Duration: 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2031

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

The need, as indicated by stakeholders

The Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS) of the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is one of four unique sites in the U.S. dedicated to conserving and promoting the use of this vital resource for agricultural research. Founded in 1947 in Pullman, WA as a joint undertaking by Washington State University (WSU) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the WRPIS has a long history of acquisition, maintenance, characterization, evaluation, distribution of plant genetic resources (PGR) and their associated information. The long-term support from the Western Regional (W6) Multistate Hatch-funded Research Project along with direct USDA ARS federal appropriations have provided financial backing for the WRPIS. Within the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), current WRPIS collections hold a significant proportion of the U.S. (101,307 accessions and 4,996 species representing 16% of the NPGS) and world’s germplasm representing cultivated crops and their wild relatives. Primary collections include cool season food legumes (e.g., pea, lentil faba bean and chickpea), turf and forage cool season grasses (e.g., fescue and bluegrass), temperate forage legumes (e.g., alfalfa and clover), common bean (Phaseolus sp.), horticultural crops (e.g., lettuce, sugar beets, and garlic) and U.S. natives used in rangeland improvement and restoration along with many other important plant species.

The continual demand for the diverse collections and their associated information helps demonstrate their utility. Most of the germplasm distributions are intended for plant breeders and other scientists for research and education purposes at Land-Grant Universities, other public and private research institutions, USDA programs, non-profit organizations and private industry. As a Congressional mandate, distributions presently are free-of-cost to the users. Access to information affiliated with germplasm is openly available via the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)-Global System (GG) database. Over the past five years (2020-2024), global PGR users have requested and received 122,544 distributions in over 3,616 separate requests from the WRPIS. Distribution to and utilization of germplasm by researchers and educators in the Western Region in that same timeframe included 1,809 (~50% of total) requests and 44,133 (~36%) items.

Support for research and service efforts provided by WPRIS team comes from its many stakeholders. As Byrne and co-authors (Byrne, 2018) point out, the only way to meet the genebanks’ mission is to garner critical stakeholder support and to effectively coordinate with collaborators across institutions (e.g., USDA-ARS, universities, non-profit and, private sectors). Achieving goals is often challenging, and as the November 2023 released “National Strategic Germplasm and Cultivar Collection Assessment and Utilization Plan” indicates, genebanks are falling behind on their critical core activities. The plan outlines the need for increased investment in personnel, equipment and infrastructure to prevent further regression. Work is unique and often required to be performed “in house”, but relying on local and regional collaborations to address areas like regenerations, characterizing, evaluating, phenotyping, genotyping and even plant breeding are key. Support for the WRPIS originates from both federally appropriated funds and this multi-state program, and any reduction in resources would be accompanied by a re-prioritization of objectives to focus on what is most primordial – conserving the germplasm.

The current proposed project aligns with national and international agricultural sustainability goals and action plans. These include, among others, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Sustainable Development Goal 2.5.1 addressing conservation of PGR for food and agriculture and the USDA National Program 301 Action Plan. At the same time, the project is an active collaborative partnership in finding solutions to key agricultural and ecological issues addressed in the stakeholder-derived document entitled, “The Western Perspective and the Western Agenda”. In this regard, the WRPIS provides support and synergy to the food production, food security and horticultural industries, as well as for conservation and restoration of natural resources in the Western Region.

The importance of the work, and what the consequences are if it is not done

Agriculture and PGR help sustain the world, as they play roles in the production of food, fiber, forage, fuel, ornamentals, medicine and industrial and restoration uses. Improving agricultural efficiency and producers’ bottom line while protecting the environment are lofty goals that must be met. Plant breeding and other research fields rely heavily on the diversity of discoverable traits and genetic sequences in PGR collections. Plant genetic resources drive innovations as they backstop basic research, can be used to develop new crops or to find new uses for existing crops (e.g., recent interest in plant-based proteins) and are often used to develop improved varieties. These collections also provide key sources of variation for today’s agricultural crop production systems that frequently lack diversity. Many crop germplasm collections, including wild relatives, are being evaluated as potential sources of traits for adaptation. Modern biotechnological approaches in areas of genomics and gene editing have prompted renewed interest in use of the highly diverse germplasm collections for trait discovery. Innovations in basic and applied plant science research at public, private and non-profit organizations nationally and internationally are often spurred by access to these genetic resources.

