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Home Page: http://pwa.ars.usda.gov/pul/index.html

Mission:
Develop wheat germplasm with an emphasis on club wheats, which maximizes economic returns by, a) increased nutrient efficiency, b) exploitation of resistance to diseases, c) increased winter hardiness, d) versatile and superior end-product use, e) specific adaption to agricultural systems that conserve soil, water, and energy. Identify key wheat properties desired in foreign and domestic wheat food products. Elucidate the molecular, biochemical, and genetic events that regulate wheat seed dormancy and germination; determine the molecular mechanisms of cereal adaptation to environmental changes. Control of foliar and smut diseases with emphasis on conducting and coordinating basic and applied research on rusts and smuts; approaches include forescasting epidemics, crop loss assessment, pathogen virulence, disease resistance, and integrated pest management. The inheritance of important traits, germplasm enhancement of resistance to diseases favored by erosion-control practices, and tolerance or avoidance of environmentally induced stresses receive emphasis. Quality studies concentrate on exploratory research of objective tests to define wheat market classes and quality evaluation of germplasm for several breeding programs.