Progress 05/13/08 to 05/12/13
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The objectives of this cooperative project are to conserve, distribute, and characterize ornamental plant germplasm, and incorporate new or existing technologies for conserving primarily seed and secondarily clonally propagated germplasm for effective utilization in ornamental horticulture. Approach (from AD-416): The Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center was established in 1999 and since then, it has become a fully operational repository for herbaceous ornamental plants and an integral part of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. The core mission of the OPGC is �to furnish genetic raw materials and associated information to enhance American floricultural productivity to ensure a high-quality supply of herbaceous ornamentals.� To accomplish this mission, priority genera have been identified to most effectively accomplish its mission including Begonia, Coreopsis, Lilium, Phlox, Rudbeckia, and Viola. Three components inherent within the core OPGC mission include; conservation of genetic resources, characterization of those resources, and education and outreach including distribution of OPGC germplasm to appropriate users. Conservation -- The priority genera collection will continue and include representatives of selected priority species within the genera. Priority species will be identified in collaboration with stakeholders including seed companies, commercial nurseries, and genera-specific technical working groups. Species will be collected primarily through donations and collection trips. Characterization -- Collected material must be adequately characterized to ensure that the germplasm captures genera diversity and that the germplasm is used correctly. Characterization will include genetic �fingerprinting� or mapping as well as phenotypic descriptions based on approved descriptor lists. This information will be entered into the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database to increase the accessibility and value of the collection to the industry. Education and Outreach -- Distribution of germplasm to bona fide users will continue to fulfill a need for the industry and establish OPGC as a leading herbaceous ornamental plant repository. By hosting workshops and distributing newsletters, OPGC can educate the industry regarding technologies created, used, and refined through its efforts. OPGC will also maintain its linkage to the industry and professional organizations through participation and memberships in appropriate scientific societies and working groups. This is the final report for this project. We have focused on developing germplasm of the priority genera, particularly Coreopsis, Phlox, and Rudbeckia and have undertaken exploration trips to the Southeast, central and eastern Texas, Mid-Atlantic region, Arizona, Ohio River Valley, and the Ozarks. For Begonia we have expanded our focus on species that can be stored as seed, but have also added species with unique attributes, such as yellow flowers, that could be hybridized with commercial forms that lack such traits. For Coreopsis and Rudbeckia we have emphasized wild- collected material, but have also included important cultivars to serve as reference for comparisons in characterization/ evaluation trials. In the last 3 years we have increased the number of accessions of Phlox from 2 to over 200 through a combination of wild-collected material and cultivars to develop a comprehensive and useful germplasm collection that is being thoroughly characterized and utilized in interspecific hybridization studies. A major emphasis in the past 3 years has been placed on characterization of germplasm for priority genera. Crop descriptors for Coreopsis, Phlox, and Rudbeckia have been approved. Additional crop descriptors in Begonia, Lilium and Viola have been developed. Over 200 accessions of Coreopsis and Rudbeckia have been characterized in field studies. Extensive survey of ploidy in these genera and in Phlox have also been done with flow cytometry. We have maintained over 3500 accessions of 190 genera of herbaceous ornamental plants. On average we have been regenerating approximately 50 accessions through field plantings each year and have assessed viability in approximately 100 accessions yearly.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): The objectives of this cooperative project are to conserve, distribute, and characterize ornamental plant germplasm, and incorporate new or existing technologies for conserving primarily seed and secondarily clonally propagated germplasm for effective utilization in ornamental horticulture. Approach (from AD-416): The Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center was established in 1999 and since then, it has become a fully operational repository for herbaceous ornamental plants and an integral part of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. The core mission of the OPGC is �to furnish genetic raw materials and associated information to enhance American floricultural productivity to ensure a high-quality supply of herbaceous ornamentals.� To accomplish this mission, priority genera have been identified to most effectively accomplish its mission including Begonia, Coreopsis, Lilium, Phlox, Rudbeckia, and Viola. Three components inherent within the core OPGC mission include; conservation of genetic resources, characterization of those resources, and education and outreach including distribution of OPGC germplasm to appropriate users. Conservation -- The priority genera collection will continue and include representatives of selected priority species within the genera. Priority species will be identified in collaboration with stakeholders including seed companies, commercial nurseries, and genera-specific technical working groups. Species will be collected primarily through donations and collection trips. Characterization -- Collected material must be adequately characterized to ensure that the germplasm captures genera diversity and that the