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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Riverside, California » National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #214960

Title: Cooperation in the Conservation of Citrus Genetic Resources: Riverside, California

Author
item KAHN, T - UC RIVERSIDE
item BIER, O - UC RIVERSIDE
item SEMANCIK, J - UC RIVERSIDE
item BASH, J - UC RIVERSIDE
item ROOSE, M - UC RIVERSIDE
item Krueger, Robert

Submitted to: International Society of Citriculture Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2004
Publication Date: 7/1/2007
Citation: Kahn, T.L., Bier, O.J., Semancik, J.S., Bash, J.A., Roose, M.L., Krueger, R. 2007. Cooperation in the Conservation of Citrus Genetic Resources: Riverside, California. International Society of Citriculture Proceedings 174-177.

Interpretive Summary: Conservation of genetic resources is vitally important for food security as well as agricultural research. In many cases, a single collection serves as the entire national collection, whereas in other cases there are many separate collections maintained with no central coordination. In the cases of citrus, an informal consortium of cooperating programs for the conservation and utilization of citrus genetic resources is centered at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). University units include the Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP), Citrus Variety Collection (CVC), and Citrus Breeding Program (CBP). The USDA supports the National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus & Dates (NCGRCD). These various programs all have unique roles and strengths. The fact that they are in close proximity and can coordinate activities makes the overall conservation of citrus genetic resources more efficient than it might otherwise be. Between the various programs, the ability is maintained to introduce materials under APHIS permit; maintain pathogen-tested, protected propagative materials; maintain materials in the field for evaluation; distribute materials both to scientists and to the industry; and to perform genetic analysis in order to better understand the relationships between the various accessions in the collections.

Technical Abstract: A consortium of cooperating programs for the conservation and utilization of citrus genetic resources is centered at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). University units include the Citrus Clonal Protection Program (CCPP), Citrus Variety Collection (CVC), and Citrus Breeding Program (CBP). The USDA supports the National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus & Dates (NCGRCD). The most extensive holding of citrus germplasm is the Citrus Variety Collection with over 900 accessions. The Citrus Variety Collection is used as a resource for research, breeding, and educational extension activities on the UC Riverside campus. The CVC also serves the invaluable function of conserving genetic resources and is useful for horticultural evaluations, but cannot be used as a source of budwood due to phytosanitary issues. The CCPP is the primary source of pathogen-tested, true-to-type budwood for the California industry. New varieties are introduced after meeting Federal and State requirements. Foundation materials are maintained in field plantings and under screen. The NCGRCD has the mission of acquiring, maintaining, distributing, and evaluating citrus germplasm. A separate protected collection is maintained as a source of budwood for distributions, and collaborative work on evaluation projects is carried out. CBP Breeders have elucidated many fundamental aspects of citrus genetics and evolution as well as released new varieties to the industry. More recently, the CBP has focused on utilization of molecular tools to better understand phylogenetic relationships between accessions. This paper reviews some of the changes in these programs since the last Congress.