Cereal Disease Laboratory and Plant Science Research Unit, St. Paul, Minnesota

• Scope of work under Recovery Act

Amount: $1.88 million

Repair of critical deferred maintenance at the laboratory facility: Correct building automation system, replace electrical distribution panels, and replace HVAC system. Research greenhouses- Replace glazing and control systems.

Milestones
April 2010 - Construction contract awarded for $344,466 to replace the glazing system at Greenhouse 400 and 401.
June 2010 - Construction contract for $1,306,183 to repair the mechanical and electrical systems.

Construction Photos

Research at the Cereal Disease Laboratory

The mission of the Cereal Disease Laboratory and the Plant Science Research Unit is to reduce losses in wheat, oat, and barley, especially due to major diseases outbreaks including leaf rust, stem rust, and Fusarium head blight. Researchers at this location also work out more profitable management strategies keeping farms profitable and helping make food more affordable for consumers.

For more than 80 years, the ARS Cereal Disease Laboratory in St. Paul has been a sentry for wheat, barley and oat diseases. In addition to monitoring for wheat scab, leaf rust, stripe rust and Asian soybean rust, ARS scientists are monitoring for a new strain of stem rust from Africa, which is threatening wheat harvests around the world.

Researchers are working on developing molecular tools to detect a new strain of rust, called Ug99, to which almost all wheat and barley grown in the United States has no resistance. One test can detect spores in rain samples. ARS has a network of sentinel nurseries throughout the barley- and wheat-growing areas of the United States to provide early warning of outbreaks of rust diseases.

Research at the Plant Science Research Unit

The mission of the Plant Science Research Unit is to develop new knowledge that expands our understanding of the fundamental processes controlling energy content, increased production, improved quality, and enhanced use of alfalfa, oat and wheat and to utilize this knowledge to develop germplasm and crop management schemes that lead to increased farm profitability and sustainability of the nation's resource base. The Unit utilizes multidisciplinary strategies and team approaches to address national priorities in agricultural and environmental research. Implicit in this mission is collaborative research with University of Minnesota, state, and regional cooperators.

Project Photographs Before Construction