Progress 05/14/08 to 04/10/13
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): Acquire, propagate, and conserve tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and associated information. Apply new or improved horticultural characterization procedures and genetic marker-based approaches for genetic diversity assessment. Apply new or improved procedures for evaluating tropical/subtropical genetic resources for host- plant resistance to high-priority diseases. Distribute tropical/ subtropical crop genetic resources and transfer technologies through GRIN database, internet pages, and scientific publications. Approach (from AD-416): Acquisition of new germplasm determined by results from the characterization and evaluation research and from consultations with other crop curators, industry representatives, and members of the Tropical Fruit and Nut Crop Germplasm Committee so as to fill genetic gaps in the collections. Priorities for new germplasm include disease resistant and/or productive accessions. Characterization efforts focus on passport, phenotypic and genotypic descriptors, and evaluation data as well as molecular approaches to determine genetic diversity baselines and horticultural identity. Development of in vitro, medium-term storage techniques for Musa sp. to increase efficiency of propagation and conservation, facilitate distribution and reduce risk of pathogen dissemination. Clonal materials in collections are propagated by grafting or from rhizomes and conserved in field collections. Collections are backed up at other sites to prevent germplasm loss from natural disasters. Field evaluations of potentially disease resistant germplasm are carried out for mango, papaya and Musa sp. This project is service oriented and aims at introducing, propagating, characterizing and distributing tropical plant genetic resources of agricultural importance to local and regional agricultural economies. All existing collections have been maintained, disease-tested, re-propagated, backed up (many in vitro) and are available for distribution. Important introductions of Musa spp. and cacao over the project�s five year cycle have added to the diversity in the collections in addition to providing clonal stock with improved horticultural traits. A Spanish lime germplasm collection was established in replicated field trials. Other germplasm collections have also increased. Distributions during the project�s five year cycle amounted to 830 of 1,103 different accessions with about 58, 000 propagules. Propagules (e.g., seed, rhizomes, cuttings, scionwood, and fruit) were made available and distributed to researchers, educators and cooperators at the local, national and international level. All research efforts in the Musa spp. collection have focused on the phenotypic and genetic characterizations and evaluations. More specifically, a number of introduced synthetic hybrids have been evaluated for their disease resistance to Sigatoka leaf spot and other important horticultural traits. These hybrids could potentially substitute susceptible industry standards in an emerging organic market. Characterization of important phenotypic traits as well as the use molecular markers (SSRs) has been carried out in order to validate genetic integrity and estimate genetic diversity within the Musa spp. collection. Several collaborative projects have been established with Bioversity International for: 1) field verification of its Musa spp. collections; 2) disease evaluation of clones; 3) evaluating standardized phenotypic traits used in Musa spp. taxonomy. Cacao characterization efforts focusing on important phenotypic and agronomic traits as well as the use of molecular markers (SSRs/SNPs) for determination of genetic integrity and genetic relationships were carried out. In collaboration with Chocolove Inc., a project was initiated to characterize local naturalized cacao populations to identify unique germplasm that can be introduced to fill gaps in the collection. In addition, the project continues to work with national/international collaborators on the characterization of cacao genetic resources and germplasm exchanges. Collaborative efforts between several USDA-ARS subtropical/tropical sites were carried out to develop and utilize SSR markers to fingerprint tropical fruit genetic resources. The effort focused on utilizing the fingerprint profiles developed as references for establishing trueness-to- type for clonally propagated germplasm, estimating genetic diversity and identification of potential gaps in the germplasm collections. All evaluation and characterization data collected, including molecular marker data and a large compilation of high-resolution digital voucher images, have been loaded into the publicly available Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database. The current project is being replaced by project 6635-21000-051-00D. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations: The USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research station is the official repository for cacao germplasm for the National Plant Germplasm System and has maintained cacao genetic resources onsite for over 80 years. Puerto Rico, with its tropical climate and fertile soils is an ideal location for growing cacao, however to date it has never been grown as a commercial crop. Technical expertise was provided to 20 small farmers who approached the TARS site for recommendation for cacao growing. The cacao germplasm project has been involved in the dissemination of information and technical expertise via workshops and visits to our site. In addition, a series of ten clonally propagated cacao clones is being recommended for planting. All seed for rootstock generation and subsequent scionwood for grafting are being provided freely for this program.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Ayala Silva, T., Schnell II, R.J., Goenaga, R.J., Zee, F.T., Irish, B.M. 2013. The National Plant Germplasm System: the subtropical and tropical fruit genebanks. Acta Horticulturae. 975:43-54.
