The Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (SAAESD) selected Claudio Gratton and fellow S-1039 participants as the Southern Region Nominee for the National Excellence in Multistate Research Award. The purpose of this new annual award is to recognize scientists who are engaged in exemplary multistate activities and in doing so, enhance the visibility of the national multistate research program. The SAAESD believes this project is an outstanding example of the level of accomplishment that can occur through the synergism of multiple scientists working across state lines to address a researchable problem that is too large for any individual scientist or institution to address alone.