Duration: 10/01/2014 to 09/30/2016

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

The need, as indicated by stakeholders:
Plant genetic resources (germplasm) are the reproductive or vegetative propagating material of plants, including the current crop cultivars, obsolete cultivars, primitive cultivars (landraces), wild and weedy relatives of cultivated species, and special genetic stocks (including elite breeder's lines and mutants). Because the majority of our crop species originated elsewhere in the world, US agriculture is almost entirely dependent on introduced plant species. To meet the need for new germplasm, the US Department of Agriculture began sponsoring international plant expeditions in 1898, and the Regional Plant Introduction Stations were established in the late 1940s and early1950's to conserve and distribute introduced germplasm. The Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS) station was established in 1947 through a joint Federal-State partnership, designated as Multi-state Research Project W-006 (W6), developed between the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and the Western State Agricultural Experiment Stations. It now includes the USDA-ARS Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research Unit in Pullman, WA and the National Temperate Forage Legume Genetic Resource Unit in Prosser, WA. Collectively, personnel from these two units conduct some of the most extensive and well-recognized genetic resource management projects nationally and internationally. As a critical component of the USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), the WRPIS manages the genetic resources of cool season food and forage legumes, grasses, common beans, oilseeds, vegetables, beets, ornamentals, medicinal crops and related wild species. The stakeholders and customers for this project include researchers, plant breeders, educators, and commercial producers in the western states, in the U.S. and throughout the world. Each year the WRPIS distributes over 5,000 packets of seed samples to requesters within the western region and from Sept. 2009 to Sept. 2013, a total of 28,625 packets of seed samples were used in various projects in the western states. These distributions impact both fundamental and applied research by generating new knowledge of plant science, underpinning plant breeding to improve existing crops and by providing germplasm to develop new crops for the niche markets.

The importance of the work, and what the consequences are if it is not done:
According to U.N estimates, global population is predicated to increase by 2.4 billion by 2050, with the US population increasing 40% to 438 million. This, along with warmer temperatures and disrupted precipitation patterns associated with climate change, presents a food security challenge that will require breeding crop cultivars that are more productive in less favorable environments. In response, scientists and breeders are mining genes conferring resistances to pathogens and pests and tolerance to abiotic stresses from existing plant genetic resources. The U.S. scientists and breeders rely on introduced germplasm to provide new genes to improve major crops, minor regional crops, and to develop new crops. The problems addressed by this project's "Management and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources" are to conserve and provide genetic resources for specific crop species to support such endeavors.

Currently, this project manages a total of approximately 94,000 accessions collected worldwide. Assigned crop plant species and their wild relatives represent 1,277 genera, 4,604 species and 5,143 taxa. The value of these collections continues to grow as international access to germplasm is increasingly limited by political and environmental factors.

This collection has had enormous impact on agricultural in the U.S., and especially in the western states, where many of these crop species are economically important. For example, lettuce is the most valuable vegetable crop in the U.S. with the annual production value of exceeding $2 billion. And two western states, California and Arizona, account for more than 90 percent of U.S. lettuce production. The lettuce collection of both wild and cultivated accessions has been screened extensively for disease resistance and other favorable traits to improve and sustain the production of this crop. According to USDA Crop Statistics, more than 42 million tons of alfalfa, worth more than $8 billion, was produced in the US in 2012. More than one-third of that was in the western states. The alfalfa collection has more than 50,000 entries and has been extensity utilized. Cool season food legumes (chickpea, pea, and lentil) are major crops in Washington and Idaho. The recent booming chickpea industry is supported by cultivars developed from the WRPIS collection. Our collection of native plant species ensures the availability of native species needed for the revegetation and ecosystem restoration for the inter-mountain west. In addition to the Western States, the W6 project fills germplasm needs nationwide, such as the lentil industry in North Dakota, beans in Michigan, and forage and turf grasses throughout the Midwest and Atlantic states.

This project also provides needed germplasm to researchers producing high-impact scientific results with practical application. There is no better example than purple false brome, Brachypodium distachyon (L.) Beauv. It has a small stature, a rapid life cycle, and most importantly, a small genome evolutionarily similar to important cereal crops like wheat and barley. In 2001 this little known grass species was proposed as a model plant for studying grass functional genomics. Functional genes discovered in this model plant will have immediate applications to the genetic improvement of food (wheat) and energy (switchgrass) crops. In February 2010, the complete genome DNA sequence of this grass was published in the journal of Nature. The sequenced diploid inbred line Bd21, or W6 36678, was derived from PI 254867, which was collected from Iraq and maintained in WRPIS since 1959. PI 254867 became the first PI from WRPIS with a whole genome sequenced and published. Since 2001, WRPIS has distributed seed of this PI to over 150 requesters in more than 20 countries.

Without the W6 germplasm collection much of the genetic foundation of our crops would not be available for research and development, and meeting the future needs of agriculture in the western states and nationally would be severely compromised.

The technical feasibility of the research:
There is ample land resource available for regeneration, seed increase and for phenotypic evaluations of germplasm on the three research farms at Pullman, WA, Central Ferry, WA and Prosser, WA, each site provides suitable climate conditions to respective plant species. Standard cultivation practices have been developed by dedicated and experienced staff for specific plant species and genera. The seed storage facilities on the WSU campus are adequate for proper conservation of seed samples for short and medium term stoage, and the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation (NCGRP), Fort Collins, Colorado and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Svalbard, Norway are available for security back-up and long-term storage. The Internet-based Genetic Resource Information Network (GRIN) database connects our managed accessions and associated information with our users. We receive excellent technical support from the USDA-ARS Database Management Unit, Beltsville, Maryland to ensure researchers and breeding programs have updated access to GRIN for searching and requesting needed genetic resources.

The advantages for doing the work as a multistate effort:
Over the past 56 years, this project has been operating as a successful multistate project. Although the germplasm collection managed by this project has national and international significance, most of the species are important crops in the western states. Our stakeholders and customers include professors, professional researchers and breeders in public universities, private companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies. The multistate effort allows an effective interaction between our germplasm curatorial staff and the user community. The germplasm collection managed by this project is covered by eleven crop specific Crop Germplasm Committees (CGC) whose members consist of state, federal, and private researchers that meet either annually or biennially to provide guidance for plant genetic resource acquisition, conservation, management, and distribution. More importantly, the W6 technical advisory committee has dedicated representatives from each participating state and meets annually to assess the need and the status of the conservation and utilization of the plant genetic resources and associated information managed by this project.

