Grain Research Focuses On Several Avenues

by Don Molino

LSU AgCenter wheat and oat breeder Dr. Steve Harrison says his primary focus of research funded by the Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion Board is in a couple of areas.

"First, to develop new varieties of wheat and oats for Louisiana growers and, of course, the surrounding states," says Harrison.

"That's what we spend the vast majority of our efforts on," according to Harrison who also has the help of four graduate students at LSU. "We do collaborate a lot with pathologists and entomologists and agronomists so we're involved in fungicide trials and fertility trials and molecular marker studies to find new resistance genes and really all kinds of stuff."

"Most of what we do centers around developing new varieties and evaluating available varieties so that growers know what is most suited for the state," Harrison continued.

(This report a service of the Louisiana Soybean and Grain Research and Promotion Board)