MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Foundation, using funds from a technology license agreement with Bayer CropScience of Research Triangle Park, N.C., is helping K.S.U. establish an endowed chair for wheat genetics research and breeding in honor of  Bikram Gill, a well-known K.S.U. professor of plant pathology and director of the Wheat Genetic Resource Center.

The chair will receive funding from Bayer through its wheat germplasm and technology license agreement with K.S.U. and from additional contributions from other private industries, friends and colleagues.

“This endowed chair will help us attract and retain the brightest minds and the world’s foremost experts in wheat genetics,” said John Floros, dean of the K.S.U. College of Agriculture.