Location: Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit
Project Number: 6046-21000-013-027-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Feb 15, 2022
End Date: Feb 14, 2027
Objective:
To regenerate about 400-500 accessions each year in field plots to ensure that the national peanut collection is well maintained, and adequate seeds are available to distribute to cooperators and researchers.
Approach:
By December of each year, a list of accessions for regeneration in the following summer will be submitted to the PGRCU seed storage unit. The focus will be to select lines for regeneration based on germination percentage. In addition to the seed viability information, the age and quantity of seed in storage are also considered for annual regeneration of the accessions. The most important aspect of the entire regeneration process is to make sure that the genetic purity of the accessions is not compromised. This is accomplished by maintaining proper separation of field plots (distance between adjacent plots), keep a close watch during digging so plants from one plot to the next don’t get mixed up, also making to clean the plot combine between each plot during picking and finally no pods left on shellers and cleaners to eliminate seed mix-up. Each year in May, about 400-500 accessions will be planted for seed increase in field plots in Byron, GA. The plots are 2x10 ft long with a maximum of 60-80 seeds planted/plot. All standard management practices will be followed to grow healthy plants with proper irrigation, insecticide/fungicide sprays as recommended. Plots will be harvested in October, pods dried, shelled and seeds will be submitted to the seed storage unit for long term storage and distribution to requester. As mentioned earlier, characterization data on different plant, pod and seed traits will be recorded. Also, digital images of pods and seeds will be captured as part of the characterization data. Similarly, wild species accessions will be grown in the greenhouses and characterization data collected as described above. All data and images collected would be incorporated into the Germplasm Resources Information Network-Global (GRIN-Global) online database for public access and data mining capability.
