Location: Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research
Project Number: 2050-21000-034-005-N
Project Type: Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Nov 3, 2014
End Date: Nov 2, 2019
Objective:
To establish a general framework for cooperation between the United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (ARS) and PepsiCo, Inc. for the purpose of advancing research towards the improvement of oat germplasm. This Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement (NFCA) defines in general terms the basis for which the parties will cooperate. Both parties are interested in advancing understanding of the genetic basis of disease resistance and agronomic performance of oat towards the development and distribution of disease-resistant enhanced germplasm. Individual projects may be developed which outline specific research objectives. This will be a joint effort of ARS, who is conducting research on the genetic resource management of oat and on the genetic basis of disease resistance and agronomic performance of oat; and PepsiCo, Inc., who is dedicated to supporting the advancement of oat production and use through scientific research.
Approach:
ARS is actively conducting research on oat production and end use quality. Pepsico, Inc., parent company of the Quaker Oats Company and a global food and beverage leader, wishes to provide direct and indirect research support to ARS. It is in the interest of both parties to form a close working relationship in order to promote research that is targeted towards the needs of United States and global producers and which is conducted in the most resource- and cost-efficient manner.
ARS and PepsiCo, Inc. will work together to provide scientific research that meets the needs of stakeholders by: 1)Evaluating, characterizing and utilizing available genetic resources (especially via the Quaker International Oat Nursery) to increase knowledge and understanding of the population structure and genetic diversity of cultivated oat; 2)Defining the genetic architecture of resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors which negatively impact oat production in order to identify genes and gene combinations that may be incorporated into enhanced germplasm; 3)Defining the genetic architecture of agronomic and end-use quality characteristics of oat in order to identify genes and gene combinations that may be incorporated into enhanced germplasm; 4)Establishing technology whereby new genetic characters may be widely and efficiently deployed.
