MINUTES OF THE NATIONAL WHEAT IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE (NWIC) MEETING
Committee members: Dave Van Sanford (chair), Bob Graybosch, Bob Zemetra, Harold Bockelman, Craig Morris, Allan Fritz, Scott Haley, Sid Perry, Yue Jin, Carl Griffey, Greg Marshall, and Kim Garland Campbell.
Noncommittee members: Victoria Carollo, Bent Skovmand, Mike Davis, Sue Canty, Kay Simmons, David Marshall, Paul Murphy, Olin Anderson, Gina Brown-Guedira, Bob Bowden, Forrest Chumley, and Brett Carver.
The minutes from the 2001 NWIC meeting (see Annual Wheat
Newsletter 47:1-10) were approved as written. Bob Graybosch,
USDA-ARS, Lincoln, NE, was appointed as the new secretary for
the NWIC.
Brett Carver, Oklahoma State University, presented a report on the status of the AWN, including copy distribution and finances. At present, the AWN fund has a positive balance of $11,600. A discussion followed on the proper utilization of these funds. It was noted that, historically, oversight of AWN has been a responsibility of the NWIC. Scott Haley moved we explore the possibility that J. Raupp and B. Gill (Kansas State University) be approached regarding the possible use of the funds to enhance the AWN or its production. Craig Morris seconded. Motion passed.
| Year | Volume | Pages per volume | No. of contributions | No. distributed | Cost per copy | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate | Country | State | paper | disk or CD | ||||
| 2001 | 47 | 371 | 4 | 28 | 13 | 100 | 50 | 18.62 |
| 2000 | 46 | 344 | 3 | 24 | 16 | 125 | 65 | 15.08 |
| 1999 | 45 | 377 | 6 | 29 | 19 | 125 | 70 | 15.88 |
| 1998 | 44 | 471 | 7 | 28 | 16 | 125 | 80 | 20.79 |
| 1997 | 43 | 424 | 10 | 28 | 19 | 125 | 115 | 18.92 |
| 1996 | 42 | 463 | 10 | 32 | 21 | 100 | 111 | 13.45 |
| 1995 | 41 | 358 | 11 | 31 | 21 | 100 | 170 | 9.25 |
| End of year | Debits | Deposits | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | -- | -- | 6,906.20* |
| 1998 | 3,970.32 | 8,951.95 | 11,887.83 |
| 1999 | 4,729.35 | 4,698.95 | 11,857.43 |
| 2000 | 2,916.32 | 3,133.24 | 12,074.35 |
| 2001 | 3,225.06 | 2,821.66 | 11,670.95 |
| * Transferred from Herring National Bank, Vernon, TX to Home National Bank, Stillwater, OK on 12 December 1997. | |||
Kay Simmons presented a summary of ARS programs and budgets. The new peer-review process for ARS research programs was described. It was noted that national leaders in various research areas will be asked to serve as reviewers. Budget increases were obtained in FY02 with additional resources being committed to the support of germ plasm collections. The Gramene database is being developed as a central cereals database. A new program in biotech risk mitigation is being established at Albany, headed by A. Blechl. The program will be designed to develop new promoters and other material for use in biotech applications, especially promoters not owned by private firms. Other funded programs in the federal (U.S. government) budget in FY02 include an $800,000 increase for the wheat quality laboratories, to be divided equally among all of the labs, with funds used to upgrade equipment, obtain new technology, and explore new testing procedures for new products. Other commitments included $600,000 to Fargo, ND, toward the establishment of a second proposed regional wheat genomics lab and $320,000 for barley and oat work at Madison, WI. Other projects include aflatoxin research at Mississippi State and new cereals genomics positions and a Hessian fly position at Purdue. Bob Zemetra asked if the NWIC should not meet earlier in the year, to better assist in providing advice on budgetary matters (see below). Carl Griffey raised a question regarding the stem and leaf rust position (McVey position at St. Paul. In March, there will be a review of the Cereal Disease lab, and they will look at the future of this position. Mike Davis also indicated that current funding at the Cereal Disease Lab may not be sufficient for the replacement of all present positions.
Eastern soft wheat region (Gregg Marshall, Pioneer). The Stine Program was sold to Western Plant Breeders. David Marshall has assumed the USDA-ARS research leader position (formerly S. Leath's position) at North Carolina State University. The Eastern Wheat Workers will meet in St. Louis, MO, 20-21 May, 2002. The USDA-ARS Soft Wheat Quality Lab at Wooster, OH, will hold its annual meeting 10 April, 2002. Acreage trends in the eastern soft wheat region were described. Carl Griffey noted that stripe rust has been spreading in the east.
Spring wheat region (Y. Jin, South Dakota State University). Dave Garvin has filled the USDA-ARS position formerly held by Bob Busch (happy retirement, Bob!) at St. Paul, MN. The position will work on germ plasm enhancement, include disease resistance and will continue to coördinate the regional nursery. The Cereal Disease lab needs an increase in funding for current positions and facilities. At North Dakota State University, Drs. Maan and Frohberg retired, and Dr. Mohamed Mergoum from CIMMYT has been hired to assume the spring wheat breeding duties. Also at NDSU, Mike Edwards has been appointed as a ARS new research leader. The spring wheat crop acreage remains stable, with recurring problems with scab in the eastern zone. New races of stem rust seem to be appearing.
