Location: Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research
Project Number: 2090-21000-037-022-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2024
End Date: Oct 30, 2025
Objective:
A wild Phaseolus bean exploration trip will be carried out by a collaborative group of researchers from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Genetic Resources Unit (Cali, Colombia) USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System (Pullman, WA) and New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, NM), to explore southern New Mexico in search of crop wild relatives. Population locations and descriptions will be recorded for potential in situ conservation. Plants, and seeds will also be collected for herbarium and germplasm conservation as part of the National Plant Germplasm Phaseolus collection in Pullman, WA.
Approach:
The exploration plan is based on historic herbarium records, current scouting reports, land accessibility and summer monsoons. The mapped rout is explored by the researchers using 4x4 vehicles and on foot. Samples are carefully recorded and collected in a way to be sensitive to the environment and avoid specimen predation.
