The National Science Foundation is awarding an $840,000 three-year research grant to the University of Hawaii for the study of plant biology.

The money will support research on enzyme-mediated protein folding in plants, which plays a major role in the formation and protein content of seeds. Protein folding is also key in agricultural yields and grain nutrition.

The university said Friday that methods developed in this research are expected to have industrial uses and help the treatment of crop disease.