Project Number: 1245-22000-285-01
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Oct 01, 2010
End Date: Sep 30, 2015

Objective:
To provide facilities, resources and services to APHIS personnel including data on plant-associated fungi and web-based identification resources to enhance their ability to prevent the entry of plant-quarantine significant fungi into the U.S.

Approach:
ARS will provide access to curated collections in the U.S. National Fungus Collections for use as reference specimens for identifying fungal specimens intercepted at ports-of-entry. In addition ARS will increase the number of records available in the database of fungi on plants around the world and provide accurate scientific names of plant-quarantine significant fungi. Office space and lab space is provided to APHIS personnel as well as facilities and services including taxonomic literature library, herbarium specimens, conference room, autoclave, media prep room, mail services, shared fax machine, parking and security. Additional resources are available such as accurate fungal names, specimen data from U.S. National Fungus Collections, database of literature, including entry of new references, and deposition of specimens in the U.S. National Fungus Collections. Data are continuously added to the World Fungi Database that now exceed 600,000 reports of fungi on plant hosts throughout the world.