What the likely impacts will be from successfully completing the work:
This project will provide a continuous supply of critically needed high quality germplasm samples to the global plant research community for scientific research and product development. Phenotypic evaluation and genomic characterization provided by this project will enable breeders to more efficiently identify and utilize germplasm with desirable traits and alleles for improvement in both quality and productivity of crop species. Marker-assisted selection has been proven a powerful tool for expediting the process of genetic improvement for many crop species. This project will generate information on marker-trait associations and identify user-friendly DNA markers for breeders to use. Genetically enhanced breeding lines developed through this project will speed the development of new cultivars with desirable agronomic traits and improved resistance to insect pests, disease and abiotic stresses. The quality and productivity of crop plants will be maintained and improved to ensure that U.S. agriculture remains viable and competitive.

Related, Current and Previous Work

Eight scientists (five curators and three research scientists) and 21 supporting staff members are working diligently and collaboratively towards accomplishing the mission of the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS) at Pullman, WA. The WRPIS germplasm collection of approximately 94,000 accessions is divided into crop groups and managed by individual crop curators with respective responsibilities. The research scientists conduct mission-related research in agronomy, plant pathology and genetics to help the curators effectively and efficiently manage the assigned genetic resources. Through regular interactions between curators and scientists, collaborative projects are undertaken in both applied and basic research to improve plant germplasm management. WRPIS comprises two USDA-Agricultural Research Service management units, the Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research Unit (PGIT) at Pullman, WA and the National Temperate Forage Legume Genetic Resources Unit (NTFLGRU) at Prosser, WA. Collaborative efforts are routine between the two sites. WRPIS staff members frequently interact with several crop specific NPGS repositories in the Western Region (Aberdeen, ID; Corvallis, OR; Davis, CA; Fort Collins, CO; Hilo, HI and Riverside, CA) by inviting them to participate in the annual W6 TAC (Technical Advisory Committee) meetings and to share information and experience in germplasm management research. WRPIS relies on the USDA ARS Database Management Unit (DBMU) of the National Germplasm Resources research unit at Beltsville, MD for developing and operating the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database, which maintains electronic information on the germplasm collections at more than twenty NPGS genebanks throughout the U.S. WRPIS staff use GRIN in the daily management of our collections, about which detailed information is displayed in a public website accessible worldwide through the internet.

Current and previous literature has documented the need for a plant germplasm acquisition and conservation system for the U.S. food security (National Plant Genetic Resources Board, 1984; Janick, 1989; National Research Council, 1991; Qualset and Shands, 2005; Godfray et al., 2010; Dosmann and Groover, 2012; McCouch et al., 2013). These papers describe the components of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), including the W6 Plant Introduction Station. The only duplication of these collections is for security backup at the National Center for Genetic Resource Preservation (NRGRP), Ft. Collins, Colorado.

The project documents, conserves and distributes economically important and diverse germplasm, with associated information, and encourages their use in research and crop development. Activities benefit U.S. agriculture by addressing issues of genetic erosion and genetic vulnerability in crops represented in the WRPIS collections. In terms of the number of accessions managed, the WRPIS is the third largest in the NPGS and is tasked with the conservation, characterization, evaluation, distribution and research of genetic resources for a wide array of crop species. As of December 31, 2013, the WRPIS holds 94,642 accessions (approximately 16.5% of the total NPGS collection) belonging to 1,308 genera, 4,802 species and 5,397 taxa (about one-third of all species in NPGS collections). These valuable plant germplasm resources underpin national food security for key species, and their safety, health, and genetic integrity must be maintained using the most efficient, long-lasting, and cost-effective conservation and documentation methods possible. Accessions in each germplasm collection are documented and freely available for scientific research and education worldwide. In addition to germplasm, information in publications and the data in GRIN and other public databases are valuable products.

The Common Bean (Phaseolus) Germplasm Collection of 17,272 accessions is one of the largest single genus collections in the NPGS. Forty-seven of the 117 recognized taxon groups are included in our collection.

The Cool Season Food Legumes collection includes pea, chickpea, lentil and other specialty crops. The pea (Pisum sativum L.) germplasm collection consists of two distinct sets of accessions in the genebank. The first set is the main collection with 5,863 accessions of landraces, cultivars and undeveloped materials (wild species and wild subspecies) (Smýkal et al., 2012). The second set is the Pisum genetic stocks of 711 accessions representing developed and studied lines with specific morphological and phenotypic traits (Ambrose and Coyne, 2009). The main collection includes 12 taxa of three species of Pisum from 97 countries. The wild taxa are a source of useful disease resistance alleles not found in cultivated forms. Fortunately introgression is possible and in progress.

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) collection of 6,773 accessions includes cultivated landraces, cultivars, and numerous Cicer wild relatives of both annual and perennial growth habit, with representatives from 24 taxa from 59 countries (Redden et al 2007).

The lentil (Lens culinaris Med.) collection of 3,243 accessions is primarily landraces, and includes representatives from six taxa from 64 countries (Furman et al 2009).

The faba bean (Vicia faba L.) collection is relatively small, with approximately 750 accessions collected from 60 countries. Progress has been made in screening and enhancing winter-hardiness of faba bean based on survival through three winter seasons in Pullman. The resulting accessions formed a foundation for developing winter-type faba bean as an alternative fall-sown rotation crop for the Palouse region (Hu et al., 2011).

Other germplasm collections of forage legume species Lathyrus, Trigonella, and Vicia are of modest size (865, 296 and 1,857, respectively) but rich with taxa diversity (57, 28, 72 respectively). There is research interest for use of these forage crops for new rotational and green manure production in low input, sustainable and organic production systems (Maul et al., 2011). As with the three forage species, the Lupinus collection is modest (1,762 accessions) and has significant crop wild relatives in the 89 taxa represented (Robertson and Coyne 2009).

The Cool-season Grass and Safflower Collections. The cool-season forage, turf, and rangeland grass collection is comprised of 21,760 accessions. There are 1,050 taxa representing 112 genera in the Poaceae family collected from 104 countries. Approximately 73% of the collection is backed-up at the NCGRP (National Center for Germplasm Resources Preservation) and 75% is available for distribution.

