WORKSHOP: Building Links between North American Plant Biologists and Crop Scientists from Sub-Saharan Africa at ASPB 2012 to be held July 20-24, 2012 in Austin, TX

American Society Of Plant Biologists, Rockville MD

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Crispin Taylor [American Association of Plant Biologists (ASPB)] CoPIs: Leon V. Kochian (USDA-ARS/Cornell University), Jurandir Magalhaes (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Brasilia, Brazil), and George N. Ude (Bowie State University) A workshop to broaden participation and strengthen linkages between African and US scientists will be held at the ASPB 2012 Annual Meeting July 20-24, 2012 in Austin, TX. Funding provided by NSF will support activities that involve participation of eight crop scientists from East and West Africa who attended "New Tools for Molecular Breeding", an ASPB workshop held November 15-18, 2011, on at the BioSciences of East and Central Africa (BECA) hub in Nairobi, Kenya. Sponsored by the ASPB International Committee, with assistance from the CGIAR Generation Challenge Program (GCP), and in collaboration with the African Crop Science Society and the International Society of African Bioscientists and Biotechnologists, the "New Tools for Molecular Breeding" workshop provided training to African crop scientists on the use of molecular markers and new genotyping strategies for plant breeding and genetic diversity assessment. The activities planned for the workshop at ASPB 2012 that include plenary talks from Africa- and US-based scientists, brief scientific presentations from participants, and round table discussions will build upon the activities of the BecA workshop and provide excellent new opportunities for networking and setting up meaningful collaborations between the African participants and interested US plant biologists.