Plant breeders rely on the diversity in PGR collections for the identification and sourcing of traits conferring disease and insect resistance, nutritional qualities, yield, and abiotic stress tolerance (e.g., drought, heat, salinity) to produce climate-ready crops with improved resiliency and nutritional content. Excellent examples of traits in the WRPIS germplasm collections exist, including research screening for Aphanomyces root rot reaction in pea and the identification of a landrace accession, PI 180693, with resistance. This led to improved germplasm bred and released to aid farmers in management of this important plant pathogen (Coyne, 2024). Leafhopper insect resistance was identified in alfalfa germplasm accessions and has been bred into commercial varieties, reducing the need for insecticides and improving yield and quality in the crop (Irish, 2024). Improved disease resistance to verticillium wilt has been bred into iceberg lettuce cultivars; this trait was sourced from WRPIS germplasm bolstering the $1.4 billion lettuce industry in California (Hellier, 2024). Germplasm from WRPIS contributed to improved quality and flavor in fresh table beets (Goldman, 2023). Idaho, Washington, California and Colorado have significant dry bean production. The ‘Fortuna’ tepary bean cultivar that combines disease resistance, heat and drought tolerance and fast cooking time, was developed with WRPIS germplasm in its pedigree (Porch, 2024). The Western Region is a national and world leader in agricultural production and many of the WRPIS collections are key crops that support these industries.

Many research projects, a few of which are highlighted below, depend on access to the WPRIS PGR collections. A national multistate program focuses on “Improving Forage and Bioenergy Crops for Better Adaptation, Resilience and Flexibility” and relies heavily on WRPIS grass and legume species germplasm. Participants from the WRPIS collaborate with the University of California at Davis and WSU on several NIFA-funded research projects on lima and nuña beans held by WRPIS. Another large-scale and multi-institutional research project by the USDA Pulse Crops Health Initiative recently led to the creation of sequence and genomic resources and tools for the improvement of peas (Bari et al., 2021). WRPIS also continues to collaborate on a long-term (>15 years) federal government Inter-Agency project called the Seeds of Success (SOS) aimed at the conservation and use of native PGR. This Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-led effort has led to the addition of close to 20,000 accessions to the WRPIS and NPGS holdings. These collections are cataloged, conserved and available for grazing land improvement and restoration research, especially targeting affected western landscapes.

Although plant breeders are WRPIS’s primary stakeholders, the need for access to PGR comes from many other areas. Core collections, genetic stocks and model plant species are also important components of the collections at the WRPIS. These often are used to answer more basic plant science research questions and deliver outcomes that can be later applied in agricultural production systems. Some of these important subsets include Barrel medic, (Medicago truncatula), one of the first plants with a fully sequenced and published genome that is used for functional genomics and legume nitrogen fixation research. Purple false brome, (Brachypodium distachyon), T-DNA insertion lines clarify gene function in grass species and have led to improvement of related food crops like wheat, and biofuels crops. The WRPIS pea core collections are some of the most well characterized and are used in cultivar development and have specifically been used to research increased nutrition supporting the plant-based protein boom. Germplasm from WRPIS has been requested for many uses including, but not limited to, agronomy, anthropology, bioremediation, botany, taxonomy, genetics, physiology, entomology, plant pathology, ecology, restoration research, repatriation and for educational and demonstration programs.