Western region (Bob Zemetra, University of Idaho). Dan Skinner was appointed the new research leader with the ARS at Washington State. Agripro will be establishing a new breeding facility in eastern Washington this June. A decrease in wheat acreage has occurred, due to both planting reductions and drought. The next western wheat workers meeting will be around 10 July, 2002, in the Idaho Falls/Aberdeen area. There was a discussion on the eastern European nursery distributed by Oregon State University. Monsanto donated the Hybritech germ plasm to public programs in the region.
Winter wheat region (Scott Haley, Colorado State University). The USDA-ARS regional genomics lab at Manhattan, KS, is up and running. Jackie Rudd has joined the faculty of Texas A&M, and will be conducting breeding work at Amarillo. A wheat molecular biology position at Texas A&M, College Station, is being established. Brian Beecher has filled the wheat biochemistry/wheat quality position at the University of Nebraska. The 22nd Hard Wheat Workers Workshop was held in February, 2001, in Kansas City, MO. The annual breeders' field day will be at Akron, CO, scheduled, at this writing, for 18 June, 2002. Stripe rust ravaged the Great Plains in 2001. Karnal bunt showed up in four counties in Texas. Several meetings have been held in the region to address the Karnal bunt issue.
The IFAS-funded project 'Bringing Genomics to the Wheat Field' was described by Kim Campbell, USDA-ARS. Eleven labs in all parts of the nation are participating in this effort to integrate marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs and germ plasm development. The program will produce up to 322 germ plasm lines and cultivars, and all genetic materials will be in the public sector. Also targeted will be improved, user-friendly molecular markers, increased public awareness of biotech, and a marker-assisted selection workshop.
Gina Brown-Guedira, USDA-ARS, gave an update on the Wheat CGC meeting. Carl Griffey and Paul Murphy were elected recently as members, G. Brown-Guedira is acting as interim chair, and Kim Campbell as interim vice-chair. This led to a discussion of a letter from the National Sorghum Board regarding the future of germ plasm collections and a proposal to create a separate germ plasm system. Regarding this request, Bob Graybosch proposed the motion the NWIC feels that the present organization of the USDA-ARS germ plasm system is useful and efficient and should be maintained, that the link between researchers and germ plasm curators is important, and that it should be retained in its current structure. The motion was seconded by C. Griffey and passed,
Bob Bowden (formerly of Kansas State University, now with the
USDA-ARS, Manhattan, KS) presented regional program NC503 activities
and plans for the KB-research project. The Texas outbreak was
the first in the world on winter wheat. There was much discussion
on the various approaches that could be used to combat the disease
and screen germ plasm. Scott Haley moved that the NWIC endorse
the two resolutions of NC503 and support the development of appropriate
research and extension activities to reduce or prevent economic
damage to the U.S. wheat industry from Karnal bunt. The motion
was seconded by Carl Griffey. The two resolutions of NC503 (passed
at the NC503 meeting, 1/15/02) are: I. NC-503 strongly supports
deregulation of Karnal bunt as a quarantine pest, while protecting
wheat export markets, and II. NC-503 supports strengthening current
research and extension programs to develop information and technologies
to reduce or prevent economic damage to the U.S. wheat industry
from Karnal bunt.
Dr. Forrest Chumley, Kansas State University, presented a proposal being formulated by Dr. Robert Zeigler (also of Kansas State) of an AID proposal to create a global cereals genomics effort. The NWIC passed a resolution (see below) in support of this effort.
The spring 2001 legislative visit and the success of small grains in general was discussed by Dave Van Sanford (University of Kentucky) and Mike Davis (American Malting Barley Association). Paul Murphy, Mike Ellis, Tom Anderson, Rick Siemer, and Dave Van Sanford served as the team. Ellis and Anderson are wheat farmers. Members for the legislative visit team are needed from some big wheat states. The date of visit will be approximately 10 March.
Scott Haley presented the proposal for the wheat quality labs. Only 20 % of the requested funding was obtained for FY2002. The new document outlines uses of and plans for the requested funds. Technical and temporary postdoctoral fellow positions will be filled with these funds. No new scientist positions will be filled at this time because of insufficient funds. Additional funds of 2.45 million are requested.
Kim Campbell presented the proposal for the four USDA-ARS regional genotyping centers. Currently, the center in Manhattan is providing marker work for several projects, including IFAS, scab, and common bunt projects.
Mike Davis summarized the status of possible building and maintenance initiatives, including the Aberdeen seed storage facility, the Cereal Disease Lab at St. Paul, and possible initiatives at Fargo. Other cereals-related legislative items were presented, including Cereal Disease Lab staffing issues and the Scab (Fusarium) initiative. In FY02, the initiative provided funding to over 100 projects in 27 different states.
