Location: Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory
Project Number: 8042-22000-308-014-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2019
End Date: Nov 30, 2020
Objective:
The primary purpose of this agreement is to support USDA APHIS Enhanced Pest ID and Technology. The specific objective for this agreement is the digital imaging of the type specimens of North American rust and smut fungi housed in the U.S. National Fungus Collections in Beltsville, MD to enhance the ability of USDA to prevent the entry of plant-quarantine significant fungi into the U.S.
Approach:
ARS plans to digitize the macroscopic and microscopic features, as well as all associated notes and annotations found within the specimen packets, of approximately 2500 type or other authentic specimens of rust and smut fungi housed at the US National Fungus Collections in Beltsville, MD, with emphasis on those currently known in North America (1231 specimens). In addition to the specimens themselves, all associated material found within the specimen packets will be imaged and if sufficient material exists, DNA will be extracted and PCR performed to provide a barcode sequence that will include the internal transcribed spacer regions and the 28S nuclear ribosomal DNA regions.
