The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) has issued the "Cozzarelli Prize” certificate  for the best paper of 2021, which has now been awarded to the recipients from JIRCAS.

This Cozzarelli Prize was awarded in recognition of the identification of a chromosomal region that regulates biological nitrogen inhibition (BNI) ability of wheat grass (Leymus racemosus), a wild relative of wheat, and the development of the world's first BNI-enabled wheat through intergeneric crossing with a high-yielding wheat cultivar. The results of this research are expected to contribute to the prevention of nitrogen pollution, which leads to water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining productivity with less nitrogen fertilizer. An introductory video highlighting the results of this work is now available on the PNAS YouTube channel.

In addition, JIRCAS has been working toward social implementation of BNI-enhanced wheat in India, the world's second largest wheat producing country, in conjunction with “The Project for Establishment of Nitrogen-efficient Wheat Production Systems in Indo-Gangetic Plains by the Deployment of BNI-technology" under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program.

JIRCAS will contribute to the international society by solving global-scale issues with BNI technology as one of the platforms for international joint research.

Cozzarelli Prize Video

PNAS 2021 Cozzarelli Prize Winner for Class VI: Applied Biological, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_Bj38PsQxg

Publication

Enlisting wild grass genes to combat nitrification in wheat farming: A nature-based solution
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2106595118