Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting: Ted Hymowitz (IL) provided a hardcopy summary of CGC committee functions, and noted that committee reports are not all current. Change of chairpersons and resulting loss of information challenges continuity. He recommended that CGC Chairs work diligently to provide information to the DBMU for posting. ISU Ag College Interim Dean Wendy Wintersteen discussed the draft ESCOP Task Force Report on Plant Germplasm, and provided information on efforts to reactivate a National Committee on Plant Germplasm. Opportunities to demonstrate impact were discussed, including adding statements to the NCRPIS report of SAES impact activities, crediting NPGS entities for intellectual scholarly and material contributions, and publicizing widely released varieties derived from NPGS materials. Dean Wintersteen recommended that the writing committee of Baltensperger-Iezzoni-Gardner start early to draft the NC-7 Project Renewal documentation. She also presented drafts provided by CSREES liaison Ann Marie Thro on the Specialty Crops Regulatory Initiative and the Multi-state Coordinating Committee for Plant Breeding. Ted Hymowitz and David Baltensperger (NE) discussed safety concerns resulting from development around the NCRPIS in Ames, and recommended adding appropriate signage during the field season to minimize risk. Terry Isbell reported on the status of new crop research in Cuphea and Lesquerella and additions to the pilot testing plant in Peoria to improve research operations. Candice Gardner (USDA-ARS-NCRPIS research leader) reported on technical accomplishments and efforts at the NCRPIS, including significant addition of medicinal plant germplasm and advances made in information capture and transfer, and presented a budget for consideration. She presented reports for Dave Ellis of the NCGRP, and for Peter Bretting, ARS NPL. Mark Millard (NCRPIS Maize Curator, ISU) reported on corn project activities, including efforts to propagate an accession of Zea nicaraguensis which did not flower in the greenhouse last winter. He reported on testing of a method to treat tall tropical maize genotypes with plant growth regulators to try to improve regeneration and pollination efforts with these hard-to-manage accessions. During Marks presentation of advances in automation of imaging and image processing, Ted Hymowitz commented on the importance of imaging herbarium specimens and recommended that image processes be developed with this consideration in mind. Mark Widrlechner (USDA-ARS-NCRPIS Horticulturist) presented reports for David Tay, OPGC; Ned Garvey, USDA-ARS NGRL/PEO on plant exploration and exchange program activities; Mark Bohning, USDA-ARS NGRL/DBMU on GRIN activities and efforts to improve downloading of information from GRIN. David Baltensperger (NE) recommended that development of a distance education course for use of public GRIN be investigated. Several TAC members requested that alternative speakers be considered for the joint RTAC meetings in 2006 to bring a new perspective to thinking about germplasm. Terry Nelsen (USDA-ARS) indicated that the Urbana soybean germplasm research unit is investigating automated systems for handling seed orders, as are other sites. Resolutions: 1. The NC-7 RTAC requested that the NGRL leader inform delinquent crop germplasm curators, CGC chairs, and DBMU staff of their obligations to update these reports and keep the GRIN database current. 2. Recommended that the DBMU staff post an ethics statement on their website to clarify confusion over whether curators should be credited as authors in papers derived from distributed germplasm, and that instructions on how to credit NPGS entities for contributions be developed. 3. Thank Gaylan Crim, ISU maize technician, for her dedicated service, upon her resignation to pursue new opportunities. 4. Extend sincere appreciation to our meeting host Dr. Bill Tracy, U of WI Department of Agronomy, for his outstanding hospitality, and to Dr. Irwin Goldman, Tom Wright, Judy Reith-Rozelle, Dan Johnson, Leah Vessilmars, Craig Grau, Dustan Eilert, Rob Kane, and Jerry Kermisk for their support of and participation in the 2005 NC-7 RTAC meeting.

