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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252877
Title: Lettuce germplasm collection in the National Plant Germplasm System

Author
item Hu, Jinguo
item Hellier, Barbara

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2010
Publication Date: 3/16/2010
Citation: Hu, J., Hellier, B.C. 2010. Lettuce germplasm collection in the National Plant Germplasm System. An oral presentation at the California Leafy Greens Research Program Annual Meeting March 16, 2010 Coalinga, CA. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: n/a

Technical Abstract: The National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) holds more than half million accessions of crop plants and their related species that are coordinately assigned to four major Regional Plant Introduction Stations and an additional 21 crop-specific repositories. These Stations and repositories acquire, maintain, characterize, regenerate and distribute this material to the plant research community worldwide. The Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS) in Pullman, WA has five curatorial programs that are responsible for managing approximately 83,500 accessions belonging to over 3,600 plant species. The Horticultural Crop program manages the collection of lettuce and its related species as well as sugar beet, garlic and many other medicinal, forage and ornamental species. As of March 9, 2010, there were 1,951 Lactuca accessions from 46 countries in the lettuce collection. There are 1,424 accessions of cultivated lettuce, Lactuca sativa, 231 of L. serriola, 86 of L. virosa and 76 of L. saligna. There are 79 accessions belonging to 19 additional species or subspecies with one to 14 accessions per species. There are also 53 accessions labeled Lactuca species; their exact taxonomic identities remain uncertain. The whole collection is maintained in seed form in Pullman, WA and 1,313 accessions are backed-up at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins, CO. The data associated with each accession are stored in the Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN) database which can be accessed worldwide through the Internet (http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/) for browsing the data or ordering seed samples. Since 1996 we have distributed 7,186 seed samples to requesters worldwide: 5,905 (82%) to addresses in the USA and 1,281 (18%) to foreign countries. In collaboration with UC Davis lettuce research group, we are planning to fingerprint the whole collection with 384 SNP markers via GoldenGate Assay this year. In collaboration with USDA Salinas Lettuce Research group, we are going to grow out 1,200 accessions for collecting information on phenotypic variation. The results will be made available to the public through GRIN. We welcome suggestions, support, and collaborative efforts to achieve our goal of maintaining a healthy and available lettuce germplasm collection and to serve the lettuce research community by providing needed genetic resources for genetic improvement of the crop.