Location: Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit
Project Number: 6046-21000-013-028-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2022
End Date: Aug 31, 2026
Objective:
In keeping with the Objectives of Project 6046-21000-013-000D, the Capsicum genetic resources maintained by the USDA, ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit (PGRCU) are recognized globally as valuable sources of genetic diversity for use by the horticultural research community. The plant materials in this collection serve as the foundation materials required by and utilized in crop improvement efforts in the areas of plant breeding, biotechnology, plant genetics, and other areas of research. In this regard, appropriate conservation efforts must ensure the availability, quality and integrity of each accession. This requires the periodic regeneration of plant materials (seed) to ensure accessibility and optimal seed health. Regeneration also provides an important opportunity to capture characterization (phenotypic) data and to monitor and correct accession purity. These activities support the efforts of individual research programs to select the most appropriate plant materials and to avoid selecting inappropriate plant materials. The objective of this agreement will be the production (replenishment) of clean, high quality, uniform seed of accessions of pepper (Capsicum sp.) for the USDA genebank in Griffin, Georgia and the capturing of phenotypic data associated with those accessions. In summary, the objective of the agreement is to increase the availability, quality, health and utility of Capsicum germplasm in the USDA's germplasm collection.
Approach:
ARS will provide seed of pepper (Capsicum spp.) in the USDA genebank (Griffin, Georgia) to the Collaborator. Seed to be provided to the cooperator has previously tested positive for one or more seed-transmitted viruses. The Griffin location will treat the seed provided to the Cooperator to inactivate the virus prior to planting. Some accessions provided to the Cooperator contain a mixture of phenotypes. These will be sorted to create more uniform accessions/plant materials, enhancing their usefulness. Photographs of harvested fruit will be taken and added to the GRIN Global database to facilitate the identification and selection of appropriate plant materials for research and associated uses. Four hundred (400) accessions will be provided to the Cooperator each year for three (3) years (total of 1,200 accessions). ARS will provide support for the Cooperator's activities, as necessary, to ensure that seed are produced to a high standard of purity. Upon return of the seed, the ARS will clean, count, and package the seed which will then be added to the genebank inventory. Any data collected on the plant material during and subsequent to the seed production cycle will be uploaded to the Grin Global database.
