ROLE OF U. S. PUBLIC RESEARCH SCIENTISTS IN SOLVING DISEASE AND NEMATODE PROBLEMS IN COTTON

摘要

There are various opinions about the role of Public Research Scientists in providing solutions to disease and nematode problems in cotton. What I have to say today is my opinion. You may not share my views; however, I believe they have merit so I will present them to you. Most of the cotton acreage in the US is planted to cultivars developed by commercial seed breeding firms. Growers today want, or are buying, cultivars with transgenic insect or herbicide resistance genes. With these they can havea much simpler production system. Thus, nearly all the acreage is planted, and I think will continue to be, planted to cultivars with one or more transgenes. All these transgenes are presently owned by industry. However, it would not change the needs orpreferences of growers if public institutions owned some or all of the transgenes.