SGR: Evaluating Microbial Inoculants Impact on Yield of Lakota Winter Squash Companion Planted with Hidatsa Red Beans

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the Nation's Indigenous students. Expanding the research capacity at these institutions increases the opportunities for students to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, supports research studies in areas that may be locally relevant, and encourages faculty members to look beyond the traditional classroom for intellectual and professional growth.

This project, under the direction of a Cankdeska Cikana Community College STEM faculty member, directly addresses these goals through a study of the optimal growing conditions for two plants of cultural importance to the Spirit Lake Nation. The Lakota Winter Squash and a companion plant, Hidatsa Red Beans, will be grown in soil inoculated with bacteria and fungi to study their growth in varying experimental conditions.The study holds strong potential to advance knowledge of the synergistic effects of plant-microbe interactions that could be applied in cultivating food crops that contribute to the community’s food sovereignty.

The study will also help build the college's research capacity and employ a CCCC undergraduate student, engaging them in a research opportunity that will build their STEM skills and knowledge.

Increases in agricultural productivity through the use of chemical fertilizers have negatively impacted the natural biogeochemical nutrient cycling process, thereby increasing reliance on chemical fertilizers in a feed-forward cycle. Research into the effects of bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) suggests they are beneficial to the health and productivity of the soil microbiome, but comparative studies of yields between commercially available soil inoculants and soil microbial inoculants familiar to organic gardeners are not common.

This study utilizes novel comparisons of three different soil inoculants for two culturally relevant crops, potentially informing sustainable agriculture practices and advancing knowledge on plant-microbe interactions and AMF synergies. This research will gather comprehensive data about the plants’ rate of photosynthesis and overall health throughout the growing season, yielding a comprehensive data set on the microbes' effects on plant growth, increasing knowledge related to best practices for sustainable agriculture, and assisting the Spirit Lake Nation in its efforts to promote food sovereignty.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.