Middle East Research Cooperation Project (MERC)
Year: 1993-1997
Grant #: USAID CR-4583-425202 HNE-0518-G-00-3060-00
Grant Amount: $2,999,997
Location: Egypt, Israel
The MERC Project was a collaboration involving scientists at Virginia Tech and the National Research Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture in Cairo, Egypt and the Weizman Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. These scientists sought ways to eliminate crop devastation by a parasitic weed known as Orobanche.
Interdisciplinary studies focused on basic biological relationships between parasitic weeds and crop hosts. State of the art methodologies were utilized, including extensive biotechnology and genetic engineering research. MERC involved resting and evaluating classical and molecular monitoring techniques linked with damage estimation, integrated agronomic practices, and chemical and biological control techniques. The Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech played a major role in project implementation.
When adversaries have common problems, science can help them come together to address critical issues.