IV. CULTIVARS AND GERM PLASM

USDA-ARS NATIONAL SMALL GRAINS GERMPLASM RESEARCH FACILITY

P.O. Box 307, Aberdeen, ID 83210, USA.

National Small Grains Collection wheat germplasm evaluations. [p. 279-282]

H.E. Bockelman, D.M. Wesenberg, C.A. Erickson, B.J. Goates, and S. Nieto, National Small Grains Germplasm Research Facility, USDA-ARS, University of Idaho Coöperating, Aberdeen, Idaho.

The USDA-ARS National Small Grains Collection (NSGC) is one of the several components of the National Plant Germplasm System. The NSGC is a working collection in contrast to the base collection at the National Seed Storage Laboratory (NSSL) at Fort Collins, CO. The numbers of accessions in the NSGC are summarized Table 1.

The systematic evaluation of wheat accessions in the NSGC and other elite germ plasm continued to be coördinated or conducted by National Small Grains Germplasm Research Facility (NSGGRF) staff at Aberdeen during 2002.

Descriptors appropriate for wheat have been established in collaboration with the Wheat Crop Germplasm Committee. Field evaluation data are recorded on such descriptors as growth habit, number of days from planting to anthesis (heading), plant height, spike or panicle density, lodging, straw breakage, shattering, and awn and glume characteristics, including color. Special nurseries are grown for that purpose at Aberdeen, Idaho and Maricopa, AZ. Disease and insect evaluations are conducted in collaboration and coöperation with ARS and state experiments station specialists.

Data obtained from evaluations of NSGC germ plasm are entered in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) system by the NSGGRF staff in coöperation with the ARS National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, MD. GRIN is a database containing the characteristics and availability of all genetic resources included in the National Plant Germplasm System. The Database Manager is J.D. Mowder, Beltsville, Maryland. The NSGGRF staff interacts with the GRIN system in recording NSGC orders (seed requests), entering a variety of data, and conducting information searches. No evaluations have been conducted to date for descriptors such as drought tolerance; salt tolerance; winterhardiness; resistance to Cephalosporium stripe, flag smut, leaf blight, loose smut, snow mold, take-all, tan spot, and WSMV; and protein.

Triticum descriptors with data currently on the GRIN system are summarized in Table 2.

The authors wish to acknowledge the important contributions of the NSGGRF staff in this effort, with special thanks to Glenda B. Rutger, Scott McNeil, Carol S. Truman, Judy Bradley, Kathy E. Burrup, Kay B. Calzada, Karla Reynolds, and Dave E. Burrup. Mr. Greg Laine is coördinating the wheat evaluations efforts at Maricopa, AZ.

National Small Grains Collection activities. [p. 279-282]

H.E. Bockelman, USDA-ARS, National Small Grains Collection, Aberdeen, ID, USA.

Cultivar name clearance. Breeders in the United States are encouraged to have proposed names for new cultivars checked for duplication. The National Small Grains Collection will be glad to assist you. Send the proposed name to: Harold E. Bockelman, USDA-ARS-NSGC, P.O. Box 307, Aberdeen, ID 83210, Fax 208-3974165, E-mail to nsgchb@ars-grin.gov. If desired, more than one name may be submitted, listed in order of preference. This will save considerable time if a conflict is found with the first name. Available records (GRIN, CI/PI cards, variety files, etc.) here at Aberdeen are checked for conflicts with the proposed name. If a conflict is found (previous use of the name for that crop), the breeder is requested to submit a different name. If no conflicts are found, the requested name is forwarded to the Federal Seed Lab, Agricultural Marketing Service where the proposed name is checked against the databases they maintain. The Agricultural Marketing Service does not guarantee that its findings are the final word since their is no single, complete name database. This clearance procedure generally requires about four weeks. Trademark searches should be done by the breeder online at http://www.uspto.gov.

Elite germ plasm requested. Breeders are encouraged to consider submitting their elite lines for inclusion in the NSGC. Of special interest are lines that have been in uniform nurseries, but are not to be released as cultivars. Historically, uniform nurseries been the testing grounds for the most advanced, elite germ plasm from the various public and private breeding programs. Entries in uniform nurseries and other breeding materials that are never released as cultivars are still of potential value to breeders, pathologists, entomologists, and other researchers. Breeders should submit 200-500 g of untreated seed to the NSGC (address: P.O. Box 307, Aberdeen, ID 83210). Seed from outside of the United States should be sent to the USDA Plant Germplasm Quarantine Center (address: Bldg. 580, BARC-East, Beltsville, MD 20705) with enclosed forwarding directions. Provide a description of the germ plasm, including donor (breeder, institution); botanical and common name; cultivar name and/or other identifiers (breeder line or selection number, etc.); pedigree; descriptive information (of important traits and special characteristics); and growth habit. Assignment of a PI number and inclusion in the NSGC makes the germ plasm available for research purposes to bona fide scientists in the U.S. and worldwide. Please note that a different procedure applies if you are obtaining Crop Science registration. Follow directions provided by the crop registration committee.

Guidelines for exporting seed. All seed sent to a foreign country should be inspected and receive a phytosanitary certificate. In most cases, a fee payable to APHIS (Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service) is required to cover the cost of the phytosanitary certificate. You may wish to work with APHIS personnel in your state or your State Department of Agriculture to obtain a phytosanitary certificate. Also, please be aware of any import permits and additional declarations that certain importing countries may require to accompany the shipment.

Guidelines for importing seed. Any scientist importing seed should be aware of any restrictions that apply. APHIS personnel can provide current information on applicable restrictions. Of particular importance to wheat researchers are import restrictions related to flag smut and karnal bunt. Presently, some 34 countries have flag smut import restrictions. Six countries currently have karnal bunt import restrictions. Importation of seed from flag smut and Karnal bunt countries requires a permit from APHIS. Special handling and grow-out procedures apply to such shipments.

More details about these and other accessions in the NSGC can be found on the GRIN website: http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/.