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): Acquire, propagate, and conserve tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and associated information. Apply new or improved horticultural characterization procedures and genetic marker-based approaches for genetic diversity assessment. Apply new or improved procedures for evaluating tropical/subtropical genetic resources for host- plant resistance to high-priority diseases. Distribute tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and transfer technologies through GRIN database, internet pages, and scientific publications. Approach (from AD-416): Acquisition of new germplasm determined by results from the characterization and evaluation research and from consultations with other crop curators, industry representatives, and members of the Tropical Fruit and Nut Crop Germplasm Committee so as to fill genetic gaps in the collections. Priorities for new germplasm include disease resistant and/or productive accessions. Characterization efforts focus on passport, phenotypic and genotypic descriptors, and evaluation data as well as molecular approaches to determine genetic diversity baselines and horticultural identity. Development of in vitro, medium-term storage techniques for Musa sp. to increase efficiency of propagation and conservation, facilitate distribution and reduce risk of pathogen dissemination. Clonal materials in collections are propagated by grafting or from rhizomes and conserved in field collections. Collections are backed up at other sites to prevent germplasm loss from natural disasters. Field evaluations of potentially disease resistant germplasm are carried out for mango, papaya and Musa sp. This Project is a service oriented project with the number of germplasm distributions for the 2011 calendar year, amounting to a total of 196 distributions of 204 different accessions with a total of 33,304 propagules. Tropical germplasm was distributed in the form of budwood, cuttings, rhizomes, corms, seed and fruit, and was made available and distributed to researchers and cooperators at the local, national and international level. A collaborative effort with Bioversity International to develop procedures, based on assessing phenotypic traits, to help clarify Musa spp. taxonomy and to utilize these traits for the correct identification and classification of germplasm continues with a second cropping cycle and is scheduled to conclude this year. A second year of data is being collected in the Annona spp. germplasm collection. Data collected includes number and weight of fruit, fruit size, and Brix value. Data is shared with the location�s Research Entomologist who is evaluating pheromone treatments within the same germplasm collection. Two separate research projects genotyping cacao are underway. Leaf samples are being collected, DNA is being extracted, and samples are being sent to collaborators for genotyping. The first project involves DNA samples for each accession in the germplasm collection. The second project involves the sampling of local/naturalized cacao populations on the island of Puerto Rico. Both projects will be genotyped with a standard set of close to 100 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and reference profiles will be incorporated into the GRIN database. The Musa spp. field germplasm collection has been re-established at the USDA-ARS TARS research farm in Isabela. A single plant from the tissue culture collection was planted next to as single traditionally propagated field corm. This was done in order to compare phenotypic differences among clonal plants and to verify tissue culture plants were true-to-type. In addition, field accessions were arranged based on their genomic composition in order to identify clonal accession with different accession names in order to rationalize the collection. Successful in vitro micropropagation was achieved for two of the large clumping tropical bamboo accessions held at the site. The in vitro cultures will serve as laboratory back up plants and will enable our site to more readily distribute these genetic resources. Efforts continue to optimize the technique for additional topical bamboo accessions. Cacao germplasm accessions continue to be backed up in the laboratory using somatic embryogenesis (a tissue culture propagation technique). In addition, cacao germplasm accessions are being characterized for the compatibility/incompatibility trait in flowers, a trait critical in fruit set and production.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Verle Rodriguez, J.C., Irish, B.M. 2011. Effect of coconut palm proximities and Musa spp. germplasm resistance to colonization by Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae). Experimental and Applied Acarology. DOI:10. 1007/S10493-011-9484-Y.
