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Applied
crop biotechnology represents an opportunity to overcome many
previously intractable constraints to food production in Africa
and other developing countries.
Examples include Striga parasitism on cereals, insect
predation of cowpea, and weevil attack on bananas.
The three main categories of biotechnology research
supported by the program are marker-assisted breeding, tissue
culture, and genetic transformation.
Several biotechnology laboratories have been established
in Africa, and numerous students are receiving training at Ph.D.
level in biotechnology applications for African crops.
Support for biotechnology applications is primarily
focused on efforts where previous attempts at conventional
breeding have failed. |
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