Some Accomplishments of the NCR members and Progress of Work: Illinois Theodore Hymowitz completed an evaluation of the soybean collection designed to identify accessions which do not produce the protein primarily responsible for allergenicity in humans, successfully identifying accessions which can be used to improve soybean varietal development to support human nutritional needs. Indiana Jules Janick at Purdue University is releasing a slow bolting arugula cultivar selected from Italian germplasm. This new cultivar, to be named 'Adagio' is slower to bolt (with vernalization) than current germplasm, and is very resistant to bolting when nonvernalized (i.e. late planting). Iowa Charlie Brummer is evaluating 100 yellow flowered alfalfa varieties for forage potential as part of a regional project at 5 locations (IA, UT, SD, ND, Quebec). An experiment was initiated to assess phylogenetic relationships among M. sativa taxa using up to 200 Plant Introductions (accessions). Reed canarygrass populations are also being developed using Plant Introduction germplasm. Michigan Amy Iezzoni is introgressing into commercial varieties of sour cherry resistance to the cherry leaf spot fungus. This resistance was identified in two wild Prunus species in the NPGS collections. Several advanced selections are under test in three test sites in Michigan. In addition, all the sweet cherry selections in the NPGS are being genotyped to determine their self-incompatibility alleles. This information is critical for germplasm utilization as the S-alleles determine what crosses are genetically compatible. Nebraska Research is being conducted by David Baltensperger to characterize various amaranth, forge grasses, proso and foxtail millet and to make data available on previous evaluations for waxy characteristics of proso millet (related to Project Objective #3). Evaluations of forage grasses, niger, camelina, canola, and brown mustard were and are being conducted at multiple environments to determine interaction with environments (relates to Project Objective #4). David Baltensperger gave oral presentations that reached more than 600 people on the role of plant introductions in the development of alternative crops for the region and the need for further plant exploration and long-term management of our germplasm resource (related to Project Objective #5). Basic phenology research was initiated to better characterize spring brassica varieties (Relates to Objective #6). North Dakota Crop research with the semi-domesticated crop cuphea focuses on defining critical information vital to the success of this newly emerging crop. Research led by Burton Johnson centers on defining crop growth and development, production guidelines for stand establishment, fertility, and pest and harvest management, all essential for successfully crop field management. Other new crops with similar evaluations include borage, camelina, and echium. Plant breeding efforts will be vital for reducing and eliminating agronomic deficiencies such as seed dormancy, low seedling vigor, and seed shatter common in cuphea and other new semi-domesticated crops. In this regard, the plant germplasm resources of the NCRPIS in Ames, Iowa and other genebanks will be extremely valuable. South Dakota There is a need in the northern Great Plains for cool-season grasses that can be harvested for hay in late spring and produce substantial amounts of stockpiled aftermath forage during late spring-early summer for use as pasture during mid to late summer. Fifty-five accessions of meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) are being evaluated at Brookings, SD for late-spring hay and stockpiled aftermath production. DM production of several European accessions was 3 Mg/ha from initial growth and 2 Mg/ha from stockpiled aftermath. The initial growth of meadow foxtail develops more rapidly than most other cool-season grasses, reaching anthesis by mid May in eastern SD, and if harvested for hay at that stage, the period of regrowth coincides with favorable moisture and temperature patterns. Several accessions have been identified, based on DM production and growth habit, for clonal selection and eventual synthetic cultivar development if forage quality evaluations are favorable. Accomplishments of the NCRPIS and Progress of Work: Objective 1 Cooperate and participate in the NPGS, a coordinated national acquisition and management program for plant germplasm valuable for agricultural, horticultural, environmental, medical and industrial uses in the North Central Region and the U.S. In this role, promote cooperation among elements of the NPGS, and the SAES of the North Central Region. 1. The NCRPIS now maintains 47,870 accessions, more than 150 of which were acquired during 2005. a. Oilseeds Curator Laura Marek collected under-represented native wild sunflower species from CA, AZ, WA, OR, CO and WY. b. Medicinal Plants Curator Joe-Ann McCoy collected St. Johns wort (Hypericum), Echinacea, and black cohosh (Actea racemosa) in OR, SC and GA. 2. About 1430 accessions were cultivated for regeneration (and 989 were harvested ) in Ames, IA, Salinas, CA, Parlier, CA, Ponce, PR, Kauai, HI, and St. Croix, Virgin Islands to make this germplasm available to the scientific community. Over 800 of these were grown in cages using insect pollinators. 