Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Steven R. Alm (stevealm@uri.edu) - University of Rhode Island;
Paul Backman (pbackman@psu.edu) - Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station;
Mark J. Carroll (mc92@umail.umd.edu) - University of Maryland;
J. Marshall Clark (jclark@ent.umass.edu) - University of Massachusetts;
Bruce B. Clarke (clarke@aesop.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers University;
Richard S. Cowles (rcowles@caes.state.ct.us) - Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station;
J. Scott Ebdon (sebdon@pssci.umass.edu) - University of Massachusetts;
Steven Fales;
Karl Guillard (karl.guillard@uconn.edu) - University of Connecticut;
Richard J. Hull (rhu6441@postoffice.uri.edu) - University of Rhode Island;
Noel Jackson;
Peter J. Landschoot (pj11@psu.edu) - The Pennsylvania State University;
Pim Larsson-Kovach (il11@cornell.edu) - Cornell University;
James Lin - USEPA;
Bill Meyer (wmeyer@aesop.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers University;
Kevin Morris - NTEP;
Bridget Ruemmele (bridgetr@uri.edu) - University of Rhode Island;
Mike Sullivan (senmike@uriacc.uri.edu) - University of Rhode Island;
Patricia Vittum (pvittum@ent.umass.edu) - University of Massachusetts

Approximately 12200 accessions of seed propagated crops (tomato, onion, squash, radish, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, other cole crops, celery, ground cherry, asparagus, and buckwheat) were maintained. There were 400 plots grown for seed production and 300 planted to produce first year bulbs and plants of biennial crops that were stored or mulched in the field for seed production in the upcoming season. 2800 seed samples of 1700 germplasm accessions were distributed to 131 qualified researchers and bona fide users worldwide. More than 90% of the samples were for onion, Brassica, and tomato. There were approximately 500 onion accessions characterized for the Crop Germplasm Committee minimal descriptor list. Digital images were produced for both foliage and bulbs for uploading to GRIN. Digital images for approximately 400 accessions of cabbage are now available for viewing on the web version of GRIN.

For our clonally propagated crops, 3960 accessions of apple, 1350 accessions of grape, and 75 accessions of tart cherry were maintained during the last year, and approximately 115 orders for 3895 accessions were distributed. Repropagation of the apple collection on fireblight tolerant rootstocks is continuing. The main collection that was first planted in 1986 is being replaced in a 5-year, phased project using EMLA 7 rootstock. Characterization of 80% of the apple collection, including the entire core collection has been completed using 25 priority descriptors. Digital imaging of apple fruit morphology was begun on 400+ accessions. An additional 300 apple and 25 cherry accessions were processed for cryogenic storage. Characterization of the grape collection for 14 fruit characteristics (weight, cluster size, etc.) is complete except for several accessions that did not fruit this past season. Tests of grape seed in long term cold storage were begun. If successful, the genes contained in grape accessions will be preserved in seed form as security backup. Over 200 computer images of grape clusters were taken and were put into the GRIN database for public access. Probability models predicted the number of seeds needed to preserve all the genes in a grape clone have been developed. In apple rootstock breeding, all orchards, stoolbeds, and nursery field have been streamlined, and those not relevant have been eliminated (6 orchards and 6 stoolbeds). Over 500 rootstock genotypes were removed from further consideration and testing. Grape rootstock germplasm was acquired for evaluating resistance to plant parasitic nematodes. Nematode stock cultures were initiated for use in resistance evaluation. Over 2000 clusters were pollinated in rootstock breeding. Field trials to evaluate grape rootstocks for table and raisin grape production were planted in California.

