Minutes of The Wheat Crop Advisory Committee
November 3, 1994.
College Park, MD, USA.
Committee members in attendance were T.S. Cox (Chairman), R.F. Line (ViceChairman), O. Anderson,
H. Bockelman (ex officio), K. Briggs,
I. Edwards, P. Gustafson, S. Jones, S. Leath, D. McVey, C. Murphy
(ex officio), and B. Skovmand.
In addition to the WCAC members, many
of the National Wheat Improvement Committee attended the meeting.
Minutes of the 1993 meeting as published
in the 1994 Annual Wheat Newsletter were approved by voice vote.
Germplasm collections.
Cox distributed a report by J.G. Waines on his participation
with ICARDA in collecting Aegilops and Triticum
species in Syria and Lebanon. They included regions north of
Aleppo between the villages of Der Jamal and Abeen, the Jebel
Druze mountains in southern Syria, north and northeastern Syria,
and the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. Seed will be increased and added
to the germplasm collection at Aberdeen, Idaho. In his report,
Waines suggested that there is a need for further collecting in
Iran and Albania. Waines will return to Syria in 1995 to make
more collections in northeastern Syria. The WCAC committee encourages
Waines to continue in his efforts to collect germplasm.
Skovmand reported on a collection of
Mexican land races that is being evaluated by CIMMYT. Many of
the wheat land races were introduced into Mexico in the 1560's.
Some have drought resistance, adult plant resistance to leaf
rust, and resistance to Septoria.
Cox summarized his presentation on
the view of WCAC regarding Core Subsets at an ASA symposium in
1994 and the views from other CAC groups also presented at the
ASA symposium. Line reported on the presentations and discussions
of Core Subsets at the National Meeting of CAC Chairmen in 1994.
The National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is strongly encouraging
the creation of Core Subsets. As at the 1993 WCAC meeting, there
was considerable discussion of Core Subsets. In general, the
WCAC indicated skepticism regarding the usefulness of Core Subsets
as they have been defined by NPGS, but they would be interested
in sets developed for specific purposes after preliminary testing
and screening. Sets based on sound data or elite sets would be
useful. Development of a database of accessions with desirable
characteristics and subsets representing those characteristics
has a high priority. For example, elite subsets with resistance
to certain specific diseases would have value. Bockelman plans
to develop a core collection to be used in filling nonspecific
requests for accessions representing the collection. This core
would be based on species and geographic origin.
Protected germplasm and temporary
introductions.
Cox reported on a 1993 letter from the WCAC expressing concern
about storage and distribution of protected germplasm. Bockelman
reported for a subcommittee (which also included Leath and Jones)
on a proposal from the NWIC that the WCAC help solicit and publicize
availability of "temporary introductions" of breeding
lines into the NPGS for 3-year periods. Such introductions could
provide a wider elite gene pool for wheat breeders. The subcommittee
(to which Busch will be added as a member) will continue to study
the issue.
I can't remember what was said about
the letter. Also, was there a subcommittee on the temporary introductions
consisting of Bockelman, Jones, and Leath?
Germplasm evaluation.
Bockelman provided a detailed report on the evaluation of wheat
accessions in the National Small Grains Collection. The evaluations
are progressing at a good rate.
Systematics of Triticeae.
According to the report by Waines, the revision of the genus
Triticum is still in the air. Michael van Slageren at
ICARDA has completed the revision of the genus Aegilops
Databases.
Olin Anderson provided an
update of the new data in the GrainGenes system, Bockelman reported
on progress in the GRIN system, and Skovmand reported on the CIMMYT
database. The new GRIN system will be available on the Internet
soon, and PC-GRIN will change.
Wheat Workers Code of Ethics.
After some discussion, the WCAC voted to approve proposed changes
in the Wheat Workers Code of Ethics. [See revised Code in this
issue of the Annual Wheat Newsletter.]
Other Reports.
Skovmand reported on personnel changes at CIMMYT. Briggs reported
on major changes in the organization of the former Ag Canada and
on Canadian wheat research in general. Line reported on additional
topics that were discussed at the CAC chairmen's meeting in Beltsville
in 1994.