Purple false brome, Brachypodium distachyon (L.) Beauv. This grass species is being employed as a model plant for studying grass functional genomics. Functional genes discovered in this model plant will have applications to the genetic improvement of cereal (wheat and barley) and energy (switchgrass) crops.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) The safflower collection and Carthamus wild relatives consist of 2,458 accessions in 10 taxa from 57 countries. More than 96 % of the collection is backed-up at the NCGRP and is available for distribution. This collection of safflower is the most widely used collection for characterization, evaluation, and screening against biotic stresses globally (Mukta, 2012).

The Horticulture Crops Program has approximately 10,000 accessions belonging to 276 genera which are organized into 4 general maintenance groups: lettuce, beets, allium, and miscellaneous. The lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) group contains cultivated lettuce, wild Lactuca species, and the related genera Sonchus and Cicerbita (Zohary, 1991). There are currently 2,139 accessions in this group: 1,499 of Lactuca sativa, 311 of Lactuca serriola, 313 of other Lactuca species, 12 of Sonchus, and 4 Cicerbita accessions. The cultivated lettuce collection contains all the horticultural types grown and popular across the globe.

The beet group contains sugar beet, table beet, fodder beet, energy beet and Swiss chard (all Beta vulgaris ssp vulgaris), wild Beta species, and the genus Patellifolia (formerly Beta) (Kadereit et al., 2006; Thulin et al., 2010). This group currently contains 1,799 accessions of Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris, 588 of Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima, 166 of Beta species and 66 Patellifolia for a total of 2,619 accessions.

The Allium collection contains all the species of Allium except bulb onion (A. cepa) and bunching onion (A. fistulosum). This collection contains 293 accessions of garlic (A. sativum), 16 “primitive” garlic (A. longicuspis), 207 leek (A. ampeloprasum), 33 chives (A. schoenoprasum), 11 Chinese chives (A. tuberosum), and 579 accessions of wild, ornamental and native Allium species.

The miscellaneous maintenance group contains 4,730 accessions and is made up of minor forage and restoration legumes (Astragalus–957 accessions, Onobrychis-651), ornamentals (Papaver-341, Salvia–130, Achillea-77), medicinals (Glycyrrhiza-46 , Genista-17), herbs (Thymus-31, Satureja-11), natives targeted for restoration (Lomatium-14, Eriogonum-174), industrial crops (Taraxacum-48, Plantago-112 ), miscellaneous use (Guizotia-19) and the rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) collection (115).

The Temperate Forage Legume Collection (TFLC) has about 14,000 accessions representing three genera. The Medicago collection includes 8,900 accessions representing 80 taxa, the cultivated perennial Trifolium collection includes 3,200 accessions representing 150 taxa, and the Lotus collection contains 1000 accessions representing 69 taxa. Seventy-five percent of the collection is available and 70% is backed up at the NCGRP and the Svalbard Seed Vault.

Alfalfa routinely places among the top five crops in the nation. Along with grass, forage legumes support animal-based agriculture and have the added benefit of being able to fix atmospheric nitrogen. Historically, the NPGS germplasm collection has made an important contribution to the development of forage legume varieties (Rumbaugh, 1991).

The forage legume collections also contain two genomic model species, Medicago truncatula Gaertn and Lotus japonicus. In particular, M. truncatula is an important model species for studying functional genomics in legume crops. Recently a 64 accession core subset was identified and inbred lines developed.

The WRPIS Research Plant Pathologist cooperates with scientists in academia (especially the WSU Department of Plant Pathology) and other ARS scientists (especially the Cereal Grain Legume unit at Pullman) to address issues in the identification and management of diseases of WRPIS and/or NPGS germplasm. Biotic stresses (primarily diseases, arthropods and weeds) that affect WRPIS germplasm must be controlled to ensure production of high quality seed.

Perennial monitoring of WRPIS germplasm (including allied weedy species) results in "first reports" of pathogenic fungi or other pathogens of various crop, medicinal or ornamental plants in WRPIS or NPGS collections.

The WRPIS Research Agronomist leads evaluation research centering on agriculturally important grasses for both pasture and rangeland use, and developing winter safflower with improved oil content and fatty acid quality. This work is cooperative with industry (Cal-Oils for safflower and potentially various native seed companies), universities (Beth Leger, University of Nevada Reno, on plant adaptation research), the U.S. Forest Service (Brad St Clair, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Matt Horning, Deschutes National Forest, and Francis Kilkeney, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise on plant adaptation research), and the Bureau of Land Management (Peggy Olwell, Native Plants Program Leader, Washington D.C.). The winter safflower project is also cooperative with Clara Franchini at the Universidad de Sur, Bahía Blanca, Argentina, concerning evaluation of crosses. Within the ARS there is close collaboration with Vicki Bradley, the cool-season grass and safflower curator at WRPIS, and Erin Espeland, USDA-ARS, Sidney, MT, on plasticity and adaptation of key native species (Johnson et al. 2010; Johnson et al., 2012a).

For winter safflower to be successful, there is a need for higher seed oil content and for high oleic fatty acid content (Johnson et al., 2012b). Although high linoleic types are used for edible and industrial applications, the high oleic types are preferred for the edible market in North America (Li and Mündel, 1996).

Many WRPIS grass collections originate from the vast arid and semiarid rangelands of the Western U.S. These are vital to the health of fragile desert ecosystems (Bleak et al., 1965; Walker and Brotherson, 1982), and rangeland managers are increasingly using native plant genetic resources to maximize ecosystem diversity and function (Hufford and Mazer, 2003; Jones and Monaco, 2009).

The WRPIS Research Geneticist conducts collaborative and independent research on characterization, evaluation and enhancement of priority germplasm collections. In collaborating with the UC Davis lettuce research group, we designed a lettuce Oligo Pool Assay (OPA), LSGermOPA, for high throughput fingerprinting the cultivated lettuce germplasm collection. A special collection of 298 “pure” lines was formed and deposited in WRPIS based on homozygous genotypes at 322 SNP loci of LSGermOPA (Kwon et al., 2013a).

One hundred and fifty-one faba bean accessions were genotyped with the TRAP (target region amplification polymorphism) markers (Hu and Vick, 2003) to assess genetic diversity and relationships (Kwon et al., 2010).

