Managing and distributing maize diversity: The NCRPIS maize collection

Authors: Bernau, Vivian; Millard, Mark; Peters, David

Submitted to: Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The USDA National Plant Germplasm System includes a collection of more than 20,000 accessions of cultivated temperate- and tropical-adapted maize and wild relatives from around the world. This collection is held at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS) in Ames, Iowa. Currently, approximately 75% of the collection (15,347 accessions) is available for distribution upon request. Seed viability of each accession is monitored on 10-15 year cycle. When viability drops below 50%, or if the number of kernels on hand falls below 1000, an accession becomes unavailable for distribution until it can be regenerated. Temperate-adapted material is typically regenerated in Ames, Iowa. Nurseries provided by partners and contractors in the US and Mexico are used to regenerate diverse material from unique environments. Seed regeneration is costly and can negatively affect the genetic integrity of an accession. However, it is also an opportunity to gather further observations. GRIN-Global, the germplasm database of the NPGS, currently holds 359,932 trait observations on 17,201 accessions, and 42,969 ear, kernel, and cob images on 16,624 accessions. Germplasm requests can be made through the NPGS GRIN-Global public website. In 2022, more than 19,000 packets of maize were distributed by NCRPIS to requestors across the country and around the world.