germplasm is used correctly. Characterization will include genetic �fingerprinting� or mapping as well as phenotypic descriptions based on approved descriptor lists. This information will be entered into the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database to increase the accessibility and value of the collection to the industry. Education and Outreach -- Distribution of germplasm to bona fide users will continue to fulfill a need for the industry and establish OPGC as a leading herbaceous ornamental plant repository. By hosting workshops and distributing newsletters, OPGC can educate the industry regarding technologies created, used, and refined through its efforts. OPGC will also maintain its linkage to the industry and professional organizations through participation and memberships in appropriate scientific societies and working groups. The primary outcome of the previous year has been a continuation to safeguard and utilize ornamental plant genetic resources for the long- term benefit of the floriculture and nursery industry. The project is conserving 3,557 accessions of herbaceous ornamental plants. In 2011, conservation efforts have included the regeneration of 133 accessions in the field and sending 57 seed lots for long-term storage at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Ft. Collins, CO. Monitoring the viability of stored seeds remains a core function; 78 seed lots were assessed; in addition, 173 germination tests were done in newly regenerated material. A major initiative for 2011 was the development of tissue culture capabilities for safeguarding some of the clonal collection, especially Begonia. Thus far half of the 123 Begonia accessions have been established in vitro and work is continuing on the remaining accessions. A long-term goal of the in-vitro collection is to eliminate viruses that tend to accumulate in clonal collections; this is particularly important for Pelargonium. The acquisition of germplasm among some of our priority genera has expanded, especially for Phlox, where 31 accessions were collected from unique environments (serpentine and shale barrens) in the Mid-Atlantic region and an additional 30 accessions from the Cumberland Plateau and along the Kentucky River. These collection efforts were supported by an Exploration Grant from the USDA National Plant Germplasm System. Additional acquisitions include the rare Lilium iridollae from Florida, various Rudbeckia from KY and TN, and Begonia species from the Ft. Worth Botanic Garden and local breeders. The OPGC has shared germplasm with US commercial companies, state agencies and universities, as well as foreign institutions. 104 orders were received for 932 items that were distributed in 2011. Requested accessions came principally from Pelargonium, Oenothera, Zinnia, Begonia, Tagetes, Rudbeckia, Petunia Iris, Stokesia and Coreopsis. Preservation and acquisition efforts are meant to provide material that is useful to the floriculture and nursery industry. Characterization of this captured genetic diversity is an integral part of our activities. In Phlox, an extensive survey was performed of the ploidy (number of sets of chromosomes) among accessions to better understand the potential for interspecific hybridization that would provide novel combination of traits eventually leading to new products. Accessions of some species appear to have fairly consistent ploidy levels whereas those of other species vary significantly by population and sometimes have variable ploidy within the population. Over 10,000 pollinations have been performed among 20 species of Phlox. The pattern that�s emerging is that distinct barriers exists between some species, but wide hybridization is possible in other, sometimes unexpected, combinations. DNA samples have also been obtained for all Phlox accessions and the extent of genetic diversity is being assessed with microsatellite markers. The use of butterflies to pollinate Phlox for seed increases is being explored since bees do not pollinate this group of plants; seed production in the nearly 240 accessions of Phlox is a major undertaking but essential for long- term safeguarding of germplasm. In Begonia, the production of seed has continued within accessions both for long-term storage and for study of seed germination and longevity. The seed germination protocol was modified for more efficient assessment of viability using agar plates. In Coreopsis and Rudbeckia, the third year of field characterization was continued of most wild accessions and comparison to commercial cultivars in the trade. DNA has been isolated from all of the accessions to develop appropriate markers for describing genetic diversity. Ploidy assessment of Rudbeckia using flow cytometry has continued; there appear to be significant variation in ploidy among the species in our collection. In Viola, a field study of environmental (mainly heat) tolerance was undertaken among selected cultivars and wild collected accessions of Viola tricolor; in 2012, the study is being repeated with the top performers in the previous trial.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this cooperative project are to conserve, distribute, and characterize ornamental plant germplasm, and incorporate new or existing technologies for conserving primarily seed and secondarily clonally propagated germplasm for effective utilization in ornamental horticulture. Approach (from AD-416) The Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center was established in 1999 and since then, it has become a fully operational repository for herbaceous ornamental plants and an integral part of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. The core mission of the OPGC is �to furnish genetic raw materials and associated information to enhance American floricultural productivity to ensure a high-quality supply of herbaceous ornamentals.