Author
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Palmer, Reid |
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Submitted to: International Conference of Food Security and Crop Science Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/1999 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The cultivated soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr is the most important grain legume in the world in terms of international trade and total production. The genus Glycine Willd. is divided into subgenera, Glycine and Soja (Moench) F.J. Herm. Germplasm has been used from the subgenus Glycine to improve seed quality, pest resistance, agronomic traits, etc. but generally yat a reduction in genetic diversity. Present efforts to improve soybean include mutagenesis, extraction of traits from species of the subgenus, Soja, and biotechnology (genetic engineering). The amount of information generated by molecular biologists coupled with the trend towards legal protection of techniques and germplasm has dramatically changed the way farmers, companies, universities, research centers, and governments interact. Germplasm and food security are of vital importance both to developing and developed countries. The following examples will be used from soybean to illustrate the use of germplasm for plant improvement. Th four areas are: hybrid soybean, value added traits, chemical tolerance, and technology protection systems. To be successful all participants from the producer to the consumer must benefit. |
