Location: Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research
Project Number: 2090-21000-033-008-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 15, 2018
End Date: Jul 14, 2023
Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research are to: 1) install new upgraded glazing in the Wheat Plant Growth Facility so that the light spectrum and temperature control is adequate for the development of doubled haploid populations of wheat, for development of segregating populations of wheat, and for the development of commercial cultivars; 2) control pests through sealing of gaps in the plant growth facility glazing; 3) install new phenomics equipment needed to speed the development of new wheat cultivars; and 4) produce doubled haploid germplasm for wheat breeding. 5) revisions to Johnson Hall 210 to make it suitable for assay of Falling Numbers in wheat breeding lines.
Approach:
The USDA, Agricultural Resarch Service (ARS) and Washington State University (WSU) are collaborating to install new equipment including glazing and phenomics instrumentation in the Washington Grains Plant Growth Facilities, which are utilized by both WSU and ARS scientists for wheat improvement. This upgrade will ensure that the facilities and labor are adequate to produce doubled haploid wheat breeding lines for both parties and to continue the breeding of the highest quality wheats by ARS and WSU breeders for commercial use. The Collaborator will provide preliminary design and labor fees, and certain materials. The Collaborator will have their own facility maintenance staff or a WSU contractor perform the installation of greenhouse glazing using WSU funding. The Director of the Plant Growth Facility will oversee the operation. Double haploids of wheat will be developed using the maize hybridization technique. Seed that is developed by double haploid technology will be used by the ARS and Collaborator’s breeding programs.
The ARS and WSU are collaborating to assay falling numbers in wheat breeding lines which support WSU and USDA-ARS scientists in their wheat improvement efforts. This upgrade will remodel countertops, install new plumbing lines, new sinks and change electrical connections to enhance the workflow in the laboratory.
