Legumes (family Fabaceae) are a major source of protein and vegetable oil for animal and human nutrition. Recent years have seen an explosion of genomic and genetic resources for a variety of legume plants including but not limited to Medicago truncatula, Glycine max, Lotus japonicus, and Phaseolus vulgaris. These advancements set the stage for efforts to coordinate legume genetics and genomics to insure future progress and, more importantly, to transition basic discoveries into practical applications. The International Conferences on Legume Genomics and Genetics (ICLGG) were established in 2002 to reflect the growing development of legume genomics and genetics. This effort was driven in part by the adoption of the model legumes, Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus. A major impetus was the desire on the part of model legume researchers to see their discoveries translated into practical advances in crop legumes. A key element of these meetings from the beginning was the inclusion of plant breeders and agronomists, alongside researchers focused more on basic research. To encourage the participation of junior scientists, the Conference defrays the cost of attendance for a number of graduate students and postdoctoral associates to present their work and to otherwise participate in the 4th ICLGG. The funding provided by NSF will be used to support the participation of junior scientists from the US scientific community.
