Managing and distributing Maize diversity: The NPGS Maize collection in Ames, IA

Authors: Bernau, Vivian; Millard, Mark; Gardner, Candice

Submitted to: Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2020
Publication Date: 11/9/2020
Citation: Bernau, V.M., Millard, M.J., Gardner, C.A. 2020. Managing and distributing Maize diversity: The NPGS Maize collection in Ames, IA [abstract]. Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting. Paper No. 127656.

Interpretive Summary: The USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) includes a collection of nearly 20,000 accessions of cultivated temperate- and tropical-adapted maize and wild relative genetic resources from around the world. This collection is held at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS) in Ames, Iowa and is backed up at the National Lab for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins, Colorado and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. Approximately 76% of the collection (15,114 accessions) is currently available for distribution. Seed viability is monitored on a 10-15 year cycle. If viability drops below 50%, or if inventory falls below 1000 seeds, an accession becomes unavailable for distribution until it can be regenerated. Temperate-adapted material is typically regenerated in Ames, Iowa. Nurseries provided by collaborators and contractors in the continental US, Saint Croix, Puerto Rico, and Mexico are used to regenerate non-temperate material from unique environments. Seed regeneration is costly and is carefully managed to ensure that genetic integrity is preserved. Regeneration is also an opportunity to gather observations. GRIN-Global, the germplasm database of the NPGS, currently holds 338,001 trait observations on 16,623 maize accessions, and 17,138 ear, kernel, and cob images on 7,806 maize accessions, in addition to accession passport and provenance data. Researchers and educators can access information and request germplasm through the NPGS GRIN-Global public website: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/search.aspx. In 2019, NCRPIS distributed more than 20,000 packets of maize to requestors around the world.

Technical Abstract: The USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) includes a collection of nearly 20,000 accessions of cultivated temperate- and tropical-adapted maize and wild relative genetic resources from around the world. This collection is held at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS) in Ames, Iowa and is backed up at the National Lab for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins, Colorado and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. Approximately 76% of the collection (15,114 accessions) is currently available for distribution. Seed viability is monitored on a 10-15 year cycle. When seed viability drops below 50%, or if the on-hand kernel inventory falls below 1000 seeds, an accession becomes unavailable for distribution until it can be grown again. Temperate-adapted material is typically grown in Ames, Iowa. Nurseries provided by collaborators and contractors in the continental US, Saint Croix, Puerto Rico, and Mexico are used to grow non-temperate material from unique environments. Seed regeneration is costly and is carefully managed to ensure that genetic integrity is preserved. Regeneration is also an opportunity to gather observations. GRIN-Global, the germplasm database of the NPGS, currently holds 338,001 trait observations on 16,623 maize accessions, and 17,138 ear, kernel, and cob images on 7,806 maize accessions, in addition to accession passport and provenance data. Researchers and educators can access information and request germplasm through the NPGS GRIN-Global public website: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/search.aspx. In 2019, NCRPIS distributed more than 20,000 packets of maize to requestors around the world.