GR Report 2002

Report to the Watermelon Research Group
Submitted February 3, 2002

• Personnel: Personnel currently assigned to the maintenance of the Citrullus collection include the curator (RLJ) and Field Services personnel in Griffin and Byron GA.
• Inventory and Regeneration: The current inventory of the Citrullus collection can be viewed at www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/searchgrin.html. Copies of pc-GRIN can be obtained by contacting the curator (770/228-7303) or the database operator (770/229-3297). This portable database is available free of charge and can be searched using your office pc.
• The Citrullus collection inventory remains at about 1,600 accessions. The Griffin location is making headway in dealing with the backlog of materials awaiting regeneration. In 2001, 150 Citrullus Plant Introductions (PIs) were regenerated with controlled pollination in Byron. Average seed yield per cage averaged 2,000 to 5,000, sufficient for local seed stock replenishment and long-term backup.
• At the present time, approximately 95% of the Citrullus PIs are available for distribution. We hope to increase this number to 99% in 2002. Sixty-six duplicate accessions among the heirloom cultivars maintained at Fort Collins were eliminated in 2001.
• Germplasm Acquisition: No Citrullus germplasm was acquired via plant exploration in 2001. To the curator's knowledge, no Citrullus exploration proposals were submitted for funding in 2001.
• Germplasm Characterization: All Citrullus germplasm grown for regeneration in 2001 was characterized using the morphological descriptors as listed on the ARS-GRIN web site. We would like to expand on the value of the descriptor data by adding characteristics (or character states) that the user community finds useful. Please forward any suggestions or comments regarding descriptors to the curator.
• Citrullus Core Collection: We continue to encourage the use of the core collection as a starting point in future germplasm evaluation studies. Accessions belonging to the core collection are flagged as such on GRIN.
• Plans for 2001: In 2002, we intend to continue with our previously established regeneration/characterization plan. Space permitting, we will begin regenerating accessions of heirloom cultivars currently maintained only at NSSL

Contacts:

• Curator Dr. R.L. Jarret bjarret@gaes.griffin.peachnet.edu
• Database Operator Ms. M. Spinks s9ms@ars-grin.gov
• Research Leader Dr. G. Pederson gpederson@ars-grin.gov