| Mission & Organization |
|
Mission and Organization
Mission & Background | Products | Personnel | TSG | Cooperators | Membership
A. GEM Mission:
The mission of the GEM (Germplasm Enhancement of Maize) Project is to effectively increase the diversity of U.S. maize germplasm utilized by producers, global end-users, and consumers. The mission will be achieved through a collaborative effort between USDA-ARS, and both public and private research scientists by utilizing exotic, public, and proprietary maize germplasm. The resulting germplasm and associated knowledge, derived via the identification and incorporation of favorable alleles for prioritized traits from exotic sources, is utilized in private and public breeding programs and ultimately contributes to increased genetic diversity of maize grown by producers and improved product performance. In addition, the GEM project provides opportunities for training plant scientists in the enhancement and utilization of un-adapted germplasm. This contributes to the global sustainability of agricultural production, economic stability and the nutrition and wellbeing of society.
B. GEM Background:
The GEM project originally utilized the germplasm discoveries of the Latin American Maize Project (LAMP) as source material. Twelve countries participated in the LAMP Project and evaluated 12,000 accessions. Initially, 51 highly productive LAMP accessions from temperate and lowland tropical areas and seven tropical hybrids donated by DeKalb were used by the GEM Project and crossed to elite proprietary germplasm by industry cooperators in 1994.
The project successfully partners industry and public sector researchers to address a wide array of germplasm trait and research needs and utilizes a wide range of exotic germplasm from all over the world. This includes germplasm provided by international public and private cooperators in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, and Canada, as well as germplasm from CIMMYT and the original populations identified by the LAMP.
The GEM project was funded by the federal government with an initial $500,000 in 1995. The USDA-ARS GEM Project is currently funded with $2,500,000 by the federal government and has 28 private cooperators, 23 public cooperators, one non-government organization, 12 international private cooperators, and 6 international public cooperators in year 2010. The Ames, IA component focuses on 25% exotic germplasm while the Raleigh, NC component focuses on 50% exotic germplasm. The Ames, IA GEM project is coordinated by Dr. Adam Vanous, USDA-ARS. The Raleigh, NC GEM project is coordinated by Dr. Matt Krakowsky. A Technical Steering Group (TSG) provides expertise and a forum for discussion and guidance on issues of significance to maize genetic research. The TSG membership is elected at the annual GEM Cooperators meeting.
The products of the GEM Project include new sources of germplasm that are available to all researchers free of charge through the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS). Released germplasm is expected to have immediate utility for incorporation into corn breeding programs by the commercial and public sectors. Commercial products are expected to be derived from the progeny of GEM germplasm crossed to adapted lines. New research information will be generated and shared with the scientific community and includes (i) characterization of germplasm for agronomic performance and traits, (ii) breeding methodology for enhancement of un-adapted (exotic) germplasm, and (iii) germplasm with unique value-added traits (VAT’s) for further research applications, e.g. genomics research. Greater usage of released germplasm will ultimately broaden the germplasm base of maize. The GEM program may serve as a future model for germplasm enhancement of other crop species based on the degree of success achieved.
GEM Personnel in the Midwest Area: The following people manage GEM project, employed by the United States Department of Agriculture, and stationed at Iowa State University in Ames, IA.
USDA-ARS Plant Introduction Research Unit
Adam Vanous – Midwest GEM Coordinator
Jode Edwards - Acting Research Leader and Fund Holder
GEM Personnel in the Southeast Area: There is a Southeastern GEM program component involving United State Department of Agriculture employees stationed at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.
USDA-ARS Plant Science Research Unit
Matt Krakowsky - Southeast GEM Coordinator
Research Leader and Fund Holder - Vacant
Mark McLaughlin - Agricultural Science Research Technician
E. GEM Technical Steering Group (TSG):
TSG members are elected during the annual meeting in Chicago; are responsible for establishing GEM policies; research protocols and methods; GEM budget; initiating research contacts for various public research efforts comprised of GEM materials; and providing guidance the Coordinator and Cooperators in technical matters.