Significant effort has gone into assembling and managing plant germplasm collections at the WRPIS. Some of the first plant introductions (PI) held in Pullman date back to the late 1800’s with extensive collection growth since then. Today’s collections are extremely diverse with 954 genera and 4,996 species representing many introduced cultivated crop species and their wild relatives. Active curation of these collections involves critical regeneration activities (e.g., germination, establishment, seed production, harvesting, cleaning, storing), but also characterization and evaluation of accessions. As collections have expanded, so have the capabilities for managing information. Substantial accession-associated passport, characterization (phenotypic/genotypic) and evaluation data can be freely, publicly accessed with a browser via and GG. The long-term management of data associated with accessions is a critical effort as it often informs selection for research objectives.

Access to the WRPIS PGR collections and information could be lost if support was to decrease. Access to the germplasm would be limited due to diminishing quantities and quality of germplasm stock, including seed and clonally propagated plant material. Further, any loss of germplasm in the collections likely would be permanent as often germplasm no longer exists where it was originally sourced. Notably, most WRPIS collections are not native to the U.S. and international access is becoming restricted. Consequences would be felt locally, regionally and globally, as a critical tool used in meeting increased and sustainable agricultural productivity would be lost. PGR have a significant positive impact on economic, environmental and social aspects of our society, and if lost most likely cannot be recreated. Therefore, the collections held by the WRPIS need to be conserved in perpetuity to realize their potential.

The technical feasibility of the research

For over 75 years the WRPIS has been successful in its service and research missions. This achievement comes from fiscal, in-kind and technical support and the collective efforts of both federal and state entities. The WRPIS relies on extensive laboratory, greenhouse, field and office space, much of which is provided as in-kind support from WSU. Approximately 5,000 ft2 (~29,000 ft3) of dedicated cold storage facilities (4oC and -18oC), along with accompanying infrastructure for germplasm distributions, are at the core of the WRPIS service functions. The WRPIS relies on specialized technical equipment and facilities for germinating, threshing and seed cleaning. Research farms, greenhouses, screenhouses and other vital resources that contribute to aspects of the day-to-day operations are also provided on the WSU campus in Pullman, WA, the Central Ferry, WA research farm, and the WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center (IAREC) in Prosser, WA. A significant development has been the construction of a new USDA-ARS-funded and WSU-operated Plant Science building. Slated to open Spring, 2026, it will house the WRPIS new state-of-the art laboratories and additional cold storage and freezer space, and modern conference rooms and offices.

The proposed project is attainable because the WRPIS counts on extensive, collective technical and advisory expertise. The WRPIS’s curatorial programs are led by dedicated scientific and technical personnel with many years of PGR management experience. The station’s research scientists support maintenance, characterization, evaluation, and genetic improvement activities. Administrative and information technology support, along with research farm staff, also play key roles in the WRPIS mission. Research, service and clerical support also comes from the Administrative Advisor and their corresponding university office. Consultative roles come from the Regional Technical Advisory Committee (RTAC) and 10 Crop Germplasm Committees (CGC). The RTAC is comprised of state representatives from Western Region land-grant universities with research programs associated with and dependent on WRPIS genetic resources. Members of the CGCs include NPGS stakeholders with diverse PGR subject matter expertise.

Managing critical information associated with NPGS genetic resources is accomplished with GG software. This relational database software was developed by the NPGS and international collaborators to specifically manage passport, inventory, taxonomy, characterization, evaluation, and distribution data, along with digital images and genebank workflows. Characterization and evaluation data collected on WRPIS germplasm can be generated in-house or via collaborations. Much of this information is produced by Western Region and other collaborating scientists who provide data back to WRPIS curatorial programs to be made publicly available. Software enhancements by NPGS software development teams continue to increase system capacity and functionality; the WRPIS helps implement these.

The WRPIS also counts on support from sites like the USDA National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP) in Fort Collins, CO, which holds a safety backup inventory for over 90% of WRPIS PGR. As germplasm enters the WRPIS collections, or as older seed inventories are regenerated, safety backup samples are deposited with NLGPR. The NLGRP also coordinates backup samples at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, in Longyearbyen, Norway, for the appropriate species. The National Germplasm Resources Laboratory (NGRL) in Beltsville, MD assists by hosting GG data and software development team. The NGRL also coordinates plant germplasm collection and exchanges through its Plant Exchange Office (PEO) and aids in the safe introduction of quarantined germplasm from other countries.

