Status of the National Cotton Germplasm Collection

Authors: Frelichowski, James - Jim; Love, Janna; Hinze, Lori; Udall, Joshua - Josh; JONES, DON - Cotton, Inc; Scheffler, Jodi

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/18/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The U.S. National Cotton Germplasm Collection (NCGC) distributes germplasm and associated information of cotton and crop wild relatives (other Gossypium species) to users in the USA and worldwide. It is part of the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System, a collaborative effort to safeguard the genetic diversity of agriculturally important plants, and often including partners in the public and private sectors. Annual statistics on key activities such as cotton seed distribution, seed increase, germplasm characterization, acquisition, database development, and research are presented. Comparison with data from previous annual reports reveal trends in these activities and generate implications for the long term status of the NCGC. Recently seed increases per year of diverse germplasm is more limited. Germplasm acquisitions are severely curtailed due to Intellectual Property Rights of developed cotton seed, or International Treaties that often require permissions and subsequent benefit sharing of acquired germplasm. Rising demand for cotton genetic resources, rising costs of operations, and static financial resources have created refined priorities, policies, and operations in the NCGC. Standardized and expanded morphological descriptors and digital images have been gathered on accessions since 2010 to assist the users of the NCGC in streamlining their germplasm requests to minimize time and germplasm resources. This data was collected in several environments, a Cotton Winter Nursery in Liberia, Costa Rica, and summer field plots and year round greenhouses in College Station, TX. Two online databases are used for submitting this data, CottonGen and GRINglobal. New germplasm was acquired by collection of crop wild relatives in the U.S. and Territories, and from cotton germplasm and cultivars whose intellectual property right protection period had expired. Collaboration within USDA-ARS and outside with Cotton Incorporated and various State and University partners (such as Texas A&M University) are essential to the maintenance, growth and utility of the NCGC. Regular reports on the activities and accomplishments of the NCGC are essential to maintain continued support in USDA-ARS and with our collaborators.