Project Number: 5306-21000-020-04
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 13, 2011
End Date: Aug 15, 2013

Objective:
This project is the study of the North American plums, subgenus Prunus section Prunocerasus. Specific objectives include the collection and identification of the plant specimens from the wild to increase Prunus germplasm availability at the National Germplasm Repository at Davis, CA and the clarification of their phylogenetic framework (relatedness, evolution, and character/trait diversification). A subset of representatives of the subgenus Prunus section Prunocerasus and other taxa (genus Prunus) available at the National Germplasm Repository will be included in this research to assess the morphological and genetic valus of the newly collected material. Identification of species relatedness and further classification will allow the NPGS to manimize resources and to increase the species/groups genetic variability (heterozygosity) available at the germplasm repository.

Approach:
Collection of the plant specimens, a total of 27 species with 5-10 accessions per taxa, will be made from the wild (excluding P. mume, P. salicina, and P. japonica). The majority of these species have been identified to be of importance and needed by the Natioanal Clonal Germpalsm Repository in the Prunus vulnerability statement 2010.