Alabama A & M University, a historically black land grant university, through a systematic and progressive effort has developed a comprehensive research and training program in plant biology. This effort was recently recognized by the State granting it approval to offer a Ph.D. program in Plant and Soil Science. This is the only doctoral program of its kind among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This proposal outlines five individual research that are currently underway involving six primary users and numerous research staff scientists, graduate and undergraduate students. The culture and their cytogenetic evaluation in Triticeae (wheat, barley, rye, triticale), Pinus (Southern pines) and Cossypium species. These efforts will utilize the confocal, inverted and stereomicroscopes, cryogenic apparatus and bioreactor requested. Plant transformation research will strengthen by the nucleic acid sequencer and synthesizer, laser densitometer, and gel analyzers. Investigations and manipulation of cold hardiness is a topic that exemplifies ongoing phytohormone and plant growth regulation studies in the program. Availability of liquid chromatograph (with diode array HPLC and ion chromatography) and liquid scintillation counters for labeled hormones and substances will aid in strengthening this research.
