NSF Plant Biology Act

This bill, known as the "NSF Plant Biology Act," amends the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 to create a new program for fundamental plant biology research . It authorizes the Director of the National Science Foundation to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private sector entities, and government bodies. These grants will support plant and microbial biology research with potential relevance to agriculture, food, or biotechnology , including fundamental research and the development of enabling tools and technologies. The bill authorizes an appropriation of $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to carry out this section, and also includes a definition for "nonprofit organization."