Читать книгу Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding - George Acquaah - Страница 47

Public sector breeding in the USA is conducted primarily by land grant institutions and researchers in the federal system (i.e. the United States Department of Agriculture [USDA]). The traditional land grant institutional program is centered on agriculture, and is funded by the federal government and the various states, often with support from local commodity groups. The plant research in these institutions is primarily geared toward improving field crops and horticultural and forest species of major economic importance to a state's agriculture. For example, Oklahoma State University, an Oklahoma land grant university, conducts research on wheat, the most important crop in the state. A fee is levied on produce presented for sale at the elevator by producers, and used to support agricultural research pertaining to wheat.

In addition to its in‐house research unit, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the USDA often has scientists attached to land grant institutions to conduct research of benefit to a specific state as well as the general region. For example, the Grazinglands Research Laboratory at El Reno, Oklahoma, is engaged in forage research for the benefit of the Great Plains of the USA. Research output from land grant programs and the USDA is often public domain and often accessible to the public. However, just like the private sector, inventions may be protected by obtaining plant variety protection or a patent.