CONTROL OF BARLEY DISEASES FOR LDC"S (MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY)

Evaluation covers the period 8/78-8/79 and is based on an A.I.D. evaluation team"s review of the project. Montana State University (MSU), the implementing institution, has made significant progress in fulfilling the project"s objectives, which were to (1) determine different sources of resistance to barley diseases and linkage relationships; (2) develop barley populations, both 2 row and 6 row, with broad based major gene resistance and minor gene resistance to specific diseases; (3) develop several barley stocks resistant to different specific diseases; (4) establish seriodiagnosis programs for the detection of barley stripe mosaic virus in barley stocks at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and at the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas; and (5) develop a simple toxin screening procedure for use with the scald disease caused by "Rhynchosporium secalis" and with other barley diseases. MSU has also supplied LDC researchers with barley breeding material resistant to the major barley diseases found in LDC"s. The project taught that projects of this type can be beneficial to all parties involved, namely, MSU and the international barley improvement centers. The evaluation team concluded that this project should continue to receive A.I.D. support and that it shows strong potential to provide economic benefits to low-income families if research is carried to its conclusion. No changes are needed in the outputs to achieve the project purpose. Action decisions include the following: MSU should keep USAID"s informed of nursery sites and cooperators; make provisions for more graduate students from LDC"s; and organize more outreach efforts with collaborating institutions.