A study by Paris, Cruse-Sanders, and Boyd (2018) found that one-year survival for propagated cuttings taken in May or June was approximately one-third, but plants cut in May produced more tubers which were overall heavier and cuttings from larger donor plants produced more inflorescences than cuttings from smaller donors.  

A study by Paris and Boyd (2018) found strong evidence that plants are self incompatible and that plants require pollination by medium to large sized bees in order to produce fruits.  

Work by Li et al at the University of Chicago using four loci indicated that A. priceana is the sister taxon to A. americana, the only other North American species of Apios, and that the two species diverged between 1.4 and 4.9 million years ago in the Pliocene and Pleistocene.  

As of the 2017 five-year review, there are currently 59 known populations in 26 counties in four states. While the number of known populations has increased due to discovery, most populations contain fewer than 50 individuals and whether or not individual populations are stable or increasing is uncertain, due to lack of demographic data on A. priceana populations. 

Currently known from 50-100 extant element occurrences throughout its range. Apios priceana is apparently dependant on a moderate level of disturbance; however, excessive habitat modification is threatening the existence of the species. Many of these few remaining occurrences are threatened by successional canopy closure, cattle grazing/trampling, right-of-way maintenance and forestry activities.

Threats include: Habitat loss due to highway maintenance and cattle grazing and trampling Logging (clear cutting) Succession (leading to a closed tree canopy) Herbicide use Invasive species (USFWS 1993)

A. priceana is currently known from 25 sites in fifteen counties in four states. Most of these sites contain fewer that 25 individuals. Counties include: Alabama: Autauga, Madison, and Marshall counties. Kentucky: Nelson, Livingston, Edmonson, Warren, and Hickman counties. Mississippi: Chickasaw, Clay, Kemper, Oktibbeha, and Lee (Coonewah Creek Chalk Bluffs Preserve) counties. Tennessee: Montgomery, Davidson, Williamson, Grundy, and Marion counties (USFWS 1993). The plant was reported from Illinois in the past, but is now considered to be extirpated from that state.

Missouri Botanical Garden curators have collected seeds from this species, both in the wild and from garden-propagated plants. These seeds are stored in seed banks. Germination protocols have been established (incisions made in seed coat and incubated at 70 degrees Fahrenheit).

No formalized management has been created or implemented. There has been some discussion about reintroducing this plant into public lands, but nothing has occurred yet.

Set forth in the recovery plan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1993) outlines the following recovery needs: search for and establish new populations, research all aspects of life history research (pollination ecology, seed production, germination, seedling recruitment and survival).

Maintain plants and seeds ex situ Provide public information about the species