Location: Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research
2021 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Efficiently and effectively acquire, distribute, and maintain the safety, genetic integrity, health, and viability of priority legume, oilseed, vegetable, forage grass, sugar, ornamental, and medicinal genetic resources and associated information.
1A: Acquire samples of priority plant genetic resources (including crop wild relatives) from the U.S. and/or other countries to fill current gaps in NPGS collections of these priority crops.
1B: Conserve and distribute WRPIS plant genetic resources and their associated information.
1C: Regenerate accessions of priority plant genetic resources, emphasizing accessions with low germination, few seeds in storage, or those not yet backed-up at secondary sites.
Objective 2: Develop more effective genetic resource maintenance, evaluation, or characterization methods and apply them to priority legume, oilseed, vegetable, forage grass, sugar, ornamental, and medicinal genetic resources. Record and disseminate evaluation and characterization data via Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)-Global and other data sources.
2A: With collaborators, apply next generation DNA sequence technology to genotype selected accessions of priority crops for assessing genetic diversity and analyzing genome-wide association among DNA sequence variants and traits of economic importance, emphasizing core subsets of priority genetic resources. Incorporate characterization data into the GRIN-Global and/or other databases.
2B: With collaborators, characterize with NIR spectroscopy the major nutritional component content of food legume genetic resources.
2C: Screen germplasm accessions, and/or candidates for accessions, for disease resistance. Identify disease agents by current taxonomic criteria. Disseminate research results in peer-review venues with citations in GRIN-Global.
2D: With collaborators, characterize the fatty acid composition and oil content of selected safflower germplasm accessions with gas chromatography.
Objective 3: With other NPGS genebanks and Crop Germplasm Committees, develop, update, document, and implement best management practices and Crop Vulnerability Statements for priority legume, oilseed, vegetable, forage grass, sugar, ornamental, and medicinal genetic resource and information management.
3A: Working with respective Crop Germplasm Committees and curators at other locations, update Crop Vulnerability Statements for Food Legumes, Pisum, Grass, Leafygreen Vegetables, Phaseolus Bean, Root and Bulb (allium) and sugarbeet.
3B: Update WRPIS Operations Manual on Germplasm Management and Research.
Objective 4: Develop selected populations of priority genetic resources which are genetically enhanced for potentially higher yields, tolerance to environmental extremes, host-plant resistance to diseases and pests, and/or increased nutritional quality.
4A: Identify markers associated with resilience to temperature extremes by conducting a genome wide association study of faba bean using SNP markers and field evaluation data.
4B: Develop a Pisum recombinant inbred population in order to elucidate the genetic basis of economically important traits.
Approach
Conserve, regenerate, evaluate and distribute approximately 98,000 accessions of cool season food and forage legumes, grasses, common beans, oilseeds, vegetables, beets, ornamentals, medicinal crops and related wild species, and associated information by following closely the National Plant Germplasm System Distribution Policy and the established protocols and procedures. Keep our active plant genetic resource collections in the seed storage facilities with adequate conditions for proper conservation of seed samples for short and medium term storage and for people entering the storage space to take samples for distribution and for viability tests. Monitor seed viability by periodic germination tests at variable intervals depending on the species. Ship high quality seed samples to National Laboratory for Germplasm Resources Preservation at Ft. Collins, Colorado and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway for long-term security back-up.
Conduct collaborative plant expedition/collection trips and germplasm exchange to acquire samples to fill gaps in NPGS collections, and to supply critically needed traits to support current and future breeding and research. Evaluate the phenotypic variation of economic traits of specialty crops independently or collaboratively. Use laboratory equipment to characterize major nutritional components of food crop germplasm such as using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to quantify the major nutritional component content of food legume genetic resources and gas chromatography to characterize the fatty acid composition and oil content of selected safflower germplasm accessions. Apply existing and newly developed genomic tools and technologies such as the Next Generation DNA sequencing to characterize genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationship and marker-trait association of priority crop collections. Upload characterization/evaluation data into the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)-Global and/or other databases. Survey production fields, identify pathogens causing emerging diseases with morphological-cultural and molecular techniques, investigate interactions among these host plants and their pathogens, and devise and apply pathogen management strategies to maintain the health of the assigned genetic resources.
