The U.S. National Plant Germplasm System

1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry L. Shands

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) manages the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS). The USDA's National Genetic Resources Program was created in 1990, using the NPGS as the model by which other life forms would also be preserved and utilized. While the NPGS is a broadly defined system, ARS has a specific role of acquiring, characterizing, preserving, documenting, and distributing germplasm to scientist users for research and breeding. The NPGS provides genetic resources to users at no cost but with a request to return data to incorporate in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database. The database is available as hard copy, diskette through PC-GRIN, and, for some crops, a CD-ROM disk. Service to users is the primary objective. The NPGS and 40 crop advisory committees exchange technical information on the most important conservation issues. Recent research advances at the National Seed Storage Laboratory provide guidance for storage management of orthodox and desiccation-sensitive seed and vegetative germplasm. Cryopreservation may receive more attention and play a more important role for the vegetative germplasm because improved seed management under conventional refrigerated storage is now possible. Key words: Germplasm, databases, cryopreservation

HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 647a-647
Author(s):  
Mark A. Bohning ◽  
Allan K. Stoner

The United States' National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is responsible for the acquisition, preservation, evaluation and distribution of plant genetic resources in the form of seed and clonal germplasm. In order to operate more effectively, the NPGS established a network of 40 Crop Advisory Committees (CACs) to provide analysis, data, and advice about germplasm within a crop or group of related crops of current or future economic importance. CACs are composed of Federal, State and industry scientists representing a variety of agricultural disciplines and geographic areas of importance to the crop. The committees are involved in a variety of activities including: 1) Developing crop descriptors for the collection of standardized characteristic and evaluation data, 2) Determining priorities for germplasm acquisition, evaluation and enhancement, 3) Advising curators on maintenance techniques, and 4) Developing special reports on the status of genetic resources for their crop(s). Twenty-four of the CACs are concerned with horticultural crops.


1939 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. O. Brew

The third Peabody Museum Awatovi expedition, under the direction of the writer began work on July 12, 1937, and remained in the field until November 5, 1937. The explorations and excavations were carried on under permission of the United States Department of the Interior. The continuation of these studies was made possible by the contributions of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Claflin, Jr., Mr. Henry S. Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Allen, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Emerson, and the Peabody Museum. Its primary objective was the securing of information relative to the post-Spanish period of Awatovi.


HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 993A-993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim E. Hummer ◽  
Tom Davis ◽  
Hiroyuki Iketani ◽  
Hiroyuki Imanishi

Genetic resources of temperate berry crops were collected 7 to 27 July 2004 in Hokkaido, Japan, under a bilateral agreement between the United States and Japan. This expedition was a collaborative effort between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the University of New Hampshire, and Akita Prefectural College of Agriculture, Japan. Additional assistance was provided by the Hokkaido Governmental Plant Genetic Resources Center, several Forest Research Stations of the Hokkaido University, and private botanists. The expedition obtained 100 accessions encompassing eight genera and 29 species. In all, 84 seedlots, and 23 plants were obtained. The genera collected included: Actinidia, Fragaria, Lonicera, Morus, Ribes, Rubus, Sambucus, and Vaccinium. Plant and seed accessions from this trip are preserved and distributed from the USDA ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Ore., and from MAFF. The target genus for this expedition was Fragaria, so the trip was planned for July. Multiple samples of the two Japanese diploid strawberry species, Fragaria iinumae Makino and F. nipponica Makino (synonym = F. yezoensis H. Hara) were obtained during their prime ripening time. Ribes, Rubus, and Vaccinium fruits ripened later in the summer, but were collected when fruit were observed. Unfortunately, seeds of some of these accessions proved to be immature or nonviable upon extraction. We suggest that expeditions to collect these genera should be planned for late August. Morphological and molecular evaluation of collected germplasm is underway at the USDA ARS Corvallis Repository and at the University of New Hampshire.


Author(s):  
Ian Hood

Abstract Armillaria novae-zelandiae is a white rot wood decay fungus and root disease pathogen that occurs in a number of countries in the Southern Hemisphere and in parts of tropical and subtropical Asia. It is not known to have been introduced to these regions, where it is presumed to be indigenous. Its designation as "invasive" is based on its propensity to establish colonies and disease centres in disease-free areas by dispersal of basidiospores from "toadstool" fruit bodies that appear on wood during the winter months. As a wood decomposer fungus A. novae-zelandiae contributes beneficially to carbon and nutrient recycling. Like many other Armillaria species it is recognized by characteristic white mycelial fans or ribbons produced beneath host bark and by its bootlace-like rhizomorphs by which it spreads vegetatively from colonized buried woody material or stump root systems to infect living host plants.Armillaria novae-zelandiae was the cause of substantial disease losses in plantations of Pinus radiata and orchards of kiwifruit vines (Actinidia deliciosa) in New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1990s. Its importance has since declined with changes in patterns of crop management, although it remains widely distributed. Much research into its control was undertaken during this period. In eastern states in Australia, A. novae-zelandiae is a minor cause of root disease in natural and planted forests, where it is of lesser importance than Armillaria luteobubalina. Its impact in other regions is unknown, but it has not been associated with reports of significant disease. Risk of unintended international spread appears to be low to negligible but should not be discounted. If intercepted, isolates of A. novae-zelandiae may be identified by laboratory culture testing or more rapidly and precisely by molecular sequencing procedures. A. novae-zelandiae is listed in the EPPO Global Database and features in the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service fungal databases. It is considered a risk organism in Hawai'i.


Crop Science ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 1021-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Day Rubenstein ◽  
Melinda Smale ◽  
Mark P. Widrlechner

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