# Collaborative Research: LIFE: Leveraging agricultural weeds to understand evolutionary convergence.

> **NSF 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · Brigham Young University (UT) · $399,315

## Abstract

Modern agriculture is essential for feeding the world's growing population, but weedy plants that invade crop fields cause billions of dollars in losses annually and threaten food security. While most non-crop plants struggle to survive in agricultural environments, some species have rapidly evolved to thrive in these human-managed landscapes, becoming persistent problems for farmers. This research investigates how these weedy plants evolved so successfully, using a plant genus called Amaranthus that includes some of the most troublesome agricultural weeds in North America. Understanding the biological mechanisms that allow certain plants to quickly adapt to new environments like agricultural systems is crucial for developing more effective, sustainable weed management strategies and for predicting which species might become future problems. This knowledge will help farmers and agricultural scientists stay ahead of evolving challenges while also advancing our broader understanding of how organisms adapt to rapidly changing conditions. The project will advance education by training students spanning urban and rural communities, through a new plant evolution curriculum, creating international genomics workshops, and engaging local communities through citizen science projects that help track weed distributions while building scientific literacy.

This research will generate high-quality genome-wide data for nearly all species in the genus Amaranthus, which contains 11 globall

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2514711
- **Awardee organization:** Brigham Young University (UT)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** JWSYC7RUMJD1
- **PI:** Peter J Maughan
- **Primary program:** 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** —
- **Estimated total:** $399,315
- **Funds obligated:** $399,315
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 09/01/2025 → 08/31/2029

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2514711

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2514711, Collaborative Research: LIFE: Leveraging agricultural weeds to understand evolutionary convergence.. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-07 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2514711. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NSF Awards dataset](/datasets/nsf-awards) · CC0 1.0*