IMPROVEMENT OF SOYBEANS FOR TROPICS

THIS SUB-PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANOTHER SUB-PROJECT(931015501), SUPPORTING RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS(UI) IN VARIETAL IMPROVEMENT AND CULTIVATION PRACTICES. GRANT WILL FUND THE SALARIES OF A SENIOR AND JUNIOR PROFESSOR -- SPECIALISTS IN PLANT PATHOLOGY, LEGUME CROPS IMPROVEMENT, AND TRAINING -- TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT UPR TRAINING PROGRAMS AND COORDINATE LEGUME RESEARCH. THEY WILL BE ASSISTED BY TWO FIELD AND LABORATORY TECHNICIANS WHO WILL ASSIST IN LAB AND FIELD PLOT WORK, DATA RECORDING AND FILING, AND THE PREPARATION OF REPORTS. VISITING LECTURERS WILL BE FUNDED BY GRANT TO ENHANCE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE STAFF AND UPR STUDENTS IN THE AREAS OF SOYBEAN PATHOLOGY, ENTOMOLOGY, BREEDING, AND PRODUCTION/MANAGEMENT. SIX GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS WILL BE AWARDED TO STUDENTS FOR TRAINING AND PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH AT UI, UPR, AND FIELD SITES. ALSO, UI AND UPR WILL CONDUCT A CONTINUOUS STUDENT AND FACULTY EXCHANGE PROGRAM. THE PROJECT"S RESEARCH AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES WILL COLLECTIVELY FOCUS ON: (1)THE SCREENING OF CULTIVARS FOR RESISTANCE TO DISEASES AND INSECTS, PROTEIN AND ALUMINUM TOXICITY, AND EFFICIENCY IN UTILIZATION OF MINOR ELEMENTS; AND (2)STUDIES ON WEED CONTROL, LEGUME PLANT POPULATION AND DATE OF PLANTING, SOIL AND WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, LEGUME DROUGHT AND EXCESSIVE MOISTURE TOLERANCE, FERTILIZATION, AND LEGUME NITROGEN METABOLISM. THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING AND TRAINING MATERIALS, AND INFORMATION SERVICES WILL BE FUNDED BY GRANT IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESEARCH AND TRAINING.