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Acquire, propagate, and conserve tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and associated information. Apply new or improved horticultural characterization procedures and genetic marker-based approaches for genetic diversity assessment. Apply new or improved procedures for evaluating tropical/subtropical genetic resources for host- plant resistance to high-priority diseases. Distribute tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and transfer technologies through GRIN database, internet pages, and scientific publications. Approach (from AD-416) Acquisition of new germplasm determined by results from the characterization and evaluation research and from consultations with other crop curators, industry representatives, and members of the Tropical Fruit and Nut Crop Germplasm Committee so as to fill genetic gaps in the collections. Priorities for new germplasm include disease resistant and/or productive accessions. Characterization efforts focus on passport, phenotypic and genotypic descriptors, and evaluation data as well as molecular approaches to determine genetic diversity baselines and horticultural identity. Development of in vitro, medium-term storage techniques for Musa sp. to increase efficiency of propagation and conservation, facilitate distribution and reduce risk of pathogen dissemination. Clonal materials in collections are propagated by grafting or from rhizomes and conserved in field collections. Collections are backed up at other sites to prevent germplasm loss from natural disasters. Field evaluations of potentially disease resistant germplasm are carried out for mango, papaya and Musa sp. This project is a service oriented project with the number of germplasm distributions for the 2010 calendar year, amounting to a total of 115 distributions of 207 different accessions with a total of 4,665 propagules. Tropical germplasm was distributed in the form of budwood, cuttings, rhizomes, corms, seed and fruit, and was made available and distributed to researchers and cooperators at the local, national and international level. A collaborative effort between the several USDA-ARS tropical germplasm repositories and the USDA-ARS, Mississippi to develop and utilize simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to fingerprint tropical fruit genetic resources continues. The fingerprint profiles developed will be used as reference for establishing trueness-to-type for clonally propagated germplasm, estimating genetic diversity and identification of potential gaps. Datasets and summaries are being generated for Musa spp., Annona spp., Artocarpus spp., lychee, and bamboo. Markers are being validated for rambutan, longan, Spanish lime, star fruit, Garcinia spp., sapodilla, mamey sapote, pineapple, peach palm, papaya, macadamia, Barbados cherry, guava, tamarind and pili nut. A collaborative effort between USDA, scientists at IDIAF (Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias) and Land O�Lakes International on DNA fingerprinting of cacao genetic resources in the Dominican Republic has been completed. Data revealed propagation mistakes, estimated genetic diversity and identified unique genotypes within the Dominican cacao genetic resources. Also data was utilized to eliminate propagation mistakes in the clonal cacao germplasm collection and aided in the establishment of a new fully characterized collection. In addition, the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS) site has incorporated a total of seven highly productive local farmer selections as part of germplasm exchange. A manuscript has been prepared and submitted for publication. First year data is being collected for the Annona spp. germplasm collection. Data collected includes number and weight of fruit, fruit size, and Brix value. Data is shared with the location�s Research Entomologist who is evaluating pheromone treatments within the same germplasm collection. A tissue somatic embryogenesis procedure has been initiated for multiplication and distribution purposes as well as to serve as a backup for cacao accessions held in the primary field site collection. Priority is given to specific accessions unique to the USDA-ARS TARS site and to genetically diverse and agronomically important accessions identified within the collection. Thirty new germplasm accessions of Spanish lime have been established at our field research station in Isabela, Puerto Rico. Each accession is planted in four replicate blocks in a completely randomized block design. A collaborative effort with Bioversity International to develop procedures, based on assessing phenotypic traits, to help clarify Musa spp. taxonomy and to utilize these traits for the correct identification and classification of Musa spp. germplasm is in its first year of full evaluation. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations As part of the technology transfer component of the research project the following two workshops were planned and hosted in Fiscal Year 2011. A workshop targeting cacao farmers in the Dominican Republic was hosted in December 2011. The workshop presented results of DNA fingerprinting work of cacao genetic resources to a varied audience of about 50 individuals representing agronomists and other technical personnel from the public and private sectors. A second workshop on all aspects of producing cacao was hosted at the USDA-ARS TARS site in Mayaguez, PR. The workshop audience consisted of about 50 Hispanic growers and potentially new farmers interested in this crop as well as personnel from state and local governmental agencies who may play a role in the development of this potential niche industry. The project also participated in the training of Puerto Rico high school students participating in a summer internship program as part of a USDA Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program. Approximately 60 students and their chaperons toured the laboratory facilities and research programs at TARS over the summer.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Meerow, A.W., Ayala Silva, T., Irish, B.M. 2010. Turnera diffusa 'Luisa', a drought tolerant small shrub for warm climates. HortScience. 45(12):1895- 1896.
