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Sen. Christopher Bond, far right, discusses the latest in
soybean research with, from left, Henry Nguyen and Gary
Stacey, both endowed professors working on soybean biotechnology
at MU. MU is a national leader in plant biotechnology research.
Photo by Jim Curley
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Soybean
Central
By Greg Horstmeier
Missouri will expand its leadership in plant biotechnology,
particularly in soybean and related crops, with the announcement
of funding for a new National Soybean Biotechnology Center,
to be located on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus.
“We have some of the best soybean researchers in the world
right here,” said Senator Christopher “Kit”
Bond, during an announcement ceremony. “I can’t think
of a better place to put the national center for soybean biotechnology.”
“This center builds on the soybean
research and expertise already ongoing between a partnership
that includes MU, the Donald
Danforth Plant Sciences Center [in St. Louis] and the Missouri
Soybean Merchandising Council.”
The center will be
established with $900,000 in funding that was part of the
2004 Omnibus Appropriations Act. That act has passed the U.S.
House of Representatives, and is awaiting full approval from
the Senate.
MU has been building expertise in soybean
breeding and genetics for several years, said Tom Payne, vice
chancellor and dean of the College
of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. “We’ve
recently added three soybean researchers on this campus and two
related researchers who are at the Danforth center thanks to
support from the senator and from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising
Council,” Payne
said.
“This [center’s location] speaks
volumes about the reputation of MU soybean plant scientists,” said
Dale Ludwig, executive director and CEO of the Missouri Soybean
Association.
“Now, if you’re a top soybean researcher, or a rising
star in the area of plant biotechnology with an interest in
soybeans, you’re going to want to be here, at MU, because
this is the national center. So the work going on here is only
going to get even better with time.”
Collaborative work
between scientists at MU and at the Danforth center are working
to create soybeans with specific oil, protein and other nutritional
traits, to find genetic ways to improve yields as well as to
develop soybeans that better tolerate drought, floods, pests
and other production problems. The center will be led by Henry
Nguyen, MU endowed professor of genetics and soybean biotechnology.
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Last Update:
March 12, 2007
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