We successfully transferred the winter-hardy character to a vegetable type faba bean variety by conventional breeding. A replicated yield trial of eight selected F6 breeding lines was conducted. We plan to release the best lines to the public in 2014.

Global, national and regional collaborative activities. The user community for germplasm and the associated information primarily includes universities and colleges, major and small commercial seed companies (i.e. Monsanto, Pioneer Hybrid, Syngenta Seeds, Nunhems, Specialty Seeds of Oregon, Inc. etc.), plant and animal scientists at international research centers (i.e. International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali, Colombia; International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India; International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Area (ICARDA), Beirut, Lebanon; Bioversity International, Rome, Italy and Global Crop Diversity Trust, Bonn, Germany; etc.), other national programs in many countries, production specialists, farmers, and occasionally home gardeners. The most direct customers are public and private breeders trying to incorporate new traits to improve or develop crop cultivars, and university researchers conducting basic research.

There is a wide range of research activity utilizing NPGS plant germplasm within the Western Region. An International Brachypodium Initiative (IBI) was formed in 2005 to foster communications among researchers. This collective effort led to the publication of the whole genome DNA sequence of this grass in February 2010 in the journal of Nature. Two major contributors of the Brachypodium genome sequence project, Dr. John P. Vogel of the USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA and Dr. Todd C. Mockler of the Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, are located in the Western Region. In the last seven years, WRPIS had distributed over 2,000 packets of Brachypodium seed samples to the global research community of approximately 130 research groups in more than 20 countries.

With regard to germplasm utilization in breeding, the lettuce collection of 1,500 cultivated and 600 wild accessions has been screened several times for resistances to various diseases by the UC Davis lettuce genetics and breeding program headed by Dr. Richard Michelmore, and the ARS-Salinas lettuce breeding group (Drs. James McCreight, Ryan Hayes, Ivan Simko and Beiquan Mou). In order of find complete resistance to race 2 isolates of V. dahliae, WRPIS coordinated with the Plant Exchange Office and arranged a wild lettuce collection effort in four countries (Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia and Georgia) by local botanists. One of the 32 accessions received by WRPIS was confirmed by repeated testing to be resistant to race 2 of V. dahliae. Crosses have been made and segregating populations are being developed to analyze the inheritance and to incorporate the resistance to elite lines (Michelmore, personal communication).

Pea, chickpea and lentil are integral components of cereal-based cropping systems in the Pacific Northwest and North Central U.S. Researchers and breeders in the states of Washington, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon and Montana are using the WRPIS collections extensively in mining favorite genes to confer resistances to diseases and tolerance to abotic stresses such as drought heat and cold. Dr. Rebecca McGee of the USDA ARS Grain Legume Genetics Physiology Research unit at Pullman, WA and her colleagues (McGee at al., 2012) registered eight pea germplasm lines partially resistant to aphanomyces root rot for breeding fresh or freezer pea and dry pea types. The resistant resource is derived from PI 557501 maintained at WRPIS.

The plant breeding programs at Oregon State University are mostly centered on crops like hazelnuts, hops, and meadow foam that have little private sector breeding activity. Dr. Shawn Mehlenbacher used the Corylus germplasm extensively for assessing genetic variability. Other users of NPGS in Oregon include federal researchers as well as private seed company and individual breeders.

University of Arizona used germplasm from the NPGS in numerous research projects that included the genetics of crop plants and the domestication of new crops. Dr. Dennis Ray conducted research to elucidate the basic biology guayule, a potential domestic source of natural rubber, for not only increasing rubber yields, but also studying its rather complicated reproductive biology. In Montana, Dr. Martin and colleagues used the barley core collection from National Small Grains Collection in his research to further the understanding of the hardness locus in barley and its impact on grain quality traits. Research programs associated with the University of Idaho used numerous NPGS germplasm.

The ARS-led National Sclerotinia Initiative aims at neutralizing white mold’s economic threat to seven different crops: sunflower, soybean, canola, edible dry beans, chickpeas, lentils and dry peas. The WRPIS curators have been providing accessions to the funded projects for evaluating for resistance (Dr. Weidong Chen, ARS-Pullman working on lentil and chick pea, Dr. Phil Miklas, ARS-Prosser, WA working on common bean); for map of QTL for white mold resistance (Dr. Mark Brick, Colorado State University working on common bean) and for pyramiding and introgressing white mold resistance (Dr. Shree Singh, University of Idaho and Dr. James R. Myers, Oregon State University, both working on common bean). Dr. Longxi Yu of ARS-Prosser is screening for alfalfa germplasm for drought tolerance.

Summary of CRIS search with Objective keywords
A CRIS search for active projects using approximately 12 configurations of keywords on various research topics in the proposal was conducted. Many of the projects found are complimentary, or are cooperative projects in the NPGS which are managing different crop species. Some projects are based on using our germplasm in their research. It was found that the majority of the proposed research is unique and does not overlap with any other projects.

Objectives

1. Managing common bean genetic resources and related information. (Dr. T. Kisha)
   
2. Managing cool season food legumes genetic resources and related information. (Dr. C. Coyne)
   
3. Managing cool season grasses and safflower genetic resources and related information. (Ms. V. Bradley)
   
4. Managing horticultural crops genetic resources and related information. (Ms. B. Hellier)
   
5. Managing temperate forage legumes genetic resources and related information. Dr. S. vise-Greene)
   
6. Characterizing selected native plant species for ecosystem restoration. (Dr. R. Johnson)
   
7. Monitoring disease agents of the managed plant species. (Dr. F. Dugan)
   
8. Conducting research on pre-breeding and enhancement of safflower (Dr. R. Johnson) and faba bean (Dr. J. Hu).
   

Methods

The US Department of Agriculture, ARS provides approximately 86% of the WRPIS’ annual budget including salaries of federal employees at the station, general operations, and certain facilities and equipment. The remaining 14% of the WRPIS’ budget is covered by the W6 funds supporting 5.25 full-time employees working on the farms, in the greenhouses and laboratories, which are critical to the operation of the project. In addition, Washington State University contributes substantial in-kind support of farm land, greenhouse, laboratory, and office spaces to the project. Planned plant exploration is funded by the Plant Exchange Office of the National Germplasm Resource Lab (NGRL) in Beltsville, MD.

