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ROOTS (Rhizosphere Observations Optimizing Terrestrial Sequestration) - FAQs

What is the ROOTS funding opportunity?

Rhizosphere Observations Optimizing Terrestrial Sequestration (ROOTS) is a research and development funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). It supports high-risk, high-reward R&D aimed at improving the ability to measure, model, and ultimately accelerate improvement of crop root and soil (rhizosphere) function in real field conditions.

Which agency is sponsoring ROOTS?

The program is sponsored by DOE ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy), an organization created by Congress to advance early-stage energy technologies that are typically too early for private investment.

What is the main purpose of ARPA-E programs like ROOTS?

ARPA-E programs are designed to push technologies with potentially large national impact, with goals that include strengthening U.S. economic and energy security, reducing energy-related emissions (including greenhouse gases), and maintaining U.S. technological leadership.

What problem is ROOTS trying to solve?

ROOTS targets bottlenecks that limit root-centered crop improvement in real field conditions. The program description links a century of yield gains to side effects such as erosion, declining soil quality, and a major "soil carbon debt" (framed as equivalent to about 65 ppm of atmospheric CO2). It also highlights fertilizer-driven nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and increasing drought stress as serious challenges.

Why does ROOTS focus on roots and the rhizosphere?

The program argues that crop root systems and the rhizosphere strongly influence soil quality and key biogeochemical processes. Because croplands cover enormous areas in the U.S. and globally, improving root traits at scale could create major opportunities for soil carbon storage, emissions reductions, and resilience without sacrificing crop yields.

Is ROOTS a conventional plant breeding program?

No. ROOTS is not framed as funding conventional plant breeding alone. Instead, it emphasizes the technology bottlenecks that slow root-focused improvement, especially the lack of practical tools and models that can operate at breeding-relevant speeds in actual field environments.

What types of technologies does ROOTS seek to fund?

ROOTS seeks novel, non-destructive, field-deployable tools and predictive models that can measure and interpret root and soil functional properties with higher precision and throughput than currently possible. The focus is on measurement and modeling technologies that generate actionable data for breeders and agronomists.

What does "non-destructive" mean in this program context?

In the ROOTS context, non-destructive means observing roots and rhizosphere function without destroying plants, enabling repeated measurements and more practical use in field trials and breeding pipelines.

Does ROOTS emphasize lab research or field research?

ROOTS emphasizes field-deployable approaches. While lab work may support development, the program description highlights the need for tools and models that work in real field conditions rather than only in controlled environments.

What does ROOTS mean by "root functional properties" and "soil functional properties"?

Based on the program description, these refer to measurable traits and processes tied to how roots and the surrounding soil function, particularly those affecting soil quality, biogeochemical cycling, carbon deposition and accumulation, fertilizer-related emissions (N2O), and water productivity.

What role do models play in ROOTS?

ROOTS seeks predictive, extensible models that translate measurements into faster cultivar selection and development. The intent is to use models to connect field measurements to breeding decisions, speeding up the identification and development of superior root traits.

Does ROOTS encourage integrated systems?

Yes. ARPA-E highlights the value of integrated systems that combine sensing, analytics, and modeling to speed discovery, translation to field use, and eventual deployment of improved crops and production systems.

What outcomes is ROOTS aiming for?

The program states ambitious outcome targets as aspirations: enabling crops that support a 50% increase in carbon deposition depth and accumulation in soils, a 50% reduction in fertilizer-related N2O emissions, and a 25% increase in water productivity.

How is ROOTS connected to greenhouse gas mitigation?

ROOTS presents a climate argument that if such improvements were applied across roughly 160 million hectares of actively managed U.S. cropland, the impacts could mitigate on the order of 10% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions annually over multiple decades, while also improving resilience to climate stress such as drought.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for ROOTS?

The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001565.

What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed is 81.135.

What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?

The activity category is listed as science and technology and other research and development.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications included in the FOA.

How many awards did ARPA-E anticipate making?

ARPA-E anticipated making about 12 awards under the ROOTS program.

What is the maximum award size?

The award ceiling is listed as $10,000,000 per award.

What type of award instrument is used?

Awards under this program are issued as cooperative agreements. This generally means ARPA-E typically remains actively involved in shaping project execution and milestones.

What administrative rules govern the funding?

The funding is administered under federal assistance rules, specifically 2 CFR Part 200 (as amended), along with DOE-specific provisions.

When was the FOA posted?

The FOA was posted on April 12, 2016.

What was the application deadline?

The closing date (application deadline) was May 26, 2016.

How were applications (and any required concept papers) submitted?

Applications and any required concept papers were required to be submitted through ARPA-E eXCHANGE, ARPA-E's submission portal.

Can concept papers be submitted by email or other methods?

No. ARPA-E stated it would not review or consider concept papers submitted through means other than ARPA-E eXCHANGE.

Where could applicants find the full FOA and submission guidance?

The full FOA and submission guidance were provided through the ARPA-E FOA website and the ARPA-E eXCHANGE user guide.