Location: Plant Genetic Resources Unit (PGRU)
Project Number: 8060-21000-028-004-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2018
End Date: Aug 31, 2021
Objective:
The objective of this agreement is to collect Malus doumeri germplasm in Vietnam. Malus doumeri is the only Malus species adapted to warm tropical climate. It will be particularly valuable in research and breeding programs as breeders seek novel germplasm to combat at changing climate. The ARS National Plant Germplasm System currently maintains only one Malus doumeri accession at the apple collection in Geneva, NY and no seed lot. Two Vietnamese scientists will carry out a survey trip of Malus doumeri trees in the field in southern Vietnam near the Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park and in northern Vietnam near the Hoang Lien Son National Park for 20 days in September 2018. Two Vietnamese scientists and two US scientists will carry out the collection trip in Southern Vietnam late October and early November 2018 for 14 days to collect fruit of Malus doumeri . Seeds will be extracted from the fruit. The seeds will be split between the National Genebank of Vietnam and the US National Plant Germplasm System. The US portion of the seeds will be shipped directly to the USDA APHIS Plant Germplasm Quarantine Center in Beltsville, Maryland. After inspection by APHIS and clear through the quarantine procedure, the seeds will be shipped to the apple collection, Plant Genetic Resources Unit, USDA ARS at Geneva, NY for permanent deposition and curation.
Approach:
Cooperators from the Plant Resource Center, Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Science will survey Lao Cai and Lai Chau Provinces and BidoupNuiBa National Park in Northern Vietnam and near the city of Dalat in Southern Vietnam for Malus dourmeri trees in September 2018. The survey will confirm the availability and exact locations of M. doumeri for the collection expedition. In late October to early November, 2018, two ARS Scientists will join the cooperators to collect fruit of M. doumeri in Northern and Southern Vietnam. For each M. doumeri population, a minimum of 10 trees with fruit will be randomly sampled. The team will aim to collect a minimum of 300 seeds per tree. The seeds from these fruit will be split between National Genebank of Vietnam and the ARS National Plant Germplasm System. The ARS portion of the seeds will be directly shipped to USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine Center in Beltsville, MD for inspection and quarantine procedure. Once the seeds are cleared from the APHIS quarantine inspection, the seeds will be sent to the Apple Collection, USDA-ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Unit, Geneva NY for permanent preservation and curation.