Chairman: James Parks, Corteva Agriscience (‘james.parks@corteva.com’)
From Private Industry:
Azzeddine Douiyssi, AgReliant Genetics ('Azzeddine.Douiyssi@AgReliantGenetics.com')
Andrew Hopkins, Corteva Agriscience ('hopkins@corteva.com')
Stephan Swam, Becks Superior Hybrids, Inc. ('stephan.swam@beckshybrids.com')
Clint Turnbull, Bayer Crop Science ('turnbull@bayer.com')
Mitchell Schumann, Syngenta Seeds, Inc. ('Schumann@syngenta.com')
Chris Eichhorn, Wyffels Hybrids, Inc. (‘CEichhorn@wyffels.com’)
From Public Institutions:
Jianming Yu, Iowa State University, Ames, IA(‘jmyu@iastate.edu')
Open
ex officio Members:
Adam Vanous, USDA-ARS, NCRPIS, Ames, IA(‘Adam.Vanous@usda.gov’)
Peter Bretting, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD (‘Bretting@usda.gov’)
Sherry Flint-Garcia, USDA-ARS, PGRU, Columbia, MO ('Flint-Garcia@usda.gov’)
Jode Edwards, USDA-ARS, CICGRU, Ames, IA (‘Jode.Edwards@usda.gov’)
Matt Krakowsky, USDA-ARS, PSRU, Raleigh, NC (‘Krakowsky@usda.gov’)
GEM Private Cooperators:
3rd Millennium Genetics
AgReliant Genetics, LLC
BASF Plant Science Breeding, L.L.C.
Bayer
Beck's Superior Hybrids, Inc.
Brandy Wine Seed Farms, LLC
Brown Seed Genetics
Corteva
DKD Genetics, Inc.
Farmers Business Network
Force Genetics, LLC
G & S Crop Services
Genetic Enterprises Int'l
Global Investors, LLC
Ingredion Inc.
JFS and Associates, LTD
KMR Inc.
Longping High-Tech, LTD
Master's Choice
MDS
Peterson Corn Genetics, LLC.
Professional Seed Research, Inc.
Renk Seed Company
Schlessman Seeds
SEEDirect
Syngenta Seeds, Inc.
Terrell Seed Research
Trimble Genetics International, LLC
Wyffels Hybrids, Inc.
GEM Public Cooperators:
Central State University
Cornell University
Iowa State University
Louisiana State University
Michigan State University
North Carolina State University
North Dakota State University
Ohio State University
Texas A&M University
University of Delaware
University of Florida
University of Illinois
University of Nebraska
University of Tennessee
University of Wisconsin
USDA-ARS: Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit, Mississippi State, MS
USDA-ARS: Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Ames, IA
USDA-ARS: Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit, Tifton, GA
USDA-ARS: Mycotoxin Research Unit, NCAUR, Peoria, IL
USDA-ARS: Plant Genetics Research Unit, Columbia, MO
USDA-ARS: Plant Introduction Research Unit, Ames, IA
USDA-ARS: Plant Science Research Unit, Raleigh, NC
USDA-ARS: Southern Insect Management Unit, Stoneville, MS
GEM Non-Governmental Organization Cooperators:
Mandaamin Institute
GEM International Private Cooperators:
CP Group, Thailand
Hytech Seed India Pvt. Ldt., India
Limagrain, France
MayAgro Seed Corp., Turkey
Misra Hytech, Egypt
Namdhari Seeds, PVT. LTD, India
Novasem Innovaciones, Mexico
Nugenplasm, LLC, Indonesia
Sementes Biomatrix Ltda, Brazil
Sementes Shull, LLC, Brazil
Semillas Fitó, SA, Spain
Semillas Tuniche, Ltda, Chile
GEM International Public Cooperators:
Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canada
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, China
Empresa Brasileira Pesquisa Agropecuaria (EMBRAPA), Brazil
Kasetsart University/Suwan Farm, Thailand
MTA-ATK, Hungary
University of Guelph, Canada
G. GEM Membership Application Process:
Rights and responsibilities of GEM Membership
Rights
1. Access to new GEM lines in first 2 years of release
2. Access to GEM breeding populations
Responsibilities
1. Provide in-kind support
2. Share phenotypic observation data with GEM Cooperator network
Application process
Contact Adam Vanous (adam.vanous@usda.gov)
