MONSANTO CORPORATION

6404 Wea Woodland, Lafayette, IN 47905, USA.

Dennis Dunphy, Lafayette, IN and Jingping Gue, Yang Zhou, and Paul Johanson, Beijing, China.

Monsanto has initiated a research program with several coöperating Chinese wheat research institutes to develop hybrid wheat in China using the genesis hybridizing agent technology. Tests were conducted in 1998 with eight institutes to evaluate the efficacy of the Genesis hybridizing agent, initiate government registration trials, and produce seed of experimental hybrids. The coöperating institutes in 1998 were China Agricultural University, Beijing; Northwest Agricultural University, Yangling; Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou; Iiebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Science, Shijiazhuang; Gansu Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou; Shandong Agricultural University, Taian; Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Science, Nanjing; and Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Science, Chengdu.

Genesis activity was excellent in 1998. Male sterility was achieved on 463 of 474 female parents that were treated with Genesis. Seed produced from these experimental hybrids will be tested for hybrid yield performance in 1999.