Management of plant genetic resources includes activities of acquisition, conservation, regeneration, characterization, evaluation and distribution. Acquisition of new plant germplasm should be an ongoing process for genebanks to meet the needs of plant breeders and other researchers. Due to the limitation of fiscal and physical resources, acquisition is not the highest priority. However, we will endeavor to strategically expand our collection and fill the gaps identified by researchers and the CGCs. Emphasis is on the species that offer critically needed traits to support current and future breeding and research. WRPIS has recently obtained funds for collecting food legume germplasm in Nepal.

Our priority is to conserve our germplasm collections in proper storage conditions and keep them accessible to researchers and breeders worldwide. Collections arriving at genebanks normally have low seed quantity and must be regenerated before they can be made available for research. Particular emphasis will be placed on regeneration of accessions that have never been regenerated, those with low germination, those with few seeds, and those that have not yet been duplicated at a back-up site. The NCGRP at Ft. Collins, CO is our central back-up facility. Currently, approximately 71% of the entire collection is backed-up at NCGRP. However, nearly 100% of the accessions assigned PI numbers are backed up. In addition, we shipped 7,800 accessions to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway for long-term back up. Our goal is to back-up at least 75% of the WRPIS collection at an alternative NPGS site.

The full breeding value of an accession can only be documented by rigorous phenotypic evaluation. We will continue to conduct independent and collaborative characterization, evaluation and enhancement studies and generate useful phenotypic data which add value to collections.

1. The Phaseolus collection is grown in greenhouses to prevent the infection by Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV), a seed-borne, aphid-vectored potyvirus. Accessions are tested for the presence of potyvirus via ELISA according to the protocol described in the Operations Manual for the Phaseolus Germplasm Project. The accessions are labeled as virus-free or virus-infected, so the requestor may make a decision as to the desirability of the seed for their work. A virus clean-up program is in effect and pursued as resources permit. All data is entered into the GRIN-Global database for access by interested parties.

New accessions are obtained from both inside and outside the U.S. Passport data is entered into GRIN for all new accessions. Due to the increasing size of the collection and the limited space for crop increase, there is growing concern that gaps may develop in the regeneration of the genus. At present only 300-500 accessions can be regenerated each year.

The Phaseolus curatorial program is collaborating with the USDA-ARS at Parlier, CA in an effort to increase the number regenerations with field plots. Samples will be tested to ensure they remain virus free. Molecular diversity analysis of the Phaseolus acutifolius collection is underway in collaboration with Virginia State University for estimation of drought tolerance and with Colorado State University for documentation of agronomic characteristics. Examination of nuña bean (Peruvian popping bean) nutritional qualities is being done in collaboration with Washington State University department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the WSU Wheat Quality Laboratory, and the molecular genetic diversity analysis of the nuña accessions is in collaboration with the Center for Research on Invasive Species and Small Populations at the University of Idaho. The Phaseolus Curator is working closely with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The Wayne National Forest, and the Hoosier National Forest to acquire accessions of the North American Wild Kidney Bean (Phaseolus polystachios).

2. Cool season food legume. Regeneration priorities of each taxon will be set by these three criteria. A priority list will be generated each winter by querying updated inventory data in the GRIN database. Then 450 accessions will be selected for regeneration based on seed quality (viability) and seed quantity. To maximize space use efficiency, we regenerate four accessions; each is a different species (these species will not inter-cross) in one cage. After seed cleaning, selected quality seed samples will be shipped to NCGRP at Fort Collins, CO for security back-up.

We are working on an exploration trip to Nepal, in cooperation with the ARS Plant Exchange Office, to acquire cultivated and wild relative species of cool season food legumes to fill the gaps in our collection, emphasizing traits of biotic and abiotic stress resistances.

Approximately 1,500 accessions of the cool season food legumes will be evaluated for basic descriptors in the field, screen house, greenhouse and laboratory during the next five years. All accessions will have their seed digitally imaged prior to planting using a flatbed scanner and software to automatically measure seed characteristics (WinSEEDLE, Regent Instruments). Data and images will be downloaded to GRIN.

The cool season food legume germplasm project collaborates closely with the food legume breeding programs at Washington State University on pea, lentil, faba bean and chickpea on germplasm utilization, characterization and enhancement. The project collaborates more broadly with food legume improvement programs at U.C. Davis on chickpea characterization with SNP genotypes and new crop wild relative germplasm collection in Turkey; with Cornell University on high through-put SNP genotyping of pea germplasm; with North Dakota State University on pea, chickpea and lentil utilization; and starting in 2014 a new collaboration with Clemson University on pea and lentil nutritional germplasm evaluations. Internationally, the project collaborates with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) on lentil germplasm characterization and high through-put genotyping; with INRA LeRheu, France on Aphanomyces root rot of pea; with INRA Dijon, France on the sequencing of pea; with University of Saskatchewan on the SNP genotyping of the USDA lentil core collection, sequencing of lentil and re-sequencing of the USDA lentil core collection; with Palacký University at Olomouc, Czech Republic on pea crop wild relative germplasm molecular characterization and markers linked to disease resistances; and with Plant and Food Research, Lincoln, New Zealand on improving pea quality traits using the USDA pea core collection.

3a. Cool season grass collection. We will plant approximately 300 grass accessions each year and a target population of 100 plants for each accession. Parental information for each accession planted for regeneration will be recorded and uploaded to GRIN.

Acquisition of key native grasses to fill in gaps in the collection will be a priority at the WRPIS. New germplasm for the native perennial grasses Leymus cinereus, Poa secunda, and Achnatherum thurberianum, were collected and are being evaluated in common garden studies (Johnson, R.C., 2012a, personal communication). These common garden data will be used to select accessions to be added to the collection in order to maximize the genetic diversity of these taxa in the NPGS.

Overwintering data will be taken for all second year grass accessions in the regeneration plots, digital plot images will be taken for 50 grass accessions per year, and we will pursue molecular characterization of the 371 accessions in the Eragrostis tef collection. We will send approximately 50 grass accessions for security back up to NCGRP annually. Each year, the pollination mode of 30 grass taxa for which there is no GRIN data recorded, will be determined through literature searches and added to the database.

Mr. Orlin Reinbold from Landmark Turf & Native Seed, a Spokane, WA-base company recently visited WRPIS. He expressed interest in developing commercial products using the Festuca hystrix accessions selected by cool season grass and safflower curator. Potential collaboration on this project is being discussed among the company, WRPIS and WSU.

