2011 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Collect well documented plant genetic resources for the ARS managed U.S. National Plant Germplasm System. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Highly qualified botanists working in the countries of the former Soviet Union, will be identified then contacted to develop proposals to collect and document needed genetic resources from their country. These proposals will be peer reviewed and those accepted will be funded and managed through this grant. Collected germplasm and associated documentation will be equally shared with the national genebank in the host country. The U.S. share of the collected germplasm and documentation will be maintained in the appropriate collections of the U.S. NPGS. All plant exploration and exchange activities associated with the SCA will be in compliance with UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. 3.Progress Report In FY11, seeds and documentation from FY 10 collections in Russia, Armenia, and Georgia were received in the U.S., inspected by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and forwarded to the appropriate NPGS sites to enhance their collections. In addition, a plant exploration for Lactuca (lettuce) in Turkey was proposed; however, appropriate collaborators could not be identified in time to process the application for prior informed consent necessary for national permission to access their genetic resources. Arrangements are now underway to identify collaborators and conduct this collection in Turkey in 2012. All activities within this agreement were monitored by e-mail.