AID grant no. HNE-0158-G-00-3060-00 to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VPI) in support of the project, entitled `Multipronged approaches to eliminating crop devastation by parasitic weeds`

VPI will conduct a series of closely coordinated interdisciplinary studies that range from studies of the biological relationships between parasitic weeds and crop hosts to classical and molecular monitoring techniques linked with damage estimation, agronomic avoidance techniques, use of chemical and synergized biocontrol techniques with microorganisms, genetic engineering of a putative natural resistance conferring gene, and generic engineering of specific herbicide resistances that will confer selectivity on cost-effective herbicides. The project is divided into three main approaches: agronomic, biocontrol, and biotechnological. The positive treatments will be part of integrated pest management systems. Due to the possibilities that pests may evolve defenses, it is not wise to depend on any one methodology to succeed in the long run. The idea is to develop a variety of measures that can be rotated and integrated to control or eliminate the pests on a sustainable basis. Lead cooperating institutions include the Botany Department of the National Research Center in Egypt and the Department of Plant Genetics of the Weizmann Institute in Israel.