RESPONSE OF THE CORN MICROBIOME AND DEFENSE-RELATED SECONDARY METABOLITES TO FLOODING STRESS AND MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS

Overall Goal: To build critical foundational knowledge about plant and soil microbiome responses to flooding and evaluate how nutrient management shapes corn plant and soil microbiome responses and resilience during and after flooding. Specific Objectives:1. Characterize the impacts of flooding on the functioning and structure of soil microbial communities that underpin plant health.2. Characterize the impacts of flooding on corn plant growth and traits that putatively mediate plant and insect interactions (i.e., plant defensive secondary metabolites and nutritional quality).3. Determine how flooding impacts soil and fertilizer nitrogen cycling and availability for corn uptake and how post-flooding nitrogen management influences nutrient use efficiency and grain yield of corn.