<select  onchange="ajaxload_form()" 
class="auswahl"  name="publicationtype" id="publicationtype"> 
<?php
foreach($publicationtypes as $type)
  {
     echo "<option>$type</option>"; 
  }

?> 
</select>

<?php
   if ($eintrag['publicationtype'] !='')
   {
   echo '
   <script>
      $F("publicationtype") ="'.$eintrag['publicationtype'].'";
   </script>';
   
   }
?>

function selectDropdownOption(element,text)
{
	for (var i= 0 ; i<element.options.length; i++) 
	{
		if (element.options[i].text == text) 
		{
			element.options[i].selected = true;		
			}
		else
		{
				element.options[i].selected = false;	
		}
	}
}