3b. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius). Ninety-six percent of the safflower collection is backed-up at NCGRP and available for distribution. A large proportion of the safflower accessions needing regeneration have very low seed quantity, and/or very poor quality, and therefore have not been backed-up. We will concentrate efforts to regenerate these types of accessions and will plant 30 per year.

A replicated germplasm evaluation nursery of 50 safflower accessions will be planted annually. The phenotypic descriptors, bloom day, corolla color at bloom, corolla color dry, plant habit, head shape, head size, plant height, and spines will be collected. Images of safflower plots and flower heads in the evaluation nursery will be taken for uploading to GRIN.

Difficult to find historical data and information related to safflower is available on the Safflower Homepage (http://safflower.wsu.edu/), managed by the WRPIS. Each year, a volume of the Sesame and Safflower Newsletter will be added to the documents available on the website and proceedings of the International Safflower Conference will be posted to this site as they become available.

4. Horticulture crops program includes approximately 10,000 accessions belonging to 276 genera which are organized in 4 general maintenance groups: lettuce, beets, allium, and miscellaneous.

Lettuce maintenance group: There are currently 1,499 accessions of cultivated lettuce, 311 accessions of L. serriola and 275 accessions of other Lactuca species and related genera in the WRPIS collection. Walters et al (2004) found L. sativa seed stores longer than other Lactuca species. We will increase/regenerate the lettuce group using the following schedule: L. sativa on a 20 year cycle = 75 accessions per year; L. serriola on a 10 year cycle = 31 accessions per year; miscellaneous Lactuca species, Sonchus and Cicerbita on a 10 year cycle = 27 accessions per year. The regeneration population for L. sativa accessions regenerated in the field is 15-30 plants. Seed of newly increased accessions will be sent to NCGRP if a back-up sample is needed.

Beta maintenance group: We will regenerate Beta accessions using a regeneration population of 100 plants per accession. Field grown accessions will be transplanted as vernalized plants in the spring. We will use a minimum of a 5-year rotation for field plots. We will use both WRPIS greenhouse space and rented space from WSU Plant Growth Facilities. With the greenhouse rooms and isolated field plots available to us, we can increase approximately 30-40 accessions per year. Newly produced seed will be sent to NCGRP for back-up if needed.

Allium maintenance group: In the Allium maintenance group there are vegetatively propagated accessions (A. sativum, A. longicuspis, and non-true seed producing accessions of A. roseum, A. canadense, A. melanantherum, A. ampeloprasum) and true seed producing accessions. Cloves and/or bulbs (30-40 per accession) will be planted in the fall, harvested the following summer, dried, cleaned, and replanted in the fall. We will use a minimum of a 4-year field rotation for Allium nurseries. The A. sativum and A. longicuspis accessions have two forms of back-up: a short-term back-up planted at the USDA-ARS NPGS Parlier, CA station and long-term back-up at NCGRP, Fort Collins, CO in liquid nitrogen. Each year 10 cloves per accession for the whole collection will be planted at Parlier, harvested and shipped back to Pullman for storage or use in distributions. There are currently 92 accessions cryopreserved at NCGRP.

Virus infection has been identified in the garlic and A. longicuspis collections (Pappu et al., 2008). In 2011 we began to clean-up the collection using meristem culture (Walkey et al., 1987). Approximately 10 to 20 accessions per year will be passed through tissue culture and tested using ELISA or PCR for the presence of Onion yellow dwarf potyvirus, Garlic common latent carlavirus (GCLV), and Leek yellow stripe potyvirus (LYSV). There is a small collection of A. sativum accessions of tropical origin that do not overwinter in Pullman. These will be maintained in the greenhouse in Pullman. True seed producing species of Allium will be regenerated in the field with an increase population of 30 (wild species) to 60 (leek) plants per accession. Newly produced seed will be sent to NCGP for back-up as needed.

Miscellaneous maintenance group: We have established 4 nurseries spatially isolated in which we can grow accessions of this maintenance group for up to 3-4 years. Each year accessions from species represented by all 4 user communities for this maintenance group (New Crops, Clover and Special Purpose Legumes, Herbaceous Ornamental, and Medicinal Crop Germplasm Committees) will be selected for increase. Only one accession per species will be grown per nursery, unless self-pollination with no out-crossing is documented for that species (e.g., Scorpiurus) (Heyn and Raviv, 1966). Certain annual and cold sensitive species will be grown in the greenhouse or sent to Parlier, CA for regeneration. Newly produced seed will be sent to NCGP for back-up as needed.

The collaborative activities in the horticulture crops program include screening for low temperature germination of selected lettuce lines with Dr. Carol Miles, WSU-Mt. Vernon; assessing the genetic diversity and vernalization requirements for Lactuca georgica with Dr. Alex Beharav, Vulcani Institute, Israel and Dr Kisha, WRPIS; morphologic and molecular evaluation of the Patellifolia collection with Dr. Lee Panella, Sugarbeet Research Unit, Fort Collins, CO; and the short term back-up of the garlic collection with Dr. John Preece and Mr. Jerry Serimian, National Arid Land Plant Genetic Resources Unit, ARS, Parlier, CA.

5. Temperate forage legume crops. Seed will be started in the greenhouse, 120 individual plants per accession. To develop inbred lines of the M. truncatula collection we will grow out 10 individual plants of each accession in the field, and identify the single most representative plant which will be bagged. A single pod will be harvested, cleaned, and seed sown into an individual pot and placed in a greenhouse. Single plants will be bagged and a second selfed generation will be harvested. The process will be repeated for a third generation. All seed from individual S3 plants will be used in a field seed increase. Inbred lines will be given a suffix to identify them from the original lines, which will continue to be maintained and distributed. We will characterize landscape-scale transgene flow for alfalfa, and apply that knowledge to develop mitigation strategies for maintaining genetic purity of alfalfa germplasm accessions and for commercial production of alfalfa hay and seed stocks for markets that prohibit genetically engineered crops.

6. Native plant species for ecosystem restoration will be selected to study their genecology. Collections of Bottlebrush squirreltail (143 accessions), Thurber's needlegrass (66 accessions), and Basin wildrye (117 accessions) will be established in separate common gardens at diverse sites. Also included will be important cultivars released for each species.

