Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research : USDA ARS

The Tropical Agriculture Research Station Administrative Building

The USDA, ARS, Tropical Agriculture Research Station was founded in 1901 by an act of the U.S. Congress. Its main building shown here was constructed in 1909.

Celebrating 120 Years of Agricultural Research!

TARS carries out research on numerous tropical fruit crops.

Scientists at the ARS germplasm repository in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, carry out research to evaluate and develop integrated production systems for numerous tropical fruit crops and to conserve the germplasm of these crops.

TARS maintains a genetically diverse cacao collection comprising more then 200 accessions.

Horticulturist Tomas Ayala (left) and plant physiologist Ricardo Goenaga inspect cacao pods. The Mayaguez repository maintains a genetically diverse collection of cacao, comprising more than 200 accessions.

Geneticist Tim Porch improves common bean germplasm for biotic and abiotic stress.

The evaluation of sorghum accessions present in the US sorghum collection will help to identify new germplasm to broaden genetic variability available for the development of new varieties.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The USDA-ARS Southeast Area’s (SEA) number one priority is the safety and health of our personnel and visitors. As a result of damages caused by hurricanes Maria and Fiona, there are multiple repair, maintenance, and construction projects running at the location. Therefore, at the present time, we are restricting visitors and meetings at the Tropical Agriculture Research Station (TARS) to strictly essential purposes and emergencies. Thank you.

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Useful Links:

Location's History
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Getting to the Station

USDA Caribbean Climate Hub:

Release of Climate Database Application (New)

Disaster Recovery Resources for Farmers, Forest Managers and Rural Communities

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research: Mayaguez, PR