The PGRU hosted a two-day workshop September 18-19, 2000 for training 15 participants from organic farmer and seed-saving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in heirloom plant characterization and regeneration. This workshop provided skills needed to describe varieties using the descriptor lists available from the National Plant Germplasm System and to multiply heirloom varieties showing potential in a manner that preserves their identity and provides sufficient high quality seed. This workshop has provided a pool of enthusiastic seed savers with the basic training needed to get started characterizing and regenerating heirlooms in a manner that meets minimal standards. These seed savers are interested in using the heirloom varieties in the genebanks for production on their farms. Through these informed laypersons we hope to get more of our germplasm out of the vault and into farmer fields, providing for on-farm conservation of important and useful heirloom varieties.


USEFULNESS OF FINDINGS:

Valuable crop germplasm of clonal crops and seed crops is being maintained and distributed in accordance with international germplasm standards for viability, genetic integrity, and accurate cultivar and species identity. Training of NGO participants in characterization and regeneration techniques will lead to complementary on-farm conservation of germplasm. These activities will provide benefits in the form of useful heirloom germplasm for non-traditional stakeholders who are involved in alternative agriculture and by providing a mosaic of traditional heirlooms for public consumption.

Increased characterization of unit germplasm and the addition of digital images will increase the efficiency of use of the germplasm collections. Improvements in apple maintenance procedures using a rootstock that induces lower vigor and is resistant to fire blight will increase long-term survival of apple accessions and decrease need for regeneration. In addition, 85% of the apple collection and 60 % of the cherry collection have been backed up in cryogenic storage at Fort Collins, CO. For 50 apple accessions, this has been critical as we lost them due to heavy fire blight in the field collection but were able to rescue them from our cryogenic-storage inventory. Secure backup of grape genes should be possible if long term grape seed storage experiments are successful. DNA fingerprints of apple and grape accessions will assist in identifying duplicate accessions and provides more detailed information on relationships of very closely related cultivars. Higher quality apple rootstocks help to ensure reliable and consistent fruit production with decreased use of pesticides and increased use of more efficient cropping systems. Improved grape rootstocks will contribute to sustainable production, with enhanced canopy quality and decreases in foliar diseases, as well as reduction in the use of methyl bromide and other soil fumigants.


WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR

Regenerations of cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli will continue, and 25 accessions of Cucurbita are scheduled for regeneration. Sixty accessions of cabbage grown last year will be planted for seed production and another 60 will be grown for first year plants for regeneration of seed in this and each subsequent year for the next nine years. Regenerations will be started for the other Brassica oleracea and Brassica rapa varieties that have low seed supply. Bulbs from approximately 180 accessions of long-day onion will be planted for seed production at Geneva and by private seed company collaborators. First-year bulbs will be produced for the remaining long-day onion accessions that need regeneration and have seed available. We are attempting to identify funding for a Cooperative Agreement for the regeneration of the short-day onions in New Mexico. SunSeeds will regenerate 12 short-day onion accessions in southern California. Five hundred tomato accessions that do not have data for the minimum descriptor list will be planted for characterization. The switch to use of the national germplasm database will be completed and the local databases will be locked. On-farm conservation and participatory plant breeding workshops will be developed and conducted at the NOFA-NY annual meetings.

Repropagation of the apple collection onto fireblight resistant rootstocks will continue. Characterization of the grape collection for leaf descriptors will continue, and apple characterization will continue to include digital imagining of fruit and tree morphology. Over 3000 seedlings of Malus species are also being evaluated for horticultural traits after being screened for resistance to three apple diseases. This project to determine disease resistance of apple germplasm collected over the last 10 years from world centers of origin continues with Dr. H. Aldwinckle as a specific cooperative agreement. DNA fingerprinting of the grape collection will proceed with a goal of 100 additional accessions fingerprinted. Additional mathematical models predicted sample sizes necessary to preserve all copies of alleles in grape accessions will continue to be developed and tested using computer simulations. A series of apple rootstock grower trials will be conducted: two for semi-dwarf trees and one of multiple size rootstocks. Apple stoolbed production trials will continue. Phytophthora root rot tolerance, apple replant disease tolerance, and cold tolerance projects will continue. Field trials will be planted in the Lake Erie viticultural belt to examine the impact of rootstock variety in the production of Concord and Niagara juice grapes. Grape rootstock breeding blocks will be planted in New York and California. Evaluation of seedlings from the breeding program and germplasm from the clonal repositories for resistance to plant parasitic nematodes will commence.