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Acquire, propagate, and conserve tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and associated information. Apply new or improved horticultural characterization procedures and genetic marker-based approaches for genetic diversity assessment. Apply new or improved procedures for evaluating tropical/subtropical genetic resources for host- plant resistance to high-priority diseases. Distribute tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and transfer technologies through GRIN database, internet pages, and scientific publications. Approach (from AD-416) Acquisition of new germplasm determined by results from the characterization and evaluation research and from consultations with other crop curators, industry representatives, and members of the Tropical Fruit and Nut Crop Germplasm Committee so as to fill genetic gaps in the collections. Priorities for new germplasm include disease resistant and/or productive accessions. Characterization efforts focus on passport, phenotypic and genotypic descriptors, and evaluation data as well as molecular approaches to determine genetic diversity baselines and horticultural identity. Development of in vitro, medium-term storage techniques for Musa sp. to increase efficiency of propagation and conservation, facilitate distribution and reduce risk of pathogen dissemination. Clonal materials in collections are propagated by grafting or from rhizomes and conserved in field collections. Collections are backed up at other sites to prevent germplasm loss from natural disasters. Field evaluations of potentially disease resistant germplasm are carried out for mango, papaya and Musa sp. The number of germplasm distributions during 2009 was 163 distributions of 196 different accessions with a total of 5,240 propagules in the form of budwood, cuttings, rhizomes, corms, seed and fruit which were made available to researchers and cooperators at the local, national and international level. The second cropping cycle (~2nd year) and evaluation of Musa sp. hybrids for disease resistance to Sigatoka leaf spots has been completed and data is being summarized. In addition to agronomic performance, disease resistance and characterization of phenotypic traits, all accessions in the cacao collection are being categorized as self- compatible or self-incompatible. A collaborative effort between the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station, Mayaguez, the USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, USDA-ARS Pacific Basin Area Research Center and the USDA-ARS Mid South Area Genomics Laboratory has been initiated to develop and utilize SSR markers to fingerprint tropical fruit genetic resources. The effort focuses on utilizing the fingerprint profiles developed as reference profiles for establishing trueness-to-type for clonally propagated germplasm (cultivars/varieties), estimating genetic diversity and identification of potential gaps in the germplasm collections. Cacao genetic resources in the Dominican Republic are being genetically fingerprinted in a collaborative effort between USDA-ARS Scientists and Land O�Lakes International Development. The cacao genetic resources at the Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF) were sampled, DNA extracted and fingerprinting has been carried out. In addition, genotyping for an additional ~90 leaf samples were processed form local productive and disease resistant selections made by CONACADO (a large cooperative of small-scale cacao farmers). Local productive selections are being acquired and incorporated into the USDA- ARS-TARS site collection. The project developed a reliable and successful way of grafting Spanish lime for clonal propagation. From this an additional 10 locally propagated accessions have been added to the collection that is being established. Current collection includes ~30 clonally propagated accessions from diverse locations around the island that have been selected for their productivity and for their fruit characteristics.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Irish, B.M., Goenaga Portela, R.J., Zhang, D., Schnell Ii, R.J., Brown, J. S., Motamayor, J. 2010. Microsatellite Fingerprinting of the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) Germplasm Collection. Crop Science. 50:656-667.
