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Title: Germplasm Preservation of Vegetatively-propagated Crops at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation

Author
item Jenderek, Maria
item Ambruzs, Barbara - Bobbie Ambruzs
item Holman, Gregory
item Skogerboe, Dianne
item Staats, Elise
item Turner, Marie
item Ellis, David

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2007
Publication Date: 11/4/2007
Citation: Jenderek, M.M., Ambruzs, B.D., Holman, G.E., Skogerboe, D.M., Staats, E.R., Turner, M., Ellis, D.D. 2007. Germplasm Preservation of Vegetatively-propagated Crops at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting. November 4-8, 2007. New Orleans, Louisiana. pp. Meeting Abstracts.

Interpretive Summary: Out of 476,049 germplasm accessions maintained by the USDA, ARS, National Plant Germplasm System (NPS), ca. 30,000 are vegetatively-propagated and as such require preservation as non seed propagules. Numerous research reports have demonstrated the advantages of long-term storage of plant tissues in liquid nitrogen over field only maintained collections. While successful cryopreservation protocols are established for many plants, the protocols are usually not applicable for all accessions within a collection and modifications are required to obtain success for those accessions. Currently, the NCGRP maintains over 3,150 vegetatively-propagated accessions in liquid nitrogen or its vapors (Allium sativum, Corylus, Cynodon, Fragaria, Humulus, Ipomoea, Lolium, Malus, Mentha, Prunus, Pyrus, Ribes, and Rubus) as dormant buds or apical shoot tips. Even with these successes, approximately 90% of the vegetatively-propagated genetic resources in the NPGS are not backed up under long-term storage conditions. Preliminary studies initiated on the cryopreservation of priority species selected by the NPGS curators, include Juglans cinerea, Juglans regia, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus dulcis, and Punica granatumum, with an emphasis on using dormant buds over aseptically preserved tissues.

Technical Abstract: Out of 476,049 germplasm accessions maintained by the USDA, ARS, National Plant Germplasm System (NPS), ca. 30,000 are vegetatively-propagated and as such require preservation as non seed propagules. Numerous research reports have demonstrated the advantages of long-term storage of plant tissues in liquid nitrogen over field only maintained collections. While successful cryopreservation protocols are established for many plants, the protocols are usually not applicable for all accessions within a collection and modifications are required to obtain success for those accessions. Currently, the NCGRP maintains over 3,150 vegetatively-propagated accessions in liquid nitrogen or its vapors (Allium sativum, Corylus, Cynodon, Fragaria, Humulus, Ipomoea, Lolium, Malus, Mentha, Prunus, Pyrus, Ribes, and Rubus) as dormant buds or apical shoot tips. Even with these successes, approximately 90% of the vegetatively-propagated genetic resources in the NPGS are not backed up under long-term storage conditions. Preliminary studies initiated on the cryopreservation of priority species selected by the NPGS curators, include Juglans cinerea, Juglans regia, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus dulcis, and Punica granatumum, with an emphasis on using dormant buds over aseptically preserved tissues.