(APPROVED DURING THE YEAR)

Benson, L.L., R.H. Zimmerman, and W.F. Lamboy. Molecular Identification of Malus hupehensis (Tea Crabapple) Accessions Using Simple Sequence Repeats. Accepted in HortScience.

B|ttner, R., M. Fischer, P.L. Forsline, M. Geibel and V.V. Ponomarenko. 2000. Genebank work for preservation of the genetic diversity of apple. EUCARPIA Fruit Breeding Section Meeting, Dresden, Germany. Acta Horticulturae 538:39-42.

Cantini, C., A.F. Iezzoni, and W.F. Lamboy. DNA Fingerprinting of Tetraploid Cherry Germplasm Using Simple Sequence Repeats. Accepted in the Journal of the American Society of Horticultural Science.

Ferguson, M.E., N. Maxted, M. van Slageren & L.D. Robertson, 2000. A re-assessment of the taxonomy of Lens Mill. (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae, Vicieae). Bot. J. Linnean Soc. 133: 41-59.

Forsline, P.L. 2000. Procedures for collection, conservation, evaluation and documentation of germplasm using Malus as an example. XXV International Horticultural Congress. Part 12: Application of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology and Breeding - General Breeding, Breeding and Evaluation of Temperate Zone Fruits for the Tropics and the Subtropics. Acta Horticulturae 522:223-234

Geibel, M., K. Dehmer and P.L. Forsline. 2000. Biological diversity in Malus sieversii populations from Central Asia. EUCARPIA Fruit Breeding Section Meeting, Dresden, Germany. Acta Horticulturae 538:43-49.

Hokanson, S.C., W.F. Lamboy, A.K. Szewc-McFadden, and J.R. McFerson. Microsatellite (SSR) variation in a collection of Malus species and hybrids. Accepted in Euphytica.

Luby, J., P.L. Forsline, H.S. Aldwinckle, V. Bus and M. Geibel. 2000. Silk Road Apples - Collection, Evaluation, and Utilization of Malus sieversii from Central Asia. Proceedings paper from Workshop 11 "Collection, Utilization, and Preservation of Fruit Crop Genetic Resources-Some case studies". HortScience 35: In press.

Maxted, N., Erskine W., Singh D.P., Robertson, L.D. and A.N. Asthana, 2000. Are our germplasm collections museum items? p. 589-602 In: R. Knight (Ed.), Proceedings of the Third International Food Legumes Research Conference: Linking Research and Marketing Opportunities for Pulses in the 21st Century (Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture; V. 34), Adelaide, Australia. Sept. 22-26, 1997. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

Pavek, D.S., W.F. Lamboy, and E.J. Garvey. Selecting In Situ Conservation Sites for Grape Genetic Resources in the U.S.A. Submitted to Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution.

Robertson, L.D., Sadiki M., Matic R. and Lang Li-juan, 2000. Vicia spp: Conserved resources, priorities for collection and future prospects. p. 623-633 In: R. Knight (Ed.), Proceedings of the Third International Food Legumes Research Conference: Linking Research and Marketing Opportunities for Pulses in the 21st Century (Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture; V. 34), Adelaide, Australia. Sept. 22-26, 1997. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

Sarker, A., Robertson, L.D. and C.G. Campbell, 2000. Lathyrus spp: Conserved resources, priorities for collection and future prospects". p. 645-654 In: R. Knight (Ed.), Proceedings of the Third International Food Legumes Research Conference: Linking Research and Marketing Opportunities for Pulses in the 21st Century (Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture; V. 34), Adelaide, Australia. Sept. 22-26, 1997. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.