� To accomplish this mission, priority genera have been identified to most effectively accomplish its mission including Begonia, Coreopsis, Lilium, Phlox, Rudbeckia, and Viola. Three components inherent within the core OPGC mission include; conservation of genetic resources, characterization of those resources, and education and outreach including distribution of OPGC germplasm to appropriate users. Conservation -- The priority genera collection will continue and include representatives of selected priority species within the genera. Priority species will be identified in collaboration with stakeholders including seed companies, commercial nurseries, and genera-specific technical working groups. Species will be collected primarily through donations and collection trips. Characterization -- Collected material must be adequately characterized to ensure that the germplasm captures genera diversity and that the germplasm is used correctly. Characterization will include genetic �fingerprinting� or mapping as well as phenotypic descriptions based on approved descriptor lists. This information will be entered into the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database to increase the accessibility and value of the collection to the industry. Education and Outreach -- Distribution of germplasm to bona fide users will continue to fulfill a need for the industry and establish OPGC as a leading herbaceous ornamental plant repository. By hosting workshops and distributing newsletters, OPGC can educate the industry regarding technologies created, used, and refined through its efforts. OPGC will also maintain its linkage to the industry and professional organizations through participation and memberships in appropriate scientific societies and working groups. Germplasm Acquisition and Documentation Activities: We have continued to expand our acquisition of germplasm of potential value to the industry. The largest expansion has been with accession in Phlox where we have increased our current collection to 240 accessions (a 2- fold increase over 2010). Approximately 40 accessions were collected in April throughout the Southeastern USA in an exploration program supported by the National Plant Germplasm System. We have also expanded our acquisition of Begonia, Coreopsis, Lilium, Rudbeckia and Viola among our priority genera. Presevation, Regeneration and Distribution of Germplasm: Viability testing continued with 44 accessions tested thus far and regeneration of 35 seed lines and 322 clonal lines. We made 75 distributions during the reporting period. Characterization and Evaluation: Various efforts at characterization and evaluation of germplasm have been made during this year. In Begonia, we have been exploring the production of seed within accessions both for long-term storage, but also production of large quantities of seed to initiate more fundamental studies on the biology of Begonia seeds. Issues such as desiccation tolerance, long-term viability, and enhanced germination treatments are in need of detailed examination. We�ve also begun to place our entire Begonia collection in vitro, for long-term storage and more efficient management. Documentation of self- compatibility and interspecific hybridization has also been initiated. In Coreopsis and Rudbeckia, we�ve continued with our second year of field characterization of most wild accessions and comparison to commercial cultivars in the trade. In Phlox, we�ve examined the cross-compatibility of different Eastern USA taxa by controlled pollinations. Each of the cross combinations is being assessed for frequency of hybrid formation. A field plot of various accessions has been planted at a local research farm in an effort to assess performance over multiple years. DNA has been isolated from 1/3 of the accessions to develop microsatellite markers for identification of parents and hybrids in interspecific crosses. One goal is to develop more disease-resistant germplasm. This research relates to the ARS parent project sub-objective 2a: evaluate the use of non-destructive sensor technology to measure and predict the impact of biotic and abiotic stresses in ornamental crops. Activity was monitored through site reciprocal site visits, face-to-face meetings at conferences, and frequent email communication.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this cooperative project are to conserve, distribute, and characterize ornamental plant germplasm, and incorporate new or existing technologies for conserving primarily seed and secondarily clonally propagated germplasm for effective utilization in ornamental horticulture. Approach (from AD-416) The Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center was established in 1999 and since then, it has become a fully operational repository for herbaceous ornamental plants and an integral part of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. The core mission of the OPGC is �to furnish genetic raw materials and associated information to enhance American floricultural productivity to ensure a high-quality supply of herbaceous ornamentals.� To accomplish this mission, priority genera have been identified to most effectively accomplish its mission including Begonia, Coreopsis, Lilium, Phlox, Rudbeckia, and Viola. Three components inherent within the core OPGC mission include; conservation of genetic resources, characterization of those resources, and education and outreach including distribution of OPGC germplasm to appropriate users. Conservation -- The priority genera collection will continue and include representatives of selected priority species within the genera. Priority species will be identified in collaboration with stakeholders including seed companies, commercial nurseries, and genera-specific technical working groups. Species will be collected primarily through donations and collection trips. Characterization -- Collected material must be adequately characterized to ensure that the germplasm captures genera diversity and that the germplasm is used correctly. Characterization will include genetic �fingerprinting� or mapping as well as phenotypic descriptions based on approved descriptor lists. This information will be entered into the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database