3. Maize curator Mark Millard worked with Ed Buckler to determine via molecular testing which of the multiple seed sources of 90 of approximately 300 inbred lines from the Buckler-Goodman Diversity set of inbred lines were acceptable representatives of those inbred lines. This resulted in identification of 85 lines which will not need regeneration because their genetic profile matched lines previously increased to adequate quantities. 4. David Brenner traveled to the University of Illinois to copy passport data records from the Crop Evolution Laboratory, courtesy of Ted Hymowitz. Five-hundred-thirty-four accessions held at the NCRPIS have UI numbers; most of these were donated to the NCRIPS from the Crop Evolution Lab in the 1980s. Information associated with the accessions has been improved as a result of this effort, thus increasing their value. Objective 2 Conserve seed or vegetative stock of more than 1900 plant taxa and 330 genera. 1. Renovation of the seed viability testing lab was completed, including a new hood to reduce exposure to molds, new microscopy equipment, and improved work stations. The seed viability of 4,124 accessions was tested, or about 9% of the collection holdings. 2. Approximately 840 accessons were backed up in at the National Center for Genetic Resource Preservation (NCGRP) in Ft. Collins, CO; currently, 77% of the collection is backed up. 3. Seed storage personnel, led by Lisa Burke, stored 1,711 accessions and reviewed inventory counts of another 3,717 accessions. 5. The NCRPIS regeneration program was assisted by the following entities: a. Maize  Dupont / Pioneer Hi-Bred in Kauai; Jim Shearl, Golden Harvest, Ponce, PR; Carlos Hernandez, C&H Farms, Ponce, PR; USDA-ARS, St. Croix, Virgin Islands. b. Daucus  Rob Maxwell, Seminis Seeds, ID; Roger Freeman, Nunhems Inc. (formerly Sunseeds), OR. c. Spinacia Larry Gautney, Sakata Seed America, Inc., CA. d. Helianthus  Maria Jenderek, USDA-ARS, Parlier, CA Objective 3 Within the North Central Region, throughout the U.S. and internationally, encourage the use of a broad diversity of germplasm to reduce crop genetic vulnerability. Through characterization and evaluation activities, provide information to enhance the value and utility of the collections 1. Internally, 2,048 accessions were observed and evaluated for various characteristics. Over 41,727 data point observations were loaded to the Germplasm Resource Information Network, or GRIN, database pertaining to 10,491 accessions. 2. Digital images were captured on 4,245 accessions, and over 1600 were transferred to GRIN, facilitated by new software development. 3. Maize was evaluated by our plant pathologist, Charlie Block, for Stewarts wilt, gray leaf spot, anthracnose, and other diseases as opportunities allowed. Dupont/Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl. tested a portion of the maize holdings in their ear mold screen trials in CA, and in corn rootworm resistance screening trials in IA. 4. Vegetable Curator Kathy Reitsma and Pathologist Charlie Block published an extensive evaluation of resistance to powdery mildew in the NPGS cucumber collection. 5. Pathologist Block quantified the feeding period required by corn flea beetles to acquire and transmit Pantoea stewartii in maize with ISU research collaborators. 6. Horticulturist Mark Widrlechner and coauthors compared seed-dormancy characteristics in wild and cultivated populations of Echinacea purpurea, documenting effects of repeated cultivation cycles in reducing seed dormancy, leading to this crops domestication. 7. Medicinal Plants Curator Joe-Ann McCoy continues to work to complete and release a database of nutriceutical and medicinal plant species references, and collection holdings to assist in development of key collections within the NPGS. 8. Distributions: a. Over 9,730 accessions were distributed (external to the NCRPIS) to 553 domestic recipients. Of 746 domestic orders, 341 were distributed to recipients in the NC CSREES region, 76 to the NE region, 197 to the S region, and 132 to the W region. b. Internationally, 5,582 accessions were distributed to 146 recipients (169 orders). c. Internal to the NCRPIS, 8,647 accessions were ordered for purposes including viability testing, observation, regeneration, phytosanitary testing, and backup. 9. Curator Brenner released two ornamental amaranth varieties for cut flower use, Pillar Orange and Pillar Red; these varieties do not shed seeds due to a rare trait  the seed cases lack an abscission zone at the equator, thus remaining closed. Please see http://www.ag.iastate.edu/centers/cad/amaranth.html. Objective 4 Contribute to understanding of plant-environment interactions. 1. The NC-7 Horticultural Trial network evaluated five new accessions of trees and shrubs in 18 environments for adaptation, aesthetic, and growth habit, and made recommendations as to suitability of plants from past trials for landscape use or need for further evaluation. Much of the evaluation work is conducted by SAES personnel, and the evaluation data are used to match landscape plants with appropriate sites, and to inform us about the climatic and edaphic factors that influence woody plant adaptation. 2. Horticulturist Mark Widrlechner provided technical oversight for a team charged with developing the new US Plant Zone Hardiness Map. 3. Management of tropical maize germplasm in Ames, IA is challenging. As tropically adapted materials are moved north of their area of adaptation, daylength and other seasonal factor differences can result in very tall, spindly plants that are extremely difficult to pollinate, lodge or do not flower until the daylength shortens in September. Maize Curator Mark Millard initiated experiments with plant growth inhibitor compounds to determine if they can be used effectively to manage and regenerate plant germplasm in Ames. 4. Curator David Brenners Guinness World Record was published in 2005; his team grew the worlds tallest amaranth, using an accession of Amaranthus australis. Objective 5 Educate students, scientists and the general public regarding plant germplasm resource issues. Utilize outreach opportunities, publications and presentation targeted for scientific, industry, and popular audiences. 1. Tours were conducted for over 300 station visitors in 2005, including students of all ages, researchers, educators, and international agricultural officials. Tours were provided to 30 ISU students enrolled in the Botany 202 classes to educate them on the importance of germplasm collections. 2. Outreach activities included field days and classroom presentations in grade school and secondary school science classes by a variety of personnel. The Iowa Honey Producers meeting was held at the Plant Introduction Station in July. Over fifty honey producers were educated on the effectiveness of Russian Honeybees resistance to mites. 3. Research results were published in a variety of scholarly and peer-reviewed journals. Objective 6 Conduct research and develop institutional infrastructure needed to attain the preceding objectives efficiently and effectively. 1. Curator Reitsma and Program Manager Larry Lockhart implemented use of 15 x 40 x 5cages for pumpkin increase, a significant systems improvement which attempts to isolate plants from insect vectored diseases leading to improved plant survival and seed yields through the use of insect pollinators. 2. Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, the causative agent of bacterial fruit blotch, is a pathogen affecting regeneration and distribution of pathogen free Cucumis germplasm. Vegetable Curator Kathy Reitsma and Pathologist Charlie Block initiated and successfully developed a system to limit splashing water droplets, a common means for distributing the bacteria to adjacent seedlings of Cucumis melo in the greenhouse. 3. IT Specialist Peter Cyr and Maize Curator Mark Millard successfully completed development of software to automate the capture of digital images and loading to the GRIN database. These tools greatly simplified the process for student workers and curators. 4. A new machine shed was constructed to house field equipment and free up space in an older machine shed for seed processing and storage activities. 5. Pathologist Block collaborated with researchers at ISU and the Univ. of GA to develop immuno-magnetic capture (IMS) and RT-PCR identification of Pantoea stewartii and Acidovorax avenae from intact, washed seeds. (To be published.) 6. Entomologists Steve Hanlin and Sharon McClurg have implemented use of non-stinging alfalfa leaf cutter (ALC) bees for use in regeneration of some species; the ALC have apparently been successful in pollination of Angelica, some Cucumis, Daucus, wild-type Helianthus, Melilotus, Ocimum and Potentilla.. Use of the non-stinging ALC is more cost effective than use of honeybees, and safer for workers who must be exposed to the insects. 7. Agronomist Dave Kovach, Brenner, McClurg, Hanlin, Widrlechner and Gardner collaborated to develop a method to ensure that coriander seeds are free of internal chalcid insect infestation. The method involved treating the seeds with liquid nitrogen, which kills the insects but does not damage seed viability. (To be published).