Recent acquisitions of Rubus L. at the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, Oregon: profiles of four species

Authors: Hummer, Kim; Bushakra, Jill

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/4/2020
Publication Date: 7/1/2020
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/7071195
Citation: Hummer, K.E., Bushakra, J. 2020. Recent acquisitions of Rubus L. at the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, Oregon: profiles of four species. Acta Horticulturae. 1277:33-38. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2020.1277.5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2020.1277.5

Interpretive Summary: Conservation of the blackberries, raspberries, and their crop wild relatives is a mandate for the US Department of Agriculture, National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR). While the genebank was initiated in 1981, and now contains 2180 accessions, many of the world species are not yet represented. Besides maintaining clonal plant material as living plant collections in screenhouses and greenhouses, and seeds in freezers, the genebank staff has focused on obtaining a broad representation of species to fill gaps in the collections. the NCGR has acquired about 100 Rubus species since 2000 through plant collecting expeditions and exchanges. The objective of this manuscript is to profile four diverse Rubus species not widely known. This report will feature Barton's raspberry from North America, a creeping dewberry from the Eastern U.S., and silky-leaved berry from higher elevation, low latitude Southeast Asia, and Macvaugh's raspberryfrom Mexico. Morphological and phenological characteristics will be described. Plant characteristics that could apply to breeding or ornamental uses will be highlighted. The USDA acquires Foreign species considering the requirements of the International Treaty (IT) on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Cuttings/seeds can be obtained from the genebank for research. Requests for germplasm must be entered on the USDA GRIN-Global website. Shipped orders must be accompanied with an appropriate import permit from the requesting country and the USDA phytosanitary certification. Plant material is distributed according to the standard material transfer agreement of the IT.

Technical Abstract: Conservation of Rubus (the blackberries, raspberries, and their crop wild relatives) is a mandate for the US Department of Agriculture, National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR). While the genebank was initiated in 1981, and now contains 2180 accessions, many of the world species are not yet represented. Besides maintaining clonal plant material as living plant collections in screenhouses and greenhouses, and seeds in freezers, the genebank staff has focused on obtaining a broad representation of species to fill gaps in the collections. the NCGR has acquired about 100 Rubus species since 2000 through plant collecting expeditions and exchanges. The objective of this manuscript is to profile four diverse Rubus species not widely known. This report will feature R. bartonianus Peck of subg. Anoplobatus from North America, R. hispidus of subg. Rubus from the Eastern U.S., and R. lineatus from higher elevation, low latitude Southeast Asia, and R. macvaughianus from Mexico, both of which are within subg. Idaeobatus. Morphological and phenological characteristics will be described. Plant characteristics that could apply to breeding or ornamental uses will be highlighted. The USDA acquires Foreign species considering the requirements of the International Treaty (IT) on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Cuttings/seeds can be obtained from the genebank for research. Requests for germplasm must be entered on the USDA GRIN-Global website. Shipped orders must be accompanied with an appropriate import permit from the requesting country and the USDA phytosanitary certification. Plant material is distributed according to the standard material transfer agreement of the IT.