to increase the accessibility and value of the collection to the industry. Education and Outreach -- Distribution of germplasm to bona fide users will continue to fulfill a need for the industry and establish OPGC as a leading herbaceous ornamental plant repository. By hosting workshops and distributing newsletters, OPGC can educate the industry regarding technologies created, used, and refined through its efforts. OPGC will also maintain its linkage to the industry and professional organizations through participation and memberships in appropriate scientific societies and working groups. Activities in germplasm acquisition, characterization, and distribution continued throughout. In addition, some upgrading of facilities has been underway: (1) The main laboratory has been upgraded with a laminar flow hood and an autoclave, to permit small-scale experimentation with micropropagation and virus elimination of clonal material. (2) A 12,000 sq ft fenced gravel area adjacent to the OPGC greenhouses has been obtained to develop into a site for characterization and evaluation of germplasm under different growing conditions (shade, sandy or saturated soils, screens, etc) that will support the growth of priority genera. At present the site provides irrigated space to grow accessions in pots for characterization and seed production of selected material. Germplasm distribution: we distributed 66 orders containing a total of 887 items; 34.8% of orders were placed by U.S. state agencies and universities, but most of the items (59.1%) went to U.S. commercial companies. Germplasm acquisition: we�ve made a concerted effort to expand our collection of Phlox. We�ve gone from 1 accession of Phlox paniculata to 119 accessions of various species: 28 of these have been either field collections (in TN, OH, and GA) or donations from nurserymen. These collections are represented by different ecotypes of P. bifida subsp. stellaria, P. divaricata var. divaricata, P. maculata, P. subulata, and P. stolonifera. We also have a representation of species and cultivars that delineate the diversity of phlox in the trade including examples of P. paniculata, P. glaberrima, P. carolina, P. divaricata, and P. pilosa. We have also added to the collection of Lilium with the addition of Eastern USA (GA, NH, WV) native species such as L. superbum, L. canadense, and L. michauxii. These are only a few accessions at present but it is anticipated that the summer/autumn of 2010 will allow us to obtain more plants in this genus. In Coreopsis, we�ve acquired 27 new accessions of 12 different species as well as 10 cultivars obtained for use as commercial references in our characterization studies. In Rudbeckia, we�ve acquired 25 accessions of 5 species and 3 cultivars to be used as reference. Seventeen additional accessions have been added to our collection representing diverse genera such as Asclepias, Begonia, Gaillardia, Liatris, Lychnis, Oenothera, Penstemon, Tagetes, Thelesperma, Verbena and Viola. Additionally, we sent 46 accessions for back-up to the National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado, contributed 50 accessions to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, sowed 97 new accessions for regeneration in 2009 and completing the regeneration of 79 accessions within Baptisia, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Iris, Rudbeckia and Tagetes, conducted 156 tests for seed viability, completed 44 herbarium vouchers for reference, inactivated 162 accessions due to inviable material or inability to maintain the accession. Activity was monitored through site reciprocal site visits, face-to- face meetings at conferences, and frequent email communication.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this cooperative project are to conserve, distribute, and characterize ornamental plant germplasm, and incorporate new or existing technologies for conserving primarily seed and secondarily clonally propagated germplasm for effective utilization in ornamental horticulture. Approach (from AD-416) The Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center was established in 1999 and since then, it has become a fully operational repository for herbaceous ornamental plants and an integral part of the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. The core mission of the OPGC is �to furnish genetic raw materials and associated information to enhance American floricultural productivity to ensure a high-quality supply of herbaceous ornamentals.� To accomplish this mission, priority genera have been identified to most effectively accomplish its mission including Begonia, Coreopsis, Lilium, Phlox, Rudbeckia, and Viola. Three components inherent within the core OPGC mission include; conservation of genetic resources, characterization of those resources, and education and outreach including distribution of OPGC germplasm to appropriate users. Conservation -- The priority genera collection will continue and include representatives of selected priority species within the genera. Priority species will be identified in collaboration with stakeholders including seed companies, commercial nurseries, and genera-specific technical working groups. Species will be collected primarily through donations and collection trips. Characterization -- Collected material must be adequately characterized to ensure that the germplasm captures genera diversity and that the germplasm is used correctly. Characterization will include genetic �fingerprinting� or mapping as well as phenotypic descriptions based on approved descriptor lists. This information will be entered into the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database to increase the accessibility and value of the collection to the industry. Education and Outreach -- Distribution of germplasm to bona fide users will continue to fulfill a need for the industry and establish OPGC as a leading herbaceous ornamental plant repository. By hosting workshops and distributing newsletters, OPGC can educate the industry regarding technologies created, used, and refined through its efforts. OPGC will also maintain its linkage to the industry and professional organizations through participation and memberships in appropriate scientific societies and working groups. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This is a congressionally mandated specific cooperative agreement. The mission of the center is to collect, characterize, and distribute germplasm of priority genera in support of the floriculture and nursery industries. A collection trip throughout the southeastern U.S. in October resulted in 65 new accessions for the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC) including 19 Coreopsis, 27 Rudbeckia, and 1 Lilium, genera. In all, 129 accessions were acquired during the year. All clonally- maintained accessions of Begonia and Pelargonium were sent to Agdia, Inc. for virus testing in 2008. Virus test results are being used to prevent the spread of viruses to uninfected plants and clean up infected plants in collaboration with other institutions. Over 300 accessions of wild and hybrid Viola, a priority genus for conservation, are being characterized for flower morphology including area, perimeter, shape, and color. The goal of this research is to link some or all of these characteristics to specific molecular markers, and ultimately determine the wild progenitors of the modern hybrid garden pansy using modern genetic techniques, and will provide a first step toward linking floral traits to those genetic variations. Fourteen Begonia accessions were grown in low and high light to characterize their performance in different light environment. High light was found to influence the quality of two of these accessions, but did not influence plant size, development, or potential cutting number. Begonia accessions are now being evaluated for their response to Pythium ultimum, with the hope of finding exceptionally resistant or susceptible varieties or species for breeding programs. The Center distributed 58 germplasm requests that included 473 order items encompassing 37 genera. The largest community of germplasm users included U.S. state agencies and universities (52% of orders; 30 orders containing 135 items) and U.S. commercial companies (24. 1%; 14 orders containing 240 items). The OPGC hosted the USDA Herbaceous Ornamental Crop Germplasm Committee annual meeting. There were 4 peer- reviewed publications resulting from collaborations between the OPGC and other institutions. Five proposals were submitted that would help characterize the OPGC collection for low temperature tolerance, alternative (food) use, and pathogen resistance. These proposals were the result of collaborations with six institutions. Progress of this cooperative project was monitored through weekly phone calls and/or electronic (email) communication, shared participation in industry- related committees, regular and reciprocal site visits, and face-to-face communication on site or at national meetings.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) The objectives of this cooperative project are to conserve, distribute, and characterize ornamental plant germplasm, and incorporate new or existing technologies for conserving primarily seed and secondarily clonally propagated germplasm for effective utilization in ornamental horticulture. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations In response to Herbaceous Ornamental Crop Germplasm Committee (HOCGC) recommendations to reduce the size of the clonal collections, the number of Pelargonium accessions was reduced by 78%, from 885 accessions down to 194; this was accomplished through evaluation of Target Region Amplification Polymorphism marker data and pedigree analysis. Additionally, the number of clonally-maintained Begonia accessions was reduced by 20%, from 158 accessions down to 126. Germplasm Resources Information Network entry of accession and inventory data was completed in early 2007. There was improved industry participation in OPGC genus- specific Technical Working Groups; added 15 members to 5 genus groups. Fourteen accessions were acquired during 2007-2008 including 10 for the priority genera. A major improvement in plant culture was achieved through the purchase of sulfur pots, one per greenhouse compartment. Reduction of fungus contamination on plants will prevent seed contamination, thereby improving overall seed health and quality post- harvest. In 2008, the Center shipped 41 orders containing germplasm from 31 genera. We distributed 406 order items representing 363 distinct accessions. Characterization work began on the OPGC collection. Highlights of this effort include a nutrition survey of the Pelargonium collection at the OPGC. This data resulted in the identification of about 20 accessions with tendencies to have very high or low nutrient concentrations. The most promising accessions can be tested for resistance to nutritional-based disorders such as Sudden pH Decline. A Research Agricultural Engineer with USDA-ARS has been working on plant factors that influence pesticide effectiveness by using Pelargonium tomentosum and Pelargonium stenopetalum. Using these model plants will help researchers grasp how plant traits influence the sprays and sprayers used when delivering chemicals onto crop canopies. A Research Entomologist with USDA-ARS revisited an older study investigating Japanese beetle behavior after consuming Pelargonium flower petals. Within minutes of consuming the petals, the beetles became paralyzed and died. The active compound is now being isolated. A Virologist with The University of Toledo screened 37 Pelargonium accessions for virus. From this analysis, 29 of the accessions were infected with Pelargonium flower break virus (PFBV) and 4 were infected with Pelargonium line pattern virus (PLPV). Additional OPGC Pelargonium species are being evaluated for the presence of PFBV, PLPV, and other viruses. This project was monitored through regular email correspondence, monthly or twice monthly site visits, and regular phone calls.
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