Publish research results and release improved germplasm to the user community. Update the pertinent section of Operations Manual with reference to changes in collection holdings, management technologies and practices, diagnostic procedures, roles of personnel and any other relevant changes. Work with relevant crop germplasm committees to update the Crop Vulnerability Statements of the crops under our management.
Use both classical plant breeding methods and contemporary marker-assisted selection (MAS) to enhance the nutritional attributes and the resiliency to abiotic stress of faba bean.
Progress Report
In support of Sub-objective 1A, a National Plant Germplasm System plant exploration proposal to collect Phaseolus polystachios from uncollected locations in Florida and Georgia was funded but the trip was postponed until late summer 2022 due to COVID19 and the lack of availability of one of the collectors. In support of Sub-objective 1B, new viability records were entered into the Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN) Global database for 70 beet (Beta) inventories.
In support of Sub-objective 1C, seed was regenerated of more than 1,000 accessions of pea, chickpea, lentil, faba bean, and lupin, along with many of their wild relatives. In addition, seed of 600 accessions of cool season grasses was also regenerated. Regenerated seed is used to replenish existing supplies and to ensure security of plant genetic resources. In addition, more than 350 accessions of Allium, Lactuca, Beta, Astragalus, Onobrychis, Hedysarum, Papaver, Artemisia, Grindelia, Salvia and 28 additional taxa were planted or harvested for regeneration. The clonal Allium collection was sent to Parlier, California, for security back-up. The rhubarb nurseries were maintained in Pullman, Washington, and at Central Ferry, Washington. A total of 373 bean (Phaseolus) accessions were planted and harvested in greenhouses used for bean regeneration.
In support of Sub-objective 2A, DNA fingerprints were determined based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for core collections of pea, chickpea and lentil. The entire data set was deposited and released to the public on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Short Read Archive database. In addition, a study was published on work we completed to identify DNA markers associated with field traits in lentil.
For Sub-objective 2B, seed protein concentrations were determined for 3,500 pea and faba bean samples and the data was made available to the public on the GRIN Global database. We also obtained wet lab analysis from commercial analytical services for protein (120 accessions) and fiber (60 accessions) content in common bean. This information will be used to develop near infrared reflectance (NIR) calibration curves for rapid and non-destructive analysis of nutritional qualities. In addition, a replicated field study was established at Pullman, Washington, and Central Ferry, Washington, to identify DNA markers and genes associated with seed protein content in common bean.
In support of Sub-Objective 3A, the Phaseolus Crop Vulnerability Statement was rewritten with substantial updates through a collaborative effort involving the Phaseolus Crop Germplasm Committee. This document provides the most recent compilation of biotic, environmental, genetic, and management challenges for bean production and secure management of bean genetic resources and is widely used by scientists and producers.
Accomplishments
Review Publications
Hellwig, T., Abbo, S., Sherman, A., Coyne, C.J., Saranga, Y., Lev-Yadun, S., Main, D., Zheng, P., Ophir, R. 2020. Limited divergent adaptation despite a substantial environmental cline in wild pea. Molecular Ecology. 29(22):4322-4338. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15633.
Wright, D., Neupane, S., Heidecker, T., Haile, T., Coyne, C.J., McGee, R.J., Udupa, S., Henkrar, F., Barilli, E., Rubiales, D., Gioia, T., Mehra, R., Sarker, A., Dhakal, R., Anwar, B., Sarker, D., Vandenberg, A., Bett, K.E. 2020. Understanding photothermal interactions will help expand production range and increase genetic diversity of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). Plants, People, Planet. 3(2):171-181. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10158.
Beharav, A., Hellier, B.C. 2020. Bolting and flowering response of Lactuca georgica, a wild lettuce relative, to low temperatures. American Journal of Plant Sciences. 11:2139-2154. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2020.1112150.
Rajendran, K., Coyne, C.J., Zheng, P., Saha, G., Main, D., Amin, N., Ma, Y., Kisha, T.J., Bett, K., Kumar Agrawal, S., McGee, R.J. 2021. Genetic diversity and GWAS of agronomic traits using an ICARDA lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) Reference Plus collection. Plant Genetic Resources. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1017/S147926212100006X.
