1a.Objectives (from AD-416)
Strengthen cooperation between institutions.

1b.Approach (from AD-416)
Collaboratively explore joint efforts for research projects and coordinate research activities of mutual interest.

3.Progress Report

AAFC-RB is ARS’ counterpart government research agency in Canada and a partner in PROCINORTE, a trilateral research coordinating group of the US, Canada and Mexico hosted by the International Institute for Cooperative Agriculture (IICA). ARS had a large number of reported collaborations in the reporting year from 9/1/09 to 9/30/10 as would be expected between neighboring countries. ARS is collaborating with 10 of the 19 AAFC-RB research centers, reporting the following formal and informal research topics with AAFC-RB collaborators: methodology and statistical analyses of carbon dioxide fluxes from temperate pastures; characterize phosphorus from poultry litter amended soils to assess nutrient cycling; sharing potato cropping system sustainability research results; determining the health benefits (antioxidant) of phytochemical avenanthramides found in oats; fractionation of blueberry components to understand the individual components as they relate to health benefits; development of high-protein, high-yielding food grade soybeans; determination of the relative importance of candidate defense-related genes for Sclerotinia (fungus) infection in soybeans; identification of several genes involved in the biosynthesis of mycotoxins; increased basic knowledge on the aggressiveness and production of toxin in the crop contaminating fungus Fusarium graminearum; identification of races of the wheat rust pathogen UG99; understand and predict behavior of the weed lambsquarters/pigsfoot; phylogeny and web tool development to understand the soil borne pathogens of the Peronosporomycetidae genus; genetics of resistance in lettuce to bacterial leaf spot for economical and environmentally friendly management; genetic analysis of Verticillium dahlia (wilt) pathogenesis in lettuce ; macroarrays for detection and identification of Phytophora species in fruit and vegetables; creating Brachypodium (functional genomics bioenergy model plant for temperate grasses and cereals) T-DNA lines as part of an international consortium to create Brachypodium T-DNA resources; use of site-specific recombination to remove antibiotic resistance gene from transgenic peach and pear; determine the pathogenicity of the plant-parasitic nematodes, Paratrichodorus and Pratylenchus on blueberries; small fruits improvement for the Pacific Northwest environment through breeding information exchange and joint testing of breeding materials; coupling the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model with a plant growth model to understand snow and hydrologic processes impacting agricultural systems in the intermountain west; development of new genetic markers for oat improvement for key agronomic, milling, and quality traits; assistance for a Canadian animal genetic resources preservation system; performance evaluation of improved Birdsfoot trefoil used for hay and pasture; evaluation of sunflower in new cropping systems and cold environments; identification of protein markers associated with resistance to major bee health issues, varroa mites and American foulbrood disease; identification of chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) as a causal agent for tomato chlorotic dwarf disease in Arizona.