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416) Acquire, propagate, and conserve tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and associated information. Apply new or improved horticultural characterization procedures and genetic marker-based approaches for genetic diversity assessment. Apply new or improved procedures for evaluating tropical/subtropical genetic resources for host- plant resistance to high-priority diseases. Distribute tropical/subtropical crop genetic resources and transfer technologies through GRIN database, internet pages, and scientific publications. Approach (from AD-416) Acquisition of new germplasm determined by results from the characterization and evaluation research and from consultations with other crop curators, industry representatives, and members of the Tropical Fruit and Nut Crop Germplasm Committee so as to fill genetic gaps in the collections. Priorities for new germplasm include disease resistant and/or productive accessions. Characterization efforts focus on passport, phenotypic and genotypic descriptors, and evaluation data as well as molecular approaches to determine genetic diversity baselines and horticultural identity. Development of in vitro, medium-term storage techniques for Musa sp. to increase efficiency of propagation and conservation, facilitate distribution and reduce risk of pathogen dissemination. Clonal materials in collections are propagated by grafting or from rhizomes and conserved in field collections. Collections are backed up at other sites to prevent germplasm loss from natural disasters. Field evaluations of potentially disease resistant germplasm are carried out for mango, papaya and Musa sp. Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations This is a service oriented project. Distributions during 2008 amounted to a total of 134 distributions of 268 accessions of tropical germplasm in the form of budwood, cuttings, rhizomes, corms, seed and fruit, which were made available to researchers and cooperators at the local, national and international level. The first cropping cycle and evaluation of Musa sp. hybrids for disease resistance to Sigatoka leaf spots has been completed and the evaluation of the second cropping cycle has begun. A disease outbreak of Fusarium wilt also known as Panama disease, which is caused by the soilborne fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, has been identified affecting our Musa spp. germplasm field accessions. At the same time we have been re-initiating some of our Musa spp. accessions in tissue culture. Currently, about 90% of the Musa spp. collection is backed up in tissue culture as well as in a greenhouse planting. Plans are to establish a new field collection propagated entirely from tissue culture plantlets before the end of this FY. Cacao research has continued to focus on the field characterization of the current collection. Traits of agronomic importance as well as clearly identifiable, inherited phenotypic traits (such as pod color) that help distinguish accessions continue to be collected. Data collection is midway through a third year of evaluation. The continued refinement of a micro-fermentation process and subsequent organoleptic evaluation (chocolate quality) continues to be carried out in collaboration with Mars, Inc. Approximately 40 cacao accessions, including hybrids from breeding programs as well as South American selections have been successfully propagated (grafted) in our greenhouses. Of these 40 accessions, 90% of the plants have been established in a replicated manner in our germplasm collection. Data for mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) is being currently collected for the third year/cropping cycle. Traits of agronomic importance such as production and pulp sweetness (Brix) are being measured. Fruit production during this cropping cycle was significantly higher than that from last year due to the trees coming into fruit bearing age. Approximately 1000 seedlings of Spanish lime (Meliccocus bijugatus) have been planted for a second year for the establishment of a germplasm collection that will become part of USDA NPGS in order to complement the Sapindaceae NPGS collection. Seedlings will be utilized as rootstocks for clonal propagation of Spanish lime selections. To date, approximately 20 local selections have been identified and successfully grafted in our greenhouses with at least 6 replicates per selection.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Irish, B.M., Crespo, A., Goenaga, R.J., Ayala Silva, T., Niedz, R.P. 2009. Ploidy level and genomic composition of the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station Musa sp. Germplasm Collection. Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico, 93(1-2):1-22.
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