The basic design for each garden will be randomized complete blocks with six replications at each garden site. Plants will be established in the greenhouse and transplanted to field sites. A single plant from each collection location will be the experimental unit.

7. Monitor disease agents of plant species in the WRPIS collection (including alternative weedy hosts) by inspecting crops in the field and encouraging submission of samples from WRPIS curators and other staff. Additionally, we monitor local commercial fields plus botanical gardens and aboreta (which contain representatives of numerous plant families, including those of importance to WRPIS) for plant diseases.

Collaborative projects include research on host range, identification and management of Pencillium species responsible for blue mold of edible and/or ornamental bulb crops. Collaborators are plant pathologists from Washington State University and University of Idaho. Research on differential susceptibility of germplasm lines of Basin wild rye to stripe rust is conducted in collaboration with scientists in our own unit, plus scientists in the USDA-ARS Wheat Genetics unit (Pullman) and WSU Plant Pathology. The Research Plant Pathologist is also a cooperator with Montana State University for the regional Pulse Crop Health Diagnostic Laboratory (funded via USDA-APHIS). The Pathologist regularly collaborates with WSU and/or USDA-ARS pathologists on an ad hoc basis for the issuance of Disease Notes, Plant Health Briefs and other such reports of new disease incidents.

8a. Pre-breeding Safflower for improved oil concentration and high oleic fatty acids in winter safflower. Plants for crossing will be selected from fall planted winter type germplasm. For each of the winter types, 10 plants will be selected. The expectation is to complete a set of 120 crosses for each winter type each year and all three winter-types in three successive years.

Winter types will be emasculated and pollinated as described by Knowles (1980). F1 seeds will be collected from each plant, grown, and F2 seed produced. Seed oil and fatty acid determinations will be made on F2 seeds at the University of Idaho Oilseed Chemistry Service Lab. The 10 F2 populations with the highest oil content will be selected for oleic and linoleic fatty acid determinations. Those with high oleic fatty acids will be grown in the greenhouse to the F3 generation for freezing tests. Surviving plants will be advanced to the F4 generation (F2:F4) and evaluated for oil and fatty acid composition. Promising selections advanced for field testing and improved germplasm will be released and registered in the public domain.

8b. Incorporate genes for improved nutritional content into faba bean prebreeding populations. We found white-flowered plants in 11 accessions in the USDA germplasm collection in 2010. Professor Shiying Bao of the Yuannan Academy of Agricultural Sciences also found seven white flowered accessions in the Chinese collection. Dr. Gerard Duc from INRA of France offered to provide the two standard accessions in his collection, documented as zt1zt1 and zt2zt2, for the study. We will make crosses among these accessions and conduct progeny tests for each cross in the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. We anticipate that this international collaborative research project will result in a joint publication and valuable genetic resources and information for faba bean improvement.

Measurement of Progress and Results

Outputs

• This project will continue to provide quality germplasm of common beans, cool season food legumes, forage grasses, oilseeds, vegetables, beets, ornamentals, medicinal crops, temperate forage legumes and related wild species maintained at this site to researchers in the western region, the U.S. and the world. The utilization of this germplasm in basic research will result in strengthening of plant sciences and genomics by documenting genetic variation, plant-environment interaction, linkage maps of useful genes, and DNA sequence information. Breeders in applied research will incorporate novel genes into locally-adapted cultivars with enhanced pest resistance, improved end-user quality and increased productivity. Planned experiments will lead to development of new crops for industrial, ornamental and medicinal purposes.
• Efficient regeneration protocols will be established and refined based on the research information on pollination biology for effective regeneration of the respective species and accessions in the WRPIS collection. Potentially beneficial fungi (endophytes) will be maintained and harmful fungi, viruses, and other pathogenic microorganisms as well as pests will be managed during regeneration to produce healthy seeds for storage and distribution.
• More phenotypic data associated with priority accessions will be available to the U.S. and worldwide breeders and researchers who use our germplasm. The data include digital images, morphological descriptors, and important agronomical or horticultural traits such as disease and insect resistance, nutritional general adaptation and growth habit. All the data collected will be uploaded to the GRIN database that can be accessed by the public through the Internet. Selected germplasm will be released for use in breeding programs.
• Our molecular characterization program will generate information on molecular diversity and population structure of selected crop species and wild relatives. Application of this information to germplasm management will increase our overall efficiency and effectiveness by eliminating duplicated (redundant) accessions and monitoring allele frequencies to maintain genetic integrity during regeneration. Information on DNA markers associated with economic traits will be published in peer-reviewed journals, enabling breeders to incorporate novel traits into elite lines via marker-assisted selection in their cultivar development efforts.
• New critically needed accessions of priority crop species will be added to the WRPIS collection for distribution. These new accessions will fill the existing gaps in our collection as revealed with DNA-based markers, morphological variation or geographical origin. The acquisition will be accomplished by collection trips and germplasm exchange between WRPIS personnel and their international collaborators.

Outcomes or Projected Impacts

• U.S. breeders and researchers will have access to additional accessions of crops, crop varieties, and native plant genetic resources for host-plant resistance and value-added nutritional traits.
• Our collections will promote continued genetic improvement of important agricultural crops and restoration of public and private lands.
• Accessions of priority plant genetic resources will be secured and the genetic gaps in the collections will be filled through acquisition.
• Germplasm will be more efficiently and effectively conserved, monitored for seed quality and health, and distributed upon request worldwide.
• Methods will be developed and refined for regenerating germplasm collections.
• Accessions of priority genetic resources will be evaluated ("phenotyped") for key traits related to adaptation, yield components, and host-plant resistance to diseases and insects.
• Diseases and their etiological agents will be identified and characterized from selected crops and native plants, and/or indigenous or endemic regional plants hosting diseases of WRPIS crops.
• Management of diseases will be enhanced with increase in germplasm quality.
• Genotypic and phenotypic (evaluation) datasets for key genetic, agronomic, and/or horticultural traits will be incorporated into GRIN Global and/or other databases, thereby expanding worldwide access to critical data.