The advantages of doing the work as a multistate effort

The proposed collaborative project has a long, successful history of implementation with wide-ranging impacts to the Western Region, the nation and the world. Support for this Multistate Research Project has come from the 78-year partnership between WSU, agInnovation-West, and the NPGS. Of benefit to the community is the guaranteed access to diverse plant germplasm collections by those with research or education objectives.

Centralized management of genetic resources in one location for the region avoids potential duplication of efforts and infrastructure. Although the WRPIS main administrative unit is in Pullman, the ability to conduct regenerations, characterizations and evaluations at multiple sites (i.e., Pullman, Central Ferry, Prosser) and other Western Region states (i.e., backup clonal collections in Parlier, CA and Corvalis, OR) means that relevant data is applicable to similar crop growing environments. Given its co-location on the WSU campus and proximity to the University of Idaho in Moscow, ID, research collaborations with these institutions are common. In addition, current and future partnerships will continue with established networks in public and private organizations across the west. Many WRPIS scientists frequently engage with other regional, national and international efforts to organize collection trips and to provide data, analyses and research outputs that benefit entire germplasm stakeholder communities. Since this is a regional multistate project, the RTAC plays an important role in advising and providing a channel for communicating individual, regional, and state needs in the context of the WRPIS project management. They can also help prioritize mission critical activities and educate other stakeholders on the importance of the collections.

Likely impacts from successfully completing the work

Success of the proposed project will continue to benefit agricultural research and educational stakeholder communities by providing access to valuable PGR diversity and information. Optimized protocols for regenerating, as well as for testing and eliminating diseases from germplasm, will help preserve genetic resources long-term and increase availability. The proposed plans include the strategic additions, making ‘new’ unexplored germplasm and genetic diversity available. In-house and external collaborative germplasm characterizations and evaluations (see Methods below for more details) will provide substantial data associated with accessions. Access to this data benefits end-users by helping stakeholders refine germplasm request choices, improving the efficiency of distributions and their research and breeding goals. Genotyping PGR collections can be used to study population structure and inbred or clonal species and would identify redundancies for consolidation. Genotypic data will also identify potential gaps to target new germplasm acquisition. At the same time, marker associations could precisely identify genic regions and haplotypes associated with or conferring traits and help advance productivity and quality of plant breeding efforts. Past W6 project achievements have clearly demonstrated impact by providing continued access to, and use of, WRPIS PGR and associated information to stakeholder communities (Attachment 1 & 2). These activities emphasize and justify the project’s importance. Beneficiaries include breeders, plant science and other research communities, and agricultural producers. Furthermore, having continued access to safe, nutritious, high-quality agricultural goods benefits all.

Related, Current and Previous Work

Objectives

1. Back regional, national and global agricultural and natural resource industries by making edible legume, horticultural, oilseed, turf, forage and native plant germplasm, as well as their associated information, readily available to users.
   
2. Continue optimizing conservation and management efforts to provide high quality plant genetic resources/propagules for distribution and/or for long-term conservation.
   
3. As limited resources permit, judiciously add to collection holdings by including germplasm with desirable traits, by filling possible gaps and by focusing on CWR and U.S. native germplasm.
   
4. In collaborative efforts and as resources permit, generate, obtain, and provide access to key horticultural or agronomic characterization and evaluation for germplasm collections.
   
5. In collaborations and as resources and technologies allow, genotype and phenotype germplasm collections to clarify taxonomy, estimate genetic diversity and population structure and/or to identify marker/trait associations.
   
6. Document WRPIS plant germplasm collection use and its impact, especially in and to the Western Region.
   

Methods

Measurement of Progress and Results

Outputs

Outcomes or Projected Impacts

Milestones

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Outreach Plan

Organization/Governance

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

AZ, CA, UT, WA

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions