Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Welcome and Introductions

The meeting was called to order on Aug. 16, 2022 at 1:00 pm EDT by S-009 Regional Technical Advisory Committee (RTAC) Chair Soraya Bertioli. Participants introduced themselves. Dr. David Buntin (Interim Assistant Provost and Director for the UGA-Griffin Campus) welcome the participants to the UGA-Griffin Campus. Dr. Buntin highlighted the fact that the Griffin site is fully integrated into the UGA system and that the USDA is an integral part of the activities developed at the site.

Presentations

After introductions, there were four update presentations by Peter Bretting, Christian Tobias, Bob Stougaard and Melanie Harrison:

Peter Bretting - made a presentation about “The National Plant Germplasm System: 2022 Status, Prospects and Challenges”. He gave a yearly update about the status of the system, summarizing the successes and key challenges for the NPGS. He mentioned the long-term partnership between USDA and the Land Grant University system when it comes to germplasm collections work and in particular the partnership between USDA and UGA-Griffin. He also referred to the increase of number of NPGS accessions maintained (recently passing the 600,000 mark), and the higher number of distributions (225,000). He talked about the effects of COVID regarding a dip in the distribution of accessions (-20%), and the difficulties in hiring and training people for open temporary jobs. The latest growth in terms f collections relate to horticultural crops, with two new collections recently initiated. The increase in workload and operational costs has not been accompanied with a parallel increase in resources. This past fiscal year there was a budget increase to get it close to $50 M. However, when that budget is expressed in constant dollar terms (2012), it only represents about $35M, and a slow but consistent decrease in real funding. Some of the most prominent budget increases were in support of small grains (+$190k); Vaccinium (+$150k); hemp (+$1, 350k); and pecans (+$400k).

The need to avoid contaminations and ensure trueness of type for new ex-PVP/off-patent materials, as well as for wild species which are usually cross pollinated, add to the workload under limited resources and support.

Dr. Bretting announced that a new hardiness zone map would be released by 2024. He also talked about the online 3-credit course “Plant Genetic Resources: Genomes, Genebanks, and Growers” offered by the Colorado State University (http://pgrcourse.colostate.edu). This course was developed by Gayle Volk (ARS-Ft. Collins, CO) and Patrick Byrne (Colorado State University-Ft. Collins, CO). He also referred to several educational materials within what is called GRIN-University, including posters that can be downloaded. The course can be accessed by anyone interested in expanding the knowledge about genetic resources. Students from other universities can also enroll for a grade alternative.

Answering the question about how well has it been publicized, Dr. Bretting said that it has been announced at several professional meetings, but it would help if this committee and other attendants to this meeting collaborate in spreading the word.

Christian Tobias (NIFA). Delivered a report from the USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In 2020, NIFA lost close to 80% of its personnel due to the move of its main office to Kansas City.

The focus in the last two years has been in rebuilding the organization. NIFA represents one of the main sources of support for plant science related competitive projects. NIFA awards involving genera covered by the PGRCU amounts to close to $30M. Dr. Tobias talked about the open call in Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production (A1141) with a deadline of Sept 22. The priority for that call is to improve productivity with emphasis on the priorities set by the USDA Plant Breeding Roadmap. Regular grants have a ceiling of $650k, which goes up to $800k for certain types of partnerships. Coordinated public- private innovation networks could be granted up to $1 million for a period of 5 years, to address grand challenges in a multi-institution setup.

Dr. Tobias talked about a new opportunity in Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development (A1143). This initiative will support research in later stages of cultivar development, so that much needed improved materials could find their way to farmers’’ fields; with special emphasis to locally and regionally adapted cultivar releases. The proposals should not exceed $500k for a period of 3-5 years, or $300k for seed grants. The deadline is also Sept 22.

Dr. Tobias also shared some infographics that could be used for outreach regarding breeding success using germplasm resources: https://www.nrsp10.org/PBCC_plant_breeding_outputs

Dr. Tobias also talked about the Agricultural Genomes to Phenomes Initiative (AG2PI), which is under his responsibility, and aims at studying agricultural significant crops and animals in production environments, filling gaps in genetics and phenomics in support of future improvements.

Most of the questions centered on the Conventional Plant Breeding for Cultivar Development call. A given PI can submit proposals to different programs, but not multiple proposals within the same program. This particular program does not seem to favor opportunities for renewal, except for no-cost extensions.

Bob Stougaard – reported on the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (SAAESD) and the National Plant Germplasm Coordinating Committee. Budget was approved to hire half FTE for Administrative Support ($61k).

There is a requirement for mid-term reviews for projects, two years before termination. Several projects will expire at the end of 2023 including the one supporting the S-009 committee. A proposal will be submitted by Sept 30.

Input from this group is needed to decide if the cotton winter nursery will continue to be supported at the level of $35k/yr. The question is why cotton and not other crops? This support has been ongoing for the last 50-60 years.

Some commodity groups are adding clauses to funded projects that will allow them to own the IP that is generated. This could set up a precedent. The National Ag Law Center will be consulted.

Regarding the PGSC meeting report, plant breeding has evolved considerably in the last years towards the molecular side. There number of plant breeders is stable but with shift towards specialty crops and away from row crops. For some universities, maintaining fully functional breeding programs is putting a lot of pressure on their resources. Equipment update is desperately needed.

Regarding the NPGS Potato Genetic Resource Collection, it will be moved to a new facility to be built at UW-Madison after $38M were appropriated by Congress for its construction. This will put the Potato Collection on a good footing, in spite of announcing the suspension of $135K in support from the NRSP-6, which will be balanced by eliminating two current positions.

Melanie Harrison – gave an overview on “PGRCU Annual Update”. The presentation described the history of PGRCU, that started in 1949 at UGA, Griffin campus, as a collaborative effort between USDA and the Southern State Agricultural Experiment Stations (S-009), with 811 accessions. Now it is the second largest site with 102,000 accessions. 87% of accessions are available for distribution and 95% is backed at Fort Collins. Almost 52,000 accessions were distributed in 2021; a significant increase from 2020 when distribution experienced a dip due to COVID. 87% of the collection is maintained at -18C, and germination tests are routinely done.

The program is supported by 16 FTE’s from ARS and 7.5 FTE’s from UGA (23.5 FTE’s), which represents a significant drop from the highest FTE pick (39). Workload in terms of germplasm maintenance, distribution, research, etc. has significantly increased; yet, the smaller group has been able to deliver.

Regeneration of vegetable collection seed is done with the support from some seed companies.

Virus indexing for some key collections (i.e. eggplant, pepper) has been conducted with support from the National Program for Plant Disease Recovery. Specific examples of the work done at Griffin were presented like maintenance of roselle germplasm, with several accessions being photoperiod sensitive. Increases of switchgrass (a cross-pollinated species) are managed in a reduced space thanks to isolation barriers from sun hemp plants. Considerable work has been done in characterizing germplasm (sesame and legumes for antioxidants; grasses for essential oils; etc.).

Curatorial activity reports for the major genera (Arachis, Vigna, Ipomoea, Vegetables, Industrial Crops, Legumes, Grasses, and Sorghum) were presented, with significant amount of work regarding acquisition, regeneration, evaluation and distribution.

Dr. Harrison described some upgrades on equipment and buildings. Existing cold storage will be renovated this year, and LED lights were installed in one greenhouse to support wild peanut regeneration. A new land lease agreement was signed for 14 acres for regenerations, with UGA.

Considerable outreach activity took place during the past year (tours, updated website, gathering success stories, etc.).

State Reports

Representatives summarized the state activities, numbers of requests, distributions, utilization, acquisition strategies, and, in some cases, reported publications, cultivar releases, germplasm releases and patents – (Alabama, Georgia, Guam, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, and Virginia).

Some highlights from the State reports:

• Overall, Sorghum accessions dominated the requests for the reported period (close to 50%).
• A larger number of publications out of Georgia
• Large screening effort for Guava Root nematode in
• Introduction and evaluation of roselle (Hibiscus) in
• Okra breeding efforts in North Carolina
• Work in tropical crops in Puerto Rico
• Characterization for reduced allergenicity in peanuts in South Carolina
• Work done in Hibiscus in Virgin Island

Afternoon – general business

Welcome and Overview by Soraya Bertioli, S-009 Chair

• Review and approval of the 2021 Minutes. Bas Bargmann motion for approval; Carlos Iglesias second. The 2021 minutes were

Guidelines for S-009 Committee Governance.

Presented by Dr. Bob Stougaard. The guidelines were well received by the participants. Under the new governance structure, we will move from a Chair/Secretary system to a Chair/Chair-elect/Secretary system. Those posts are to serve 1-yr terms, with the possibility to be re-elected for another year. Dr. Virginia Sykes made a motion to approve the new governance structure; Dr. Thomas Zimmerman second. The motion was approved. In transitioning to the new structure, Dr. Soraya Bertioli will remain as Chair for one more year. Dr. Carlos Iglesias will move from Secretary to Chari-elect; and Dr. Yanqi Wu was elected new Secretary with Dr. Rick Boyles motioned to approve and Dr. Charles Chen seconded.

Nominations for 2023 meeting location

Dr. Soraya Bertioli proposed to maintain the hybrid format for future meetings (in person + Zoom option for those wanting to participate remotely). The group approved this proposal. The group discussed the value of in person visits to gain more insights of the work done by different programs. The venue for each yearly meeting will be decided in the prior year’s meeting. As for 2023, the S-009 Committee meeting will be held in Raleigh, NC (NCSU), and it could happen during the weeks of July 24^th or July 31^st, 2023. A survey poll will be sent soon to set the date that is most convenient for the group.

The group discussed the possibility to meet outside the region and/or the most frequent meeting venues. Having the meeting in the DC area in 2024 will be explored (USDA, Beltsville, MD). The idea seems to be favored by all presents.

Dr. Soraya Bertioli adjourned the meeting.

Technical presentations

In the morning of Aug 17, 2022, the Committee attended three excellent presentations related to the status of germplasm resources in key species, highlighted research, and potential uses of germplasm. The presentations were the following:

• “The status of collection, characterization and use of wild peanut in Argentina, the center of origin of the ”

Guilermo Seijo, Professor of Genetics, Northeast University, Argentina

• “'Where would agriculture be without wild species?'”

Mark Hopkins, Paraprofessional, University of Georgia, Soraya Leal-Bertioli Lab

• “Looking Wild: Using Crop Wild Relatives for Loci and Allelic Variation Associated with Fruit Size and Shape in Watermelon.”

Samuel Manthi, Doctoral Student, University of Georgia, Cecilia McGregor Lab

A large and highly diverse set of plant germplasm was preserved and distributed to scientists, educators, and plant breeders. A total of 103,176 accessions of 1602 plant species representing 281 genera were maintained in the Griffin plant genetic resources collection. Over 87% of these accessions were available for distribution to users and over 94% were backed up securely at a second location. A total of 51,773 seed and clonal accessions were distributed upon request to scientists and educators worldwide in 2021. Sorghum and cowpea were the most distributed crops. Clonal collections were continually maintained and distributed to stakeholders. Clonal collections include warm-season grasses, bamboo, Chinese water chestnut, perennial peanut, and sweet potato. Preservation methods include tissue culture, field plots, greenhouse plants, and hydroponics. A total of 2,590 accessions were sent to curators for regeneration.

Collaborator regenerations led to successful regeneration of many crops including wild peanut (Griffin, GA), sorghum and millet (USDA-ARS, Puerto Rico) and vegetable crops (USDA-ARS, Parlier, CA; Rijk Zwaan; Vilmoran; HM Clause; Curry Seed and Chile Company). These activities ensure that the crop genetic resources at the Griffin location are safeguarded for future use to develop new cultivars and identify novel traits and uses in our food and fiber crops.

The collaborative project with researchers at the University of Georgia-Tifton Campus to develop molecular diagnostic tools for the detection of peanut clump virus and the Indian peanut clump virus with funding support from the National Plant Disease Recovery System (NPDRS) was completed. Molecular diagnostic assays were developed and standardized for the detection of these two viruses. Protocols were shared with USDA-Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for validations. These diagnostic tools are needed to screen new peanut germplasm entering the country.

With partial support from the National Peanut Board, Peanut Research Foundation and NIFA, the genetic characterization of all species of the section Arachis has been completed. This is aiding the positive identification of species and accessions. As a second phase, the production of peanut-compatible allotetraploids is being done in a systematic fashion to unlock wild alleles for the peanut breeding. A dedicated collection of peanut-compatible wild derived germplasm will be created.

CRISPR gene editing is a new technology to precisely modify traits for crop improvement. Collaboration continued with Tuskegee University on a gene editing project for peanut with hopes of increasing the health beneficial oleic acid content. In collaboration with ARS researchers in Tifton, GA, fatty acid composition was determined in 349 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) from the peanut MAGIC population. This population has parents with high oleic acid content and resistance to both leaf spot and the tomato spotted wilt virus. The goal of the project is to develop peanut germplasm lines with both the high oleic acid trait and disease resistance.

In collaboration with the University of Georgia wild peanut lab, three elevated oleic acid lines were identified in populations developed from a synthetic tetraploid peanut. This facilitates the introduction of traits from wild peanut species into cultivated peanut for the development of improved peanut varieties. With the same research group, 100 wild peanut accessions were genotyped with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. The collected seeds will be assayed for seed quality traits including oil and protein content, fatty acid composition, and resveratrol content. The purpose is to associate nutritional quality traits with the SNP markers for use in marker-assisted breeding.

Collaboration continues with ARS researchers in Charleston, SC to cross the wild species related to watermelon, Citrullus ecirrhosus, with cultivated watermelon species. This species is being evaluated for resistance to root knot nematodes which are a problem in watermelon production areas in the southeastern United States. A new source of resistance could be used to develop improved watermelon varieties. A collaborative study was initiated with the University of Houston Medical Center and the University of Georgia to determine the genomic basis for sex determination in watermelon. Understanding how chromosome evolution in the genus occurred can be used to better understand the evolution of agriculturally important genes.

Pepper accessions were screened for the presence of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus. The presence of viruses or the lack of knowledge concerning the presence or absence of viruses in germplasm hinders the ability to distribute germplasm and can result in the unintentional distribution of plant pathogens.

Collaborative efforts with ARS researchers in Stoneville, MS to identify and characterize novel uses of bioactive compounds in pepper including capsinoids continued. Capsinoids, the substance that gives peppers their hot pungent flavor, has been shown to be an important nutraceutical compound with many potential health benefits.

Glactomannan (gum) concentration was measured in twelve guar accessions using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Due to its high viscosity, guar gum is a popular polymer used in oil well drilling for hydraulic fracturing and in the food industry as a stabilizer for frozen and baked foods and a thickener for salad dressing. Identification of guar accessions high in gum concentration is useful in the development of guar varieties with improved commercial traits.

State Reports Submitted in 2022

Alabama

Charles Chen, University of Alabama

According to records provided by S-009, a total of 635 accessions were mailed to Alabama from 2019 to 2021. In 2021, the requested germplasm covered 8 genera, They are Okra, Peanut, Peppers, Sweet potato, Watermelon, Cucumber, Legume, Eggplant, and Cowpea. The most requested crop was sweet potato by Tuskegee University.  The recipients of requested germplasm were university scientists, consultants, seed companies, gardeners and citizens of Alabama. The largest number of accessions was requested by Dr. Egnin, M at Tuskegee University for sweet potatos (15 accessions), and by Dr. Josh Clevenger from HusdonAlpha institute for Biotechnology for bambara bean (15 accessions), following H. Mcbrayer from the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association for watermelon ( 4 accessions), A total of 7 individuals in AL required germplasm. Community Garden for Nolan and Zora Jean required peppers, cucumber, eggplant, cowpea, okra and watermelon.

Arkansas – No report submitted

Florida – No report submitted

Georgia

Soraya Leal-Bertioli, University of Georgia

In the state of Georgia, 50 requests for plant germplasm were made to in 2021. As a result of these requests, S-009 provided 781 plant accessions. The recipients were University scientists (677 accessions/1089 accessions in previous reporting period), USDA scientists (93/164 in previous reporting period), and US individuals with no affiliation (11/16 in previous reporting period). The most requested crop was sorghum (624 accessions).

The University of Georgia maintains strong emphasis on plant breeding and continues to expand its advanced molecular biology programs. The Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics at UGA currently has 50 total faculty members, being 30 full faculty (one starting in 2021: Robin Buel) from the departments of Crop and Soils Science, Plant Pathology and Horticulture, six adjunct faculty, eight affiliated members from the USDA (one starting in 2021: Nino Brown), and three emeritus members. The main mission of the Institute is to develop improved plant cultivars from agronomic and horticultural species of importance to Georgia, the U.S., and worldwide. UGA currently has active cultivar development programs in soybean, peanut, small grains, cotton, turfgrass, forages, blueberry, pecan, grape, pepper, peach, watermelon, and numerous ornamental crops that frequently utilize the plant genetic resource collections. These cultivar development programs released 14 cultivars and 12 plant registrations between Aug 2021- Jul 22. In addition to that, 18 Plant Patents and six PVPs were granted between Aug 2020- Jul 21.

Faculty is also engaged in training graduate students and the graduate program currently has 51 students (20 MS and 31 PhD), and post-docs involved in various aspects of plant improvement. These programs supply new crop cultivars and associated technologies to our agricultural sector and rely heavily upon the plant materials maintained within the S-009 unit. The 54 publications produced in the period 2021-2022 (listed below) demonstrate the importance of this germplasm for education and advancement of science. Twenty-five of these publications had the participation of IPBGG graduate students, demonstrating the emphasis of personnel development given by the Institute.

Research programs in crop science, horticulture, plant pathology, entomology, molecular biology and other disciplines continue to utilize the genetic resources of the S-009 unit in both basic and applied research projects designed to address the needs of Georgia and U.S. agriculture. The S-009 unit remains a critical component of our research, cultivar development, innovation and student training programs in Georgia.

Guam

Mari Marutani, University of Guam

Hibiscus sabdariffa

Field Trial 2021: Nine Hibiscus sabdariffa accessions originally obtained from the USDA-ARS S9 Unit at the University of Georgia were evaluated for their field performance and phytochemical analysis of calyxes and leaves by transplanting 3-week-old seedlings on February 12, 2021.  Accessions included: PI 256039, PI 265319, PI 273389, PI 275413, PI 275414, PI 291128, PI 500706, PI 500713, and PI 500724.  Plants were irrigated twice daily for 20 min using a drip irrigation system.  The field was weeded, and pesticides were applied as needed. Plants were fertilized weekly with 20-20-20 (NPK) and bi-weekly with iron chelate.  All plants had a long period of vegetation stage as they were short-day plants.  Some accessions produced calyxes only in November and December.  Since this growing period coincided with rainy season, most plants were severely infested with a fungal disease, Fusarium wilt, and this field experiment was terminated without recording the plant growth data.

The same Hibiscus sabdariffa accessions were planted again on September 20, 2021. Plants are now being cultivated for collection of leaves and calyxes to determine their phytochemical properties.  In preliminary studies, mature leaf samples were examined for the presence of seven flavonoids by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the results indicated that all accessions except PI 273389 and PI 500724 contained cyanidin 3-sambubioside, cyanidin 3-glucoside, delphinidin 3-sambubioside, delphinidin 3-glucoside, protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin.

Ipomoea batatas

Two field studies were conducted to evaluate 21 sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) accessions (S-9 and local lines) in Guam cobbly clay soil at the Guam Agricultural Experiment Station Yigo farm during the rainy season from July to December 2020, and the dry season from January to May 2021.  There were ten plants per plot in a randomized complete block design with four blocks.  Rooted stem cuttings were transplanted in the field on January 13, 2021, for the dry season trial. The field was irrigated by a drip irrigation system and was fertilized by injecting a 20-20-20 (NPK) weekly for 12 weeks. Mulch was applied onto the sweet potato mounds to reduce crop-weed competition during the early stages of growth using ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia) needles. Weeding was performed as needed.  Plant and storage root characteristics were determined according to the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IPGR). For inflorescence data, not all the sweetpotato cultivars and replications were flowering at 45 days after transplanting. In the trial of January to May 2021, eight accessions (Accession code: PI 653844 (cv. Liberty), Stokes, SP15-0001, SP16-0003, SP16-0004, SP16-0007, SP20-0009, SP20-0010) flowered at 45 days after planting.  Three growth types were recognized: eight accessions showed the growth type as semi-erect plant; eight accessions had a spreading plant type; and five were extremely spreading type. For production of storage roots, during the growing season of July to December 2020, only four accessions (PI 531149 (Amarillo Local), SP16-0004, SP20-0008, SP20-0009) produced mature storage roots during the growing season from January to May 2021, all accessions produced storage roots. Ten accessions produced a low yield, five accessions produced a moderate yield, and six accessions produced a high yield. Most accessions had storage roots with dark purple to purple skin and a cream-colored flesh.  Two accessions had light orange flesh color, and one accession exhibited purple pigmentation in the flesh.

Kentucky

Timothy Philips, University of Kentucky

In 2021 a record low number of accessions from S9 was shipped to Kentucky addresses. Only four accessions (3 sorghums and one pumpkin) were requested by two people. Parker Camp is affiliated with the University of Kentucky through a startup company, Red Leaf Biologics. They produce novel, stable anthocyanin plant dyes from mutant sorghum lines. The recipient of the pumpkin accession did not respond to an email requesting how it was used. In 2020 a total of 159 accessions were shipped to six Kentucky addresses. These include a Ph.D. Anthropology student, a Cannabis/CBD company, and two university faculty members (University of Kentucky and Austin Peay State University which is in Tennessee but on the border of Kentucky and the request of several millet species resides in Kentucky. A few small vegetable farmers have requested several accessions of pepper, watermelon, okra, and pumpkin in recent years. Perhaps decline in accessions requested from Kentucky residents is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and more accessions will be shipped to Kentucky soon.

Louisiana

Don Labonte, Louisiana State University

A sweetpotato variety was released in 2021 “Vermillion”. This variety has a red-purple skin and represents a complement to the “Diane” variety. “Vermillion” has better storing properties than “Diane” but does have slightly less yield. Sweetpotato germplasm requests from the S-9 repository serve two purposes: 1) in search of a source of resistance to specific diseases, and 2) to evaluate resistance to diseases of germplasm in the collection to assist the curator in expanding the information in the characterization database.  Specifically, we have requested germplasm to search for a source of resistance for the recently re-emerged black rot pathogen, Ceratocystis fimbriata, and for the recently introduced guava root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii. USDA-APHIS-PPQ has a significant number of requested accessions now being processed for ultimate release. Research on Periglandula fungal symbiosis with Ipomoea (morning glory) species was conducted. Seeds of several Ipomoea species from GRIN were tested for infection by the symbiotic Periglandula fungus including I. graminea, I. hildebrandtii and I. parasitica. The Ipomoea seeds was infected. The peanut variety was ordered to conduct the North Carolina Differential Host Test for identification of southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) race. The original publication used ‘Flo-runner’ as the peanut variety, but this is no longer available. Tiffrunner (PI644011) can be used in place of Florunner for nematode race characterization.

Mississippi

Brian S. Baldwin, Mississippi State University

In 2021 scientists (and a resident) of the State of Mississippi requested and received 420 germplasm accessions; 376 were Sorghum bicolor, 21 turf of six species, 13 peanut, eight of two pepper species, and one hibiscus.

Sorghum bicolor germplasm was used for (environmental) stress physiological experiments lead by Dr. K. Raja Reddy at the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Research facility at Mississippi State University.

Turf species were composed of six species: centipedgrass (Eremochlaoa ophiuroides), carpetgrass (Axonopus spp.), and bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.).  All species were part of the larger turfgrass breeding program lead by Dr. Hongxu Dong at Mississippi State University.  Species were evaluated for suitability for incorporation into the turfgrass breeding program and herbicide and insecticide tolerance.

Peanut accessions were requested by Dr. Wang at the USDA Natural Products Center in Oxford, MS for lipid analysis and composition.  The ultimate purpose of her research is to identify specific naturally occurring lipids for commercial exploitation.  Dr. Zuweller is the new peanut research and extension faculty member at the University.  His work is just getting underway.  Requested germplasm is being used as checks for experiments on defoliation, yield and pegging due to soil conditions.

The five Capsicum annum and three C. chinense accessions were requested and sent to a private entity (D. Riser) with no research affiliation.

Hibiscus species have been used extensively by Dr. Sakhanokho at the USDA facility in Poplarville for varietal development, disease screening and physiological experiments.

North Carolina

Carlos Iglesias, North Carolina State University

Over the past three years (2019 – 2021), institutions in North Carolina requested 1226 accessions from the PGRC unit at Griffin. Of these, 547 were requested in 2021, 262 in 2020, and 417 in 2019. We received use reports for 72% of the accessions (877 of them).  The five largest number of accessions requested by genus was: Sorghum (625); Lagenaria (180); Abelmoschus (151); Vigna (69); and Arachis (38); representing 87% of the total number of accessions requested by institutions in North Carolina.

The host range of MMV (maize mosaic virus) and its plant hopper insect vector, Peregrinus maidis was tested with a small number of species of grassy and broadleaf weeds and agronomic crops.  Controlled dispersal experiments in cages designed to approximate maize in proximity to perennial and annual weedy grass species demonstrated host specificity of the virus and vector.  Seed from Panicum virgatum and Sorghum bicolor subsp. bicolor were obtained from GRIN S9 to use as weedy species in the host range assays (Dr. Lahre).

Citrillus germplasm was used to isolate high-quality DNA to perform RenSeq approach to identify genes that codes for NLR type receptors on plant genomes. Drs. Salcedo and Quesada are analyzing the data and we are planning to release data and publications early 2023.

Also, Citrullus germplasm was used to introgress disease resistance into elite watermelon populations, and was also used in disease screening studies by Dr. Wehner’s lab.  The same lave requested Lageneria germplasm to evaluate seedling traits and chilling tolerance.  The studies were published in 2020 and 2021

Germplasm samples were used in a genetic study examining the species relationships among sweetpotato wild relatives: Ipomoea cynanchifolia and Ipomoea trifida. The leaf transcriptome was sequenced, along with several other Ipomoea taxa; these two samples were used to as representative species in the study. The study was focused on characterizing a taxon that was not previously described to be found in North America – Ipomoea grandifolia. Ipomoea cynanchifolia clusters with Ipomoea grandifolia, as consistent with other studies. Ipomoea trifida appears to be distantly related to Ipomoea grandifolia.

Arachis germplasm was used to validate seed sources already in the North Carolina State University peanut germplasm collection by Drs. Dunne and Andres. The following studies required the validation of the peanut germplasm lines reported in S9 over the past 1 to 3 years:

1. Recombinant Inbred Lines (RIL) populations for the improvement of folate content in peanut:
2. Whole-genome sequencing of wild species derived peanut germplasm for molecular marker development and marker-assisted selection:

In St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), previous work at NCSU identified PI 410353 among others as resistant to grey leaf spot disease (Carbajal et al, 2020), as well as PI 365031 and 289729 among others as resistant to the southern chinch bug (Milla-Lewis et al 2017). The Turfgrass lab continues to works with these PIs to 1) breed for resistance to these traits, and 2) identify QTL underlying these traits in order to develop marker-assisted selection programs. Additionally, as part of a Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant genomics objective, we are interested in looking at allelic diversity in a broad range of germplasm for disease resistance as well as drought tolerance. All St. Augustinegrass PIs currently held in GRIN will be included in this study.

Okra  (Abelmoschus esculentus) accessions were introduced in North Carolina to start the okra breeding program by the Plant Breeding Graduate Student Club at NCSU. Generations of multiplication and observation have been conducted in greenhouse and field, including some practice crossings. Field observations and selections were made in the field during 2021.  Selections are being grown in 2022.  The target is to develop okra varieties that combine different flower and pod colors as ornamental types .

Okra accessions were also acquired by the Utopian Seed Project (USP).  One promising variety has been Puerto Rico Evergreen. Selections were made from this population and released seeds through Southern Exposure Seed Exchange this year as Puerto Rico Everblush.  The USP worked with the higher oilseed content accessions. Crosses were made in 2021 and the top 10 F1s were selected to grow out this year. Next year USP will grow the F2s and begin selection for higher oil content material.  The USP has also evaluated accessions from other species of the genus Abelmoschus. USP is especially interested in tropical A. manihot subsp. manihot and A. caillei.

Thirty accessions of Bambara groundnuts (Vigna subterranean) were introduced and increased in greenhouse this past Spring (2022).  The goal is to evaluate the potential adaptation of the specie as an alternative crop for peanut growers in North Carolina.  The main target is the alternative protein market, given that there are already companies developing protein products based on Bambara groundnuts in Asia.  NCSU also received 200+ accessions from IITA (Nigeria).  The intent is to evaluate both collections in the field during the summer of 2023.

Dr. Doherty’s lab used Sorghum bicolor for analysis of early-season chilling tolerance. RNA was sampled for RNA-Seq analysis, which has been submitted, but not completed yet and are performing validation studies on these lines. The study will evaluate how the transcriptional machinery varies based on the time of day using Western Blots. First manuscript to be submitted in the next month.

Dr. Horn’s lab acquired seeds from two S9-provided germplasm including Ipomoea alba and Psophocarpus tetragonolobus. These plants were chosen due to high amounts of unusual fatty acids, i.e., hexadecenoic and octadecenoic acids, according to published sources curated in PlantFAdb. (https://plantfadb.org). These seeds were acquired as part of a larger survey of unusual fatty acids in seeds. Unfortunately, this project was temporarily abandoned due to the pandemic, which led to limited personnel and funds. The seeds are still in our possession and may be analyzed in the future as part of other funded projects.

Dr. Hornstein’s lab ordered a wide range of germplasm (Abelmoschus, Cenchrus, Digitaria, Eleusine, Macrotyloma, Ricinus, Sesamum, Sorghum, Vigna) intended to test a new method of plant transformation with greater robustness across species and cultivars; unfortunately, that project was stalled by the pandemic and has not restarted.

Dr. Alvarez-Rellan’s lab has used a collection of Sorghum accessions for studies on understanding metabolic adaptations to environmental stresses. They are currently performing genetic mapping of metabolic traits with these materials.

Accession PI 564163 Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench subsp. Bicolor was included in the project: “Comparative genomic and spatial analysis of DNA replication in maize and sorghum”. Dr. Hanley-Bowdoin’s lab extensively studied DNA replication dynamics in maize root tips and now plan to generate comparable data in Sorghum. The supplied Sorghum seed has been used to bulk up seeds stocks for future experiments and for some small scale optimization experiments including developing seedling germination and root tip harvesting protocols, and protocols for labeling root tip cells in S-phase with a thymidine analog, Ethynyl deoxyuridine, for future flow cytometry and NGS sequencing experiments.   

Oklahoma

Yanqi Wu, Oklahoma State University

Plant germplasm users in Oklahoma requested a total of 2,374 accessions maintained at the USDA ARS Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit at Griffin, GA in this reporting period. The Oklahoma users included scientists at Oklahoma State University, USDA ARS laboratories, Noble Research Institute, Oklahoma University, and private business, and farmers. The requested plant germplasm included peanuts (Arachis spp.), clovers (Trifolium spp.), sorghum (Sorghum spp.), grasses (Cenchrus spp., Zoysia spp., Axonopus spp., Panicum virgatum), cowpea (Vigna spp.), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), pepper (Capsicum annuum), white morning glory (Ipomoea spp.), etc.  The number of requested germplasm in 2022 (2,374) is much larger than that in 2020 (981) and 2021 (872). It is not easy to know how these requested germplasm were used. However, many of the germplasm requested by scientists were used in their scientific investigations.

Puerto Rico

Carlos Flores Ortega, University of Puerto Rico

Legumes  Registration approval in the AES Variety Committee of PR1654-7 red mottled bean germplasm line. PI: Dr. James S. Beaver. Bean golden yellow mosaic virus (BGYMV), Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), Bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV) and common bacterial blight (CBB) caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Smith) Vauterin et al. are important diseases of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the Caribbean. The development of dry bean cultivars and germplasm having enhanced levels of resistance to these, and other diseases and pests is an important goal of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and other dry bean breeding programs in the Caribbean. PR1654-7 is a multiple virus and CBB resistant red mottled bean germplasm line adapted to the humid tropics that was developed and released cooperatively in 2021 by the UPR Agricultural Experiment Station, the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales and the USDA-Agriculture Research Service. PR1654-7 possesses the bgm-1 gene for resistance to BGYMV and the I and bc-3 loci that confer resistance to BCMV and BCMNV, respectively, and the SAP 6 QTL for resistance to CBB. PR1654-7 produced a mean seed yield of 1,597 kg ha-1 in eight trials planted in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti which was comparable to the check line PR1146-138. PR1654-7 has a commercially acceptable red mottled seed type and should serve as a useful source of resistance to BGYMV, BCMV, BCMNV and CBB for Andean beans produced at lower altitudes in the tropics.

Evaluation and breeding continue in agronomic performance of common and tepary bean genotypes and their response to ashy stem blight in the southern coastal zone of Puerto Rico. PI: Dr. Diego Viteri.

Forages Evaluation and breeding continue in Tropical forage legume and grass.  Genotypes evaluation and maintenance for the different agro‐ecosystems of Puerto Rico and Caribbean Zone are extremely important due to the necessity to increase the local forage consumption principally in the milk industry due to the high cost of imported grains. PI: Dr. Elide Valencia.

Fruits  Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) accessions evaluation continues. A new trellis supported infrastructure was constructed at the Isabela AES. A second year of evaluation will be necessary to evaluate accessions difference in vine thickness and vigor. PI: Dr. Pablo Morales Payan Quenep (Quenepa)

(Melicoccus bijugatus) Evaluation consist of 18 quenepa clones being carried out to culminate the Phenotypic description, morphology, and production evaluation in the Juana Diaz AES collection. Final Report will be submitted this year 2022-2023.

Citrus After the Hurricane Irma and Maria in 2017, Citrus plantations were one of the most affected and difficult to recuperate in the Island. Special care was taken by Scientist to secure and protect the accessions considered historically important genetic resources for the citrus production in the Southern Region and worldwide. Today accessions are secure and protected in a screen house in Adjuntas AES located in the central mountain region of the Island. Maintenance and propagation of citrus germplasm pest free continues and secure by replicates in Corozal and Isabela AES. Citrus rootstocks and scion’s evaluation continues at different locations. Great farmers interest for establishing new citrus plantations has been observed in the las three years. PI: Dra. Rebecca Tirado. The Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico incentives farmers to establish new plantations only CTV free.

Banana and Plantain Evaluation, maintenance, and reproduction of recommended plantain (AAB) to farmers continues at the Corozal AES. Collection was renovated in June 2022 with 18 accessions, including two new entries, Curare and FHIA20. The banana (AAA) collection was renovated in June 2020 with 26 accessions. The accession FHIA02, a Black Sigatoka resistant variety, is being evaluated for its response to nematodes. PI: Dra. Martha Giraldo.

Root Crops The Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), Tanier (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), Yam (Dioscorea spp.) and Cassava (Manihot esculenta) were renovated in August 2021 at the Isabela and Corozal AES. Root germplasm requests by farmers are increasing.  PI: Dra. Martha Giraldo.

Coffee The Adjuntas Agricultural Experiment Station have been working in the introduction, increase, evaluation, conservation, and distribution of coffee varieties with major characteristics with potential for the coffee production in the Island for more than sixty years. In 1994, two main varieties, “Limani” and “Fronton”, displayed rust (Hemileia vastatrix) tolerance and superior organoleptic characteristics than the commercial varieties, were released by the AES. This varieties came into Puerto Rico in a group of approximately a dozen of cultivars and advance genotypes claimed as coffee rust resistant from the “Instituto Agronómico de Campiñas” – Brasil in 1982. This genetic material was included in the Puerto Rico collections under study. Two superior genotypes were selected and named as “Limaní” and “Fronton”. Limaní, comes from LC-1665= Villa Sarchi x Hibrido Timor HdT CIFC 832/2 better known as Sarchimor and Fronton comes from LC-1661-1= Caturra x Hibrido Timor CIFC 832/1 better known as Catimor. The Coffee Rust (Hemileia vastatrix Berk y Broome was reported in Puerto Rico in 1989. Limaní and Fronton were releases in 1994 with the local names.

As a result of the DNA research performed in 2021, the AES has a genetic data base of the 36 accessions conserved in the coffee collection as coffee rust-resistant material. Limani variety has four (4) unique genotypes and Fronton variety has one (1) unique genotype with different genetically stable promising rust resistant characteristics. This promising material was selected to extend the study at field level at the AES, Adjuntas. Seeds are under germination and will be transplanted to plastic pots in October 2022. Plants will remain in a plant nursery for approximately 9 months before establishing the field plots for the morphological and phenological evaluation. This will take four years.  Rust resistant traits, yield and quality of coffee will also be recorded. The propagation and distribution of Var. Limani and Fronton was reestablished since 2021.  PI: Prof. Carlos A Flores Ortega.

South Carolina

Richard Boyles, Clemson University

Germplasm Received from the Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, Southern Regional Plant Introduction Station, Griffin, GA:

Germplasm from five genera was received that represented 10 different research requests in SC during the 2021 calendar year.

The number of individual 2021 germplasm requests were down again by nearly 50% (10 from 19) from 2020; yet, the total number of accessions increased again, this time by over 50% (1,428 from 926). A trend of fewer, but larger requests has arisen in recent years.

This trend seems to also focus on select genera that are being actively evaluated by USDA and academic scientists.  Results were dominated by large requests in pepper, sorghum, and sweet potato. For sorghum, two large requests were made by Clemson University scientists in the Boyles Cereal Grains Breeding and Genetics Lab (432 accessions) and Sekhon Genetics and Biochemistry Lab (367). The Boyles Lab requested a RIL population from the larger RTx430 NAM population developed by Kansas State University for characterization and genetic mapping of resistance to fall armyworm (USDA NIFA AFRI grant no. 2019-05269). The sorghum accessions requested by the Sekhon Lab were selected for a continued evaluation of genetic and physiological diversity for field senescence and stalk strength. Peanut accessions were requested by the Rustgi Lab at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence to 1) test genotypes for immunogenic seed protein content (PI261942, PI276235, PI270806, PI290620, and PI587093) to breed reduced-immunogenicity peanut genotypes as a source of affordable oral immunotherapy and 2) validate the embryogenic potential of selected peanut genotypes (PI478787 and PI587093) evaluate their potential as an explants source for genome editing and genetic transformation studies. Dr. William Rutter at the USDA-ARS Vegetable Lab in Charleston requested and received 274 accessions (59 Solanum species and 215 Capsicum species) to screen for root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne enterolobii) resistance as M. enterolobii is a serious pest of many vegetable crops, with no known sources of resistance to this nematode in any solanaceous vegetables. Any resistance found in these PIs will be incorporated into new pepper or eggplant lines that will serve as valuable management tools for growers in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world where M. enterolobii is a problem. Dr. Phil Wadl at the USDA Vegetable Lab requested 258 sweet potato accessions to also evaluate for resistance to root-knot nematodes as well as measure agronomic performance and level of resistance to fungal diseases.

Tennessee

Virginia Sykes, University of Tennessee

Over the past three years (2019 – 2021), 311 accessions were requested from the PGRC unit at Griffin by individuals in Tennessee. Of these, 201 were requested in 2021, 23 were requested in 2020, and 87 in 2019. Material was requested from 11 genera: Abelmoschus (11), Capsicum (5), Citrullus (4), Cucurbita (3), Desmanthus (1), Indigofera (33), Panicum (1), Solanum (2), Sorghum (3), Trifolium (55), and Vigna (192). Most accessions requested in 2021 (246 out of 311) were from public universities, including the University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University. No publications or germplasm/variety releases related to these accession requests have been reported since the last S-009 report in 2021.  

Texas

Gerald R. Smith, Texas A&M University

Multiple Texas seed companies evaluated sorghum germplasm for disease and insect tolerance, forage production, forage quality and other traits.  These private breeding programs are looking at both grain and silage sorghums for sugarcane aphid tolerance, disease resistance and resistance to lodging.

Evaluation and breeding continues on forage and multi-use cowpea for Texas. Evaluation of breeding lines and PI lines of cowpea continued at Texas A&M AgriLife, Overton.  A new forage cowpea cultivar , ‘Giant’, was released by Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Elite lines from crosses between high seed yield lines and ‘Ace’ forage cowpea were advanced and entered into experimental line seed increases.  Germplasm lines of black gram were evaluated for root-knot nematode resistance with most lines noted as very susceptible.  Research on cowpea and guar continues at Texas A&M AgriLife, Vernon, TX.

Six cultivars of vegetable cowpea were evaluated at Pleasanton, TX by a private seed company.  The company’s internal research objective was to utilize the germplasm PI lines to increase seed stock for purity while comparing to internal seed lots. The cultivars included were Coronet, Zipper Cream, Texas Cream 40, Mississippi Silver, Cream 12 and Pinkeye Purple Hull-BVR.

U.S. Virgin Islands – No report submitted

Virginia

Bastiaan Bargmann, Virginia Tech

Several institutions in Virginia have used germplasm provided by the S-009 project over the last three years for educational purposes as well as differing lines of research, some with promising results that are expected to lead to publications in the near future. There were no publications reported in the last year. Of the 21 Virginia users, we had a response from six, two email addresses were no longer in use, and 13 did not respond after repeated solicitation.

Dr. Sierra Beecher at Virginia Commonwealth University used Panicum amarum seeds to look at germination rates in an educational setting. Dr. Harbans Bhardwaj at Virginia State University used Phaseolus, Vigna, and Vicia germplasm in Virginia to evaluate preliminary production potential of these crops. Reece Crump (affiliation unknown) wanted to use Cuscuta indecora and Cuscuta pentagona seeds for a breeding experiment with native parasitic plants in the area but reported difficulties in getting them to germinate. Edmund Frost at Common Wealth Seed Growers used squash, cucumber and watermelon seeds to include in research trials, which are focused on identifying and creating varieties that have exceptional adaptation for Virginia and for the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions more broadly. David Lawson at MountainRose Vinyard used grapes from UC Davis to test long term viability of several varieties for use in winemaking in his local region of the state. Dr. Bingyu Zhao at Virginia Tech evaluated the disease resistance and flowering time phenotype of requested Capsicum germplasms.

Peer Reviewed Publications

Ackerman AJ, Wenndt AJ, Boyles RE (2021). The sorghum grain mold disease complex: Pathogens, host responses, and the bioactive metabolites at play. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, 893.

Adeleke IA, Kavalappara SR, Torrance T, Bennett JE, McGregor C, Srinivasan R, Bag S. First report of watermelon crinkle leaf-associated virus 1 naturally infecting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in Georgia, USA. Plant Disease, 106(8), pp. 2273.

Andreason SA, Olaniyi OG, Gilliard AC, Wadl PA, Williams LH, Jackson DM, Simmons AM, Ling KS (2021). Large-scale seedling grow-out experiments do not support seed transmission of sweet potato leaf curl virus in sweet potato. Plants, 10(1). doi:10.3390/plants10010139

Ballén-Taborda C, Chu Y, Ozias-Akins P, Holbrook CC, Timper P, Jackson SA, Bertioli DJ, Leal- Bertioli SCM. 2022. Development and genetic characterization of peanut advanced backcross lines that incorporate root-knot nematode resistance from Arachis stenosperma. Frontiers in Plant Science doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.785358.

Ballén-Taborda, C, Chu, Y, Ozias-Akins, P, Holbrook, C C, Timper, P, Jackson, S A, Bertioli, D J, & Leal-Bertioli, SCM. 2021. Development and genetic characterization of peanut advanced backcross lines that incorporate Root-Knot Nematode resistance from Arachis stenosperma [Original Research]. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.785358

Beaulieu, Wesley T., Daniel G. Panaccione, Quynh N. Quach, Katy L. Smoot and Keith Clay. 2021. Diversification of ergot alkaloids and heritable fungal symbionts in morning glories. Communications Biology 4:1362 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02870-z | www.nature.com/commsbio.

Bertioli DJ, Clevenger J, Godoy IJ, Stalker HT, Wood S, Santos JF, Ballén-Taborda C, Abernathy BL, Azevedo V, Campbell J, Chavarro C, Chu Y, Farmer AD, Fonceka D, Gao D, Grimwood J, Halpin N, Korani W, Michelotto MD, Ozias-Akins P, Vaughn V, Youngblood C, Moretzsohn MC, Wright. GC, Jackson SA, Cannon SB, Scheffler SB, Leal-Bertioli SCM. 2021. Legacy genetics of Arachis cardenasiiin the peanut crop shows the profound benefits of international seed exchange. PNAS. 118 No. 38 e2104899118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2104899118.

Bertioli DJ, Clevenger J, Godoy IJ, Stalker HT, Wood S, Santos JF, Ballén-Taborda C, Abernathy BL, Azevedo V, Campbell J, Chavarro C, Chu Y, Farmer AD, Fonceka D, Gao D, Grimwood J, Halpin N, Korani W, Michelotto MD, Ozias-Akins P, Vaughn V, Youngblood C, Moretzsohn MC, Wright. GC, Jackson SA, Cannon SB, Scheffler SB, Leal-Bertioli SCM. 2021. Legacy genetics of Arachis cardenasiiin the peanut crop shows the profound benefits of international seed exchange. PNAS. 118 No. 38 e2104899118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2104899118.

Bertioli DJ, Gao D, Ballen-Taborda C, Chu Y, Ozias-Akins P, Jackson SA, Holbrook CC & Leal-Bertioli SCM. 2021. Registration of GA-BatSten1 and GA-MagSten1, two induced allotetraploids derived from peanut wild relatives with superior resistance to leaf spots, rust and root-knot nematode. Journal of Plant Registrations. 2021:1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20133.

Bheemanahalli, R., Wang, C., Bashir, E., Chiluwal, A., Pokharel, M., Perumal, R., Moghimi, N., Ostmeyer, T., Caragea, D., & Jagadish, S. V. K. (2021). Classical Phenotyping and Deep Learning Concur on Genetics of Stomatal Density and Area in Sorghum. Plant Physiology. 183(3), 1562-1579. DOI:10.1093/plphys/kiab174.

Boatwright JL, Sapkota S, Jin H, Schnable JC, Brenton Z, Boyles RE, Kresovich S (2021). Sorghum Association Panel whole-genome sequencing establishes cornerstone resource for dissecting genomic diversity. The Plant Journal: For Cell and Molecular Biology, 111(3), 888–904. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.15853

Boyles RE, Ackerman AJ, Kresovich S (2022). Traits and underlying genetics important for low‐input organic sorghum production. Crop Science, 62(2), 753–766.

Catto MA, Shrestha A, Abney MR, Champagne DE, Culbreath AK, Leal-Bertioli SCM, Hunt BG, Srinivasan R. 2021. Defense-related gene expression following an orthotospovirus infection is influenced by host resistance in Arachis hypogaea. Viruses 13, 1303. https://doi.org/10.3390/v13071303

Cantrell, C.L., Jarret, R.L. 2022. Bulk process for enrichment of capsinoids from capsicum fruit. Processes. 10(2):305. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10020305.

Carbajal, E.M., Ma, B., Zuleta, M.C., Reynolds, W.C., Arellano, C., Tredway, L.P. and Milla-Lewis, S.R. 2020. Identification of sources of resistance to gray leaf spot in Stenotaphrum germplasm. Crop Sci. 61(5): 3069-3079 doi: 10.1002/csc2.20371

Chen, W.L., Y.Q. Wu, F.B. Fritschi, and T.E. Juenger. 2021. The genetic basis of the root economics spectrum in a perennial grass. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 118(47):e2107541118. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107541118.

Chiluwal, A., R. Perumal, H. P. Poudel, K. Muleta, T. Ostmeyer, L. Fedenia, M. Pokharel, S. R. Bean, D. Sebela, R. Bheemanahalli, H. Oumarou, P. Klein, W. L. Rooney, S. V. K. Jagadish. 2022. Genetic control of source-sink relationships in grain sorghum. Planta 255:40.

Chu Y, Bertioli D, Levinson CM, Stalker HT, Holbrook CC, Ozias-Akins P. 2021. Homoeologous recombination is recurrent in the nascent synthetic allotetraploid Arachis ipaënsis × Arachis correntina4x and its derivatives. G3 11. https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkab066

Dan, C., H. Dong, S. Bai, and Y.Q. Wu. 2022. Mapping QTLs for spring green-up, plant vigor and plant biomass in two lowland switchgrass populations. Molecular Breeding. 42: 27. DOI: 10.1007/s11032-022- 01296-7.

Dang, P.M., M.C. Lamb, and C.Y. Chen, 2021. Association of differentially expressed R‑gene candidates with leaf spot resistance in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Molecular Biology Reports. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-020-06049-3.

de Blas, F.J., Bruno, C.I., Arias, R.S. et al. Genetic mapping and QTL analysis for peanut smut resistance. BMC Plant Biol 21, 312 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-03023-4

Gopinath, L., D.L. Martin, J.Q. Moss, Y.Q. Wu, S. Yu and J. Underwood. 2021. Sod tensile strength, handling Quality and their Inter-relationship for thirty-nine bermudagrasses. HortTechnology. DOI: 10.21273/HORTTECH04893-21.

Elias M. Elias, Shahryar Kianian, Raed Seetan, Ali Missaoui, Shyam Solanki and Mohamed Mergoum. Identification of Main-Effect and Environmental Interaction QTL and Their Candidate Genes for Drought Tolerance in a Wheat RIL Population Between Two Elite Spring Cultivars Front. Genet., 17 June 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.656037

Gonzales M, Kemerait Jr. R, Bertioli D, Leal-Bertioli S. 2022. Wild-derived neotetraploids show strong resistance to peanut Early and Late Leaf Spots. Plant Disease. Jun 24. doi: 10.1094/PDIS-03-22-0721-RE. Epub ahead of print.

Ibrahim, AMH, Sutton, R, Johnson, JW, et al. Registration of ‘GA06343-13E2 (TX-EL2)’ Soft Red Winter Wheat. J. Plant Regist. 2021, 15: 107– 112. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20031

Katuwal, K.B., D. Jespersen, U. Bhattarai, A. Chandra, K. Kenworthy, S. Milla-Lewis, B. Schwartz, Y.Q. Wu, and P. Raymer. 2022. Multi-locational screening identifies new drought tolerant warm-season turfgrasses. Crop Science. DOI: 10.1002/csc2.20726.

Ke Y, Podio M, Conner J, Ozias-Akins P. 2021. Single-cell transcriptome profiling of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) eggs unveils apomictic parthenogenesis signatures. Sci. Rep. 11:1-17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89170-y.

Laxman Adhikari, Rudra Baral, Dev Paudel, Doohong Min, Shiva O. Makaju, Hari P. Poudel, Janam P. Acharya, Ali M. Missaoui, Leal-Bertioli SCM, Nascimento Eliza FMB, Chavarro MCF, Custódio AR, Hopkins MS, Moretzsohn MC, Bertioli DJ, Araujo, Ana Claudia G. 2021. Spontaneous generation of diversity in Arachis neopolyploids (A. ipaënsis x A. duranensis)4x replays the early stages of peanut evolution. G3 Genes|Genomes|Genetics. jkab289, https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkab289

Levinson C, Chu Y, Luo X, Stalker HT, Gao D, Holbrook CC, Ozias-Akins P. 2021. Morphological and reproductive characterization of nascent allotetraploids cross-compatible with cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Genet Resourc Crop Evol https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-021-01161-0

Levinson CM, Bertioli D, Chu Y, Hopkins M, Leal-Bertioli SCM, Stalker HT, Gao D & Ozias-Akins P. 2021. Development and applications of KASP markers distinguishing A- and B/K-genomes of Arachis. Euphytica 217, 196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-021-02923-8

Levinson CM, Antepenko E, Leal-Bertioli SCM, Chu Y, Culbreath AK, Stalker HT, Gao D, and Ozias- Akins P. 2021. Resistance to rust (Puccinia arachidis Speg.) identified in nascent allotetraploids cross- compatible with cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Peanut Science. https://doi.org/10.3146/PS21- 4.1

Luckew, A., Meru, G., Wang, Y., Mwatuwa, R., Paret, M., Carvalho, R., Kalischuk, M., Ribeiro da Silva,L. B., Candian, J., Dutta, B., Srinivasan, R., Kavalappara, S. R., RRD, N. C. K., Bag, S., & McGregor,(2022). Field Evaluation of Cucurbita Germplasm for Resistance to Whiteflies and Whitefly- transmitted Viruses, HortScience, 57(2), 337-344.

LaBonte, D, C.A. Clark, T.S. Smith, A.Q. Villordon, and C.S. Stoddard. 2021. ‘Vermillion’ Sweetpotato. HortScience 56:978-981.

Massa, A.N., Arias De Ares, R.S., Sorensen, R.B., Sobolev, V., Tallury, S.P., Stalker, T.S., Lamb, M.C. 2021. Evaluation of leaf spot resistance in wild arachis species of section arachis. Peanut Science. 48(2):68-75. https://doi.org/10.3146/PS20-25.1.

Meagher Jr, R.L., Nagoshi, R.N., Fleischer, S.J., Westbrook, J.K., Wright, D.L., Morris, J.B., Brown, J.T., Rowley, A.L. 2022. Areawide management of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), using selected cover crop plants. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience (CABI A&B). 3:1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43170-021-00069-0.

Moor, J. C., J. Gore, A. L. Catchot, D. R. Cook, W. Crow, D. M. Dodds, J. M. Sarver, T. B. Towles, B. Zurweller. 2021. Effects of imidacloprid and acephate for tobacco thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) management on flumioxazin injured peanut. Peanut Science 48(1):6-14.

Morris, J.B. 2022. Multivariate analysis of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) genotypes with potentially healthy nutraceuticals and uses. Journal of Dietary Supplement. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2021.2022821

Morris, J.B., Tonnis, B.D., Wang, M.L., Bhattari, U. 2022. Genetic diversity for quercetin, myricetin, cyanidin, and delphinidin concentrations in 38 blackeye pea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) genotypes for potential use as a functional health vegetable. Journal of Dietary Supplement. https://doi.org/10.1080/19390211.2022.2077881.

Munoz-Rodriguez, P., Wells, T., Wood, J., Carruthers, T., Anglin, N.L., Jarret, R.L., Scotland, R. 2022. Discovery and characterisation of sweetpotato’s closest tetraploid relative. New Phytologist. 234:1185- 1194. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17991.

Napier, J.D., P.P. Grabowski, J.T. Lovell, J. Bonnette, S. Mamidi, M.J. Gomez-Hughes, A. VanWallendael, X. Weng, L.H. Handley, M.K. Kim, A.R. Boe, P.A. Fay, F.B. Fritschi, J.D. Jastrow, J. Lloyd-Reilley, D.B. Lowry, R. Matamala, R.B. Mitchell, F.. M. Rouquette, Y.Q. Wu, J. Webber, T. Jones, K. Barry, J. Grimwood, J. Schmutz, & T.E. Juenger. 2022. A generalist-specialist tradeoff between switchgrass cytotypes impacts climate adaptation and geographic range. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2118879119.

Patel, J.D., Wang, M.L., Dang, P.M., Butts, C.L., Lamb, M.C., Chen, C.Y. 2022. Insights into the genomic architecture of seed and pod quality traits in the U.S. peanut mini-core diversity panel. Plants. 11(7):837. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11070837.

Razar RM, Qi P, Devos KM, Missaoui AM. Genotyping-by-Sequencing and QTL Mapping of Biomass Yield in Two Switchgrass F1 Populations (Lowland x Coastal and Coastal x Upland). Front Plant Sci. 2022 May 19;13:739133. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.739133. PMID: 35665173; PMCID: PMC9162799.

Rustgi S, Alam T, Jones ZT, Brar AK, Kashyap S (2022) Reduced-immunogenicity wheat and peanut lines for people with foodborne disorders. Chemistry Proceedings 10(1):67.

Rustgi S, Kakati JP, Jones ZT, Zoong Lwe ZS, Narayanan S (2021) Heat tolerance as a function of membrane lipid remodeling in the major US oilseed crops (soybean and peanut) Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology 30:652–667.

Rutter WB, Wadl PA, Mueller JD, Agudelo P (2021). Identification of sweet potato germplasm resistant to pathotypically distinct isolates of Meloidogyne enterolobii from the Carolinas. Plant Disease, 105(10), 3147–3153.

Sakhanokho, H.F., Islam-Faridi, N., Babiker, E.M., Smith, B.J. 2021. Micropropagation of Hibiscus moscheutos L. ‘Luna White’: Effect of growth regulators and explants on nuclear DNA content and ploidy stability of regenerants. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Plants. doi.org/10.1007/s11627-021-10209-w.

Sari, N; Silverman, E; Reiland, D; and Wehner, T. 2020. Effects of cold duration on chilling injury in Lagenaria germplasm. HortScience 55(10):1551-1557.

Sari, N; Silverman, E; Reiland, D; and Wehner, T. 2021. Seed characterization and relationships between seed and cotyledon properties in Lagenaria spp. Accessions. HortScience 56(2):185-192.

Smith, G.R. and F.M. Rouquette, Jr. 2022. TX-BHS berseem clover germplasm. J. Plant Reg. 16:410- 416.

Thavarajah D, Lawrence TJ, Powers SE, Kay J, Thavarajah P, Shipe E, McGee R, Kumar S, Boyles RE (2022). Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) biofortification for better human health. PloS One, 17(1), e0261109.

Van der Laat, R., Dale, A.G., Arellano, C., and Milla-Lewis, S.R. 2021. Variation in southern chinch bug (Blissus insularis) survival and damage on St. Augustinegrass germplasm. Intl. Turfgrass Soc. Res. J. https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.67

Wadl PA, Williams III LH, Horry MI, Ward BK (2022) Evaluation of 12 sweet potato clones in coastal South Carolina for yield and insect resistance using organic and conventional Cultural Practices, HortTechnology, 32(3), 253-262. https://journals.ashs.org/horttech/view/journals/horttech/32/3/article-p253.xml

Wang, M.L., Wang, H., Zhao, C., Tonnis, B.D., Tallury, S.P., Wang, X., Clevenger, J., Guo, B. 2021. Identification of QTLs for seed dormancy in cultivated peanut using a recombinant inbred line mapping population. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-021-01315-5.

Wang, X., Chen, C. Y., Dang, P., Carter, J., Zhao, S., Lamb, M. C., Chu, Y., Holbrook, C., Ozias- Akins, P., Isleib, T. G., & Feng, Y. (2022). Variabilities in symbiotic nitrogen fixation and carbon isotope discrimination among peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotypes under drought stress. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 00, 1– 14. https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.12619

Wang, X., X. Yang, Y. Feng, P. Dang, W. Wang, R. Graze, J. Clevenger, Y. Chu, P. Ozias-Akins, C. Holbrook , and C. Chen*. 2021. Transcriptome profile reveals drought induced genes preferentially expressed in response to water deficit in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Frontiers in Plant Science: 12:645291. https://doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.645291 . LOG: 383079

York, L. M., Cumming, J. R., Trusiak, A., Bonito, G.,  von Haden, A. C.,  Kalluri, U. C.,  Tiemann, L. K., Andeer, P. F., Blanc-Betes, E., Diab, J. H., Favela, A., Germon, A., Gomez-Casanovas, N., Hyde,

20028. A., Kent, A. D., Ko, D. K., Lamb, A., Missaoui, A. M., Northen, T. R., … Yang, W. H. (2022). Bioenergy Underground: Challenges and opportunities for phenotyping roots and the microbiome for sustainable bioenergy crop production. Plant Phenome Journal, 5: e20028. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppj2.20028

Yu, X., Mulkey, S.E., Ma, B.Y., Arellano, C., Zuleta, M.C. Reynolds, W.C., and Milla-Lewis, S.R. 2020. Resistance to gray leaf spot in St. Augustinegrass: Characterization and QTL mapping. Plant Disease 104(11): 2799-2806. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-20-0905-RE

Germplasm Releases and Patents

Registration of ‘MSB-264’ and ‘MSB-285’ bermudagrasses. Journal of Plant Registrations, 16, 185– 197. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20218

Eggplant ‘Ideal’: Open-pollinated local cultivar in Guam.

Okra, Puerto Rico Everflush, released by the Utopian Seed Project though the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in early 2022.

Smith, G.R. 2021. Ace Forage Cowpea. PVP Registration Certificate. PVP#201900266

Zoysiagrass (XZ 14069, commercial name LOBO^TM) and one St. Augustinegrass (XSA 11377, commercial name TBA) cultivars were released in spring of 2022.

 Other Publications

Chieriel Desamito, Shaylin Salas, Caleb Escalara, and Mari Marutani. 2021. Eggplant ‘Ideal’: Open- pollinated local cultivar in Guam. Agriculture and Life Science Division College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Guam. Technical Report. Factsheet 2021-01. 6p.

Dilovan K. Yahya and Ahmad N. Aziz. 2022. Whole Genome Amplification and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms from Sweet Sorghum Microspores. Submitted to Graduate School of Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN) in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science.

Marutani, Mari, Seanne Clemente, Karen Bacalia, Emmanuel Santos, Shashikant Kotwal, Greciella Valerio, Jester Calalang, Nathan Sala, Maegan Delfin, Chieriel Desamito, and Michael A. P. Fernandez. 2021. Phytochemical Analyses of Horticultural Crops: Application of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Agriculture and Life Science Division College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Guam. Technical Report. Factsheet 2021-02. 25p

Mariod, A., Jarret, R.L. 2022. Antioxidant, antimicrobial and antidiabetic activities of Citrullus colocynthis seed oil. In: Mariod, A., editor. Multiple Biological Activities of Unconventional Seed Oils. London, UK: Academic Press. p. 139-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824135-6.00005-2