in the $9,000 to $10,000 range, through its Competitive Grants Program that is intended to encourage and support new approaches and ideas in agricultural research, said Dorothy Beaton, ARF executive director.

"The grants program enables ARF to provide seed funding that helps OSU scientists launch new research projects and attract additional funding from other sources," Beaton said. "It is an important part of the foundation's ongoing partnership with the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences."

Additional examples of projects awarded grants:

• Evaluation of the potential of barley straw for ethanol production in Eastern Oregon;

• Development of a molecular diagnostic method to identify root-lesion nematodes in soil;

• Strategies for sustainable restoration of rangelands in Central Oregon.

A list of the 2007-08 grants is on the foundation's website at: http://agresearchfoundation.oregonstate.edu

The Agricultural Research Foundation is a private, non-profit corporation and an affiliate of OSU. The board of directors is made up of representatives of numerous segments of Oregon's agriculture industry. For more information about the Competitive Grants Program, contact Beaton at 541-737-3228.