Milestones

(2015): Objectives 1 to 5: Annually regenerate 1,800-2,000 priority germplasm accessions including 450-500 cool season food legumes (Dr. C. Coyne), 300-350 beans (Dr. T. Kisha), 300-350 grasses (Ms. V. Bradley), 130 safflowers (Ms. V. Bradley), 350 horticultural crops (250 Alliums, 40 ornamentals and 20 Beta) (Ms. B. Hellier), and 200 temperate forage legumes (Dr. S. vise-Greene); collect descriptor data and images on 500 regenerated accessions for uploading into the GRIN-Global database (all curators).

(2014): Objective 6: Molecular analysis of Reed canarygrass; field data collection for Reed canarygrass, Basin wildrye, and Thurber's needlegrass (Dr. J. Johnson).<p> Objective 7: Submit a manuscript on blue-mold (Penicillium) pathogens of bulb crops; submit manuscript on relative susceptibility of germlines of Great Basin wild rye to stripe rust; report any new host/fungus records for WRPIS crops (Dr. F. Dugan).<p> Objective 8: Obtain F1 hybrid seeds of winter hardy safflower PI 651878 with high oil and oleic acid 'Olé' (Dr. R. Johnson); Obtain F1 hybrid seeds by crossing a low vincine/convicine genotype to a W6 faba bean accession (Dr. J. Hu).

(2015): Objective 6: Complete Basin wildrye data collection and genecology analysis; publish Reed canarygrass study (Dr. R. Johnson).<p> Objective 7: Submit manuscript for which we have publishable data for species identification and host range for North American isolates of members of Penicillium series Corymbifera, as well as for members of Penicillium not in that series (blue mold of bulbs) (Dr. F. Dugan).<p> Objective 8:, Crosses of winter hardy PI 651879 with Olé; evaluation of cold tolerance of PI 651878 crosses (Dr. R. Johnson); release three winter-hardy prebreeding faba bean lines (Dr. J. Hu).

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Outreach Plan

W006 participants use all available opportunities for outreach by introducing plant genetic resource issues and accomplishments to the public, including students at all levels (primary, secondary, and college), and participants of local, regional, national and international meeting and conferences. Information, development and research results are presented as oral presentations, posters and written publications targeted for scientific, industrial, and popular audiences, documenting and thus promoting understanding of the service, research achievements, and impact of NPGS. WRPIS is located on the Pullman campus of Washington State University and has a strong academic association and a close collaborative relationship with WSU. WRPIS staff frequently provides tours and lectures for WSU students and visitors from other U.S. and international institutions. WRPIS scientists also advise graduate students, offer internships and participate in collaborative research partnerships. Due to the labor-intensive nature of its operation, WRPIS hires up to 40 short-term, seasonal workers (mostly WSU students) to help in the lab, in the greenhouse and on the farm.

The Internet has become the most efficient and effective media for our outreach in recent years. We will continue to update the Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN) database with related data on germplasm accessions maintained in WRPIS. GRIN is the NPGS public database that can be accessed from anywhere in the world via the Internet. We utilize GRIN as the primary repository for passport, evaluation and characterization data. Passport data include the taxonomic name and the origin of the germplasm accession [such as being received by the WRPIS as material transferred from other NPGS sites, from NCGRP, through exchanges with other national genetic resource conservation programs around the world, from public (universities primarily) and private sector breeding programs, from donations by U.S. citizens, and from plant exploration expeditions]. Passport data are assembled at Pullman and loaded into GRIN. Our scientists/curators will transfer information and results from research projects to the user community by publishing papers in peer-reviewed publications, presenting poster and oral presentations at professional conferences and commodity meetings. These publications and presentations lead to personal interaction with scientists from around the world, and subsequent additional technology transfer occurs.

WRPIS curators serve as committee members or chairs of the respective national Crop Germplasm Committees (CGC) and other academic or social organizations. To mention a few, the WRPIS Agronomist is an active member of the International Safflower Germplasm Committee, a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the Special Grant, Grass Seed Cropping Systems for Sustainable Agriculture, active ex-officio member of the Forage and Turf grass CGC; the WRPIS Horticulture Curator is an ex-officio member of six CGCs (Root and Bulb, Leafy Vegetable, the Herbaceous Ornamental, New Crops, the Clover and Special Purpose Legume and sugar beet), and a member of two PGOC subcommittees (Medicinal Plant and In Situ Conservation); the WRPIS Agronomy Curator is the chair of the International Safflower Germplasm Committee, and an ex-officio member of Forage and Turf Grass CGC and New Crops CGC; the WRPIS Cool Season Food Legumes Curator is an ex-officio member of the Food Legume CGC, ex-officio member of the Pisum CGC and a member of the Plant Germplasm Operations Committee; and the WRPIS Phaseolus Curator serves as a member in four organizations (Phaseolus CGC, Bean Improvement Cooperative Genetics Committee, W1150 Regional Project, and Seed Savers Exchange). By participating in the regular meeting and other activities of these organizations, we effectively outreach and interact with our stakeholders, customers and the general public. We provide updated information and technology documented in our operations manual to requestors from other genetic resource conservation organizations within the U.S. and from other countries and international conservation institutes. WRPIS will continue to host a summer intern (high school student) through the WSU Upward bound program to teach about our germplasm conservation program.

NPGS requires us to distribute available germplasm to requestors worldwide in a timely manner. We routinely fill and ship samples within 7-10 days for all regular requests. We also request feedback from germplasm recipients to improve our service and to meet the needs of germplasm users in the scientific community.

Organization/Governance

The recommended Standard Governance for multi-state research activities includes the election of a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary for the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC comprises state representatives from the western 13 states and meets annually to assess service and research progress, analyze customer needs and make recommendations to the station. Currently, Dr. Shawn Mehlenbacher of Oregon State University serves as the Chair, Dr. Joe Kuhl of the University of Idaho the Chair-elect, and Dr. Carol Miles of Washington State University the Secretary of the W6 TAC. All officers are to be elected for a two-year term to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor (Dr. James Moyer of WSU) and a CSREES Representative (Dr. AnnMarie Thro of NIFA). Over the next five years we will use internal benchmarks and accountability systems to assess progress and determine future needs. In addition to the input from the W6 Technical Advisory Committee, we will use the ARS National Program 301 review process, input from the CGCs, germplasm recipient feedback, and suggestions from external review, as appropriate.

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Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

CA, CO, GA, ID, MD, MT, NM, OR, UT, WA

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

ARS-WA, USDA-ARS/Washington