# Research and Development for Biological Control of Arundo Donax

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/w81ewf-25-soi-0004-research-and-development-for-biological-control-of-arundo/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/358432

> Engineer Research and Development Center offered grants of up to $120,000 to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make one award worth $395,000 in total. Applications closed on April 14, 2025.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | W81EWF-25-SOI-0004 |
| Agency | Engineer Research and Development Center |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | April 14, 2025 |
| Award ceiling | $120,000 |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 1 |
| Total funding | $395,000 |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 12.630 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

This opportunity is restricted to non-federal partners of the Californian Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU).

## What the grant funds

A. Short Description of Funding Opportunity ERDC seeks applications for: evaluation of biological control for Arundo donax in southern California. There is potential for at least two distinct projects to arise from this opportunity, including determination of optimal release and monitoring strategies for A. donax biological controls, and evaluation of the impact of biological control on A. donax water-use efficiency, growth, and biomass allocation. B. Background Giant cane is a large (4-8m tall) perennial grass native to western Asia and likely introduced into North America from Spain in the early 1500s, but now is widespread with considerable capacity for expansion in North America (Figure 1; Moran and Goolsby 2022). Reproduction is solely clonal in the US and occurs through extensive rhizome networks or fragmentation. Large knotty rhizomes form underground masses up to three feet thick and provide a source of regrowth following management. Giant cane infests disturbed habitats near water and is particularly harmful in arid environments where it outcompetes other species and has extremely high water-use (Figure 2) (Seawright et al. 2009, Racelis et al. 2012, Goolsby et al. 2016). In fact, giant cane was estimated to transpire 56,200 acre-feet of water per year on the Santa Ana River alone, which equates to serving approximately 190,000 people in an area known for droughts and at a potential municipal cost of $25M in lost water (Iverson 1993). Figure 1. Habitat suitability for Arundo donax in the US, based on model outputs from INHABIT (USGS). (See FOA) Costs of giant cane management near Los Angeles can exceed $250K per acre, due to the effort required for repeated herbicide applications, then subsequent biomass and sediment management. Giant cane infestations have reduced the channel conveyance capacity of the Los Angeles River (at the Glendale neighborhood) from a 25-year storm event to a 2-year storm event where it impacts over 6000 people and risks $1B in property value. There is interest in using biological control as a sustaining management tool for giant cane in California, but a lack of information about whether agents could be used under the conditions present in project areas has prevented its widespread implementation. Figure 2. Representative giant cane infestations within the SPL AOR A) Los Angeles River at Glendale Narrows, B) Whittier Narrows, C) Santa Ana River, D) Rio Hondo.

## Questions people ask

### Is W81EWF-25-SOI-0004 still open?

No. It closed on April 14, 2025. A newer notice is open: W912HZ26S0001, closes January 1, 2027 (55 days left).

### Who can apply for Research and Development for Biological Control of Arundo Donax?

Engineer Research and Development Center accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Research and Development for Biological Control of Arundo Donax?

Closed April 14, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $120,000 each. About $395,000 in total for one award.

### Who has won Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Battelle Memorial Institute, Msi Stem Research & Development Consortium, University of California San Diego. The program made 1,101 awards worth $1.3 billion in that time.