Several items were considered as possible targets for the 2002 legislative visit. By vote, legislative priorities were established. In order of priorities, these are
Possible requests for building and maintenance items were prioritized as follows:
O. Anderson and V. Carrollo, USDA-ARS, provided an update on the GrainGenes database and various EST, mapping, and genomics projects in wheat. GrainGenes is establishing a new mirror site at CIMMYT and a reorganized home page. Gopher files have been converted to HTML and now are searchable. A tribute to Ernie Sears is available on-line. There are new pages for genomics and microarrays and a database of repetitive sequences.
Subject: USAID proposal. The NWIC recommends that The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) adopt the following resolution: We support funding for a global comparative cereals genomics program among U.S. institutions and international agricultural research centers. We further urge support using for this purpose a portion of the funds within USAID allocated for plant biotechnology in developing countries.
Subject: Karnal bunt initiative. The NWIC endorses the two resolutions of NC503 and supports the development of appropriate research and extension activities to reduce or prevent economic damage to the U.S. wheat industry from KB. The two resolutions of NC503 (passed at the NC503 meeting, 1/15/02) are: I. NC-503 strongly supports deregulation of Karnal bunt as a quarantine pest, while protecting wheat export markets and II. NC-503 supports strengthening current research and extension programs to develop information and technologies to reduce or prevent economic damage to the U.S. wheat industry from Karnal bunt. Letters are needed for the Raleigh research leader position, for funding of GrainGenes, to APHIS on Karnal bunt and flag smut, to regional coordinators on nursery recommendations, and to Tom Sim on the barberry quarantine issue.
Subject: Acknowledgment of Dr. Rollin Sears' contributions to the National Wheat Improvement Committee, 1992-2000.
WHEREAS, Dr. Rollin Sears gave generously of his time and expertise
beyond normal duty and served as an influential member of the
NWIC for more than 15 years, making significant contributions
in both political and research arenas, and;
WHEREAS, he provided outstanding and insightful leadership as
Chair from 1992 to 2000 during which period many significant changes
and issues, such as genetically modified organisms and protection
of plant germ plasm, were paramount, and;
WHEREAS, his vision and example have and continue to foster significant
advancements in small grain research, most notably his position
and support of free germ plasm exchange;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the NWIC collectively expresses
its most sincere gratitude and utmost appreciation to Dr. Rollin
Sears for his distinguished service and innumerable contributions
to the National Wheat Improvement effort.
Subject: Acknowledgment of Dr. Mike Davis' contributions to the National Wheat Improvement Committee.
WHEREAS, Dr. Mike Davis has served as Executive Secretary of
the National Barley Improvement Committee for over a decade and
as a vital member of the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative's
Executive Committee, and;
WHEREAS, he has successfully integrated and supported the endeavors
of the National Barley Improvement Committee, the National Wheat
Improvement Committee, and the National Oat Improvement Committee,
and;
WHEREAS, he has given generously of his time beyond normal duty
on political and research efforts supporting these organizations
and the agricultural community, and;
WHEREAS, his dedication and commitment has resulted in significant
increases in Federal funds supporting small grain research;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the NWIC collectively expresses
sincere gratitude and utmost appreciation to Dr. Mike Davis for
his unselfish commitment and dedication towards the advancement
of small grain research and the agricultural community.
Subject: Acknowledgment of Ms. Sue Canty's contributions to the National Wheat Improvement Committee.
WHEREAS, Sue Canty has dutifully served and contributed significantly
to the success of the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative and
the small-grain community through her gracious and devoted commitment
to small grain research, and;
WHEREAS, she has played a vital administrative role in facilitating
the research endeavors of the USWBSI through her direct involvement
with 22 Land Grant universities, USDA-ARS and CIMMYT, and;
WHEREAS, she has generously contributed of her time and expertise
beyond normal duty towards political and research efforts of NWIC
in garnering increased Federal funding for small grain research;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the NWIC collectively expresses
sincere gratitude and utmost appreciation to Sue Canty for her
unselfish commitment and dedication towards the advancement of
small grain research and the agricultural community.
Subject: Acknowledgment of contributions of Dr. Rick Ward and Mr. Tom Anderson to the National Wheat Improvement Committee.
WHEREAS, Dr. Rick Ward and Mr. Tom Anderson contributed significantly
to the inception, initiation, implementation and continued success
of the U.S. Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, and;
WHEREAS, they have given generously of their time and expertise
beyond normal duty as cochairs of this initiative and have provided
insightful leadership in political and research endeavors and;
WHEREAS, their efforts have greatly facilitated significant increases
in Federal funding provided to scientists working on scab research
at 22 land grant universities, USDA-ARS, and CIMMYT;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the NWIC collectively expresses
sincere gratitude and utmost appreciation to Dr. Rick Ward and
Mr. Tom Anderson for their unselfish commitment and dedication
towards the advancement of small grain research and the agricultural
community.
Location and time of meetings. Allan Fritz proposed we meet in Cincinnati after the Scab Forum, 10 December, 2002 (the scab meeting starts on Saturday, 7 December). The motion was seconded by Carl Griffey and passed.