2005 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? The functions of the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC) can be divided into three components. One is primarily service oriented: to conserve, distribute, and assess herbaceous ornamental plant germplasm as part of the United States National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS). The second is research oriented, facilitating the overall development of more efficient and effective germplasm management systems, and improved utilization of collections through germplasm enhancement. The third is education and training oriented, to create public awareness on the conservation of herbaceous ornamental plants and to fulfill the lack of specific training in this field. To these ends, the following objectives were established in the most recent Specific Cooperative Agreement supporting the OPGC: a) To characterize accessions for certain horticultural and genetic characteristics during seed regeneration and maintenance of ornamental plant germplasm; b) To establish facilities capable of storing up to 10,000 accessions, and facilities capable of providing evaluation, and seed and clonal regeneration of up to 300 accessions per year during the life of the agreement for distribution and utilization by research programs; c) To facilitate in-house state, regional, national and international research to assess the genetic diversity of the ornamental plant germplasm collections and of the individual accessions, and to determine the genetic diversity erosion through current regeneration procedures; d) To facilitate in-house state, regional, national and international research to design, modify, and improve seed regeneration and clonal preservation of ornamental plant germplasm in order to provide genetic resources and preserve the genetic integrity of germplasm accessions; e) To interact and cooperate with scientists worldwide involved in ornamental plant germplasm evaluation and characterization research and establish a liaison committee including ARS and OSU scientists and external germplasm users; f) To develop efficient systems for the entry, review, and retrieval of data into and from the Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN); and g) To establish a system to document the receipt, interpretation and fulfillment of requests for ornamental plant germplasm and for related information from researchers. The major issue being addressed through these functional objectives is that, while the NPGS has developed extensive collections of germplasm for the vast majority of horticultural and agronomic crops cultivated in the United States, which are widely used for crop improvement, new product development and scientific research, little attention had been given to developing similar collections of herbaceous ornamental plants. The economic stability and success of America’s agricultural economy will increasingly rely on diversification, value-added production and higher-value crops. In 2004, floricultural crops in the United States had an annual wholesale value of $5.18 billion. These crops have been an agricultural success story in many regions, with the production and sales of nursery and floral crops now a leading agricultural sector in numerous states. For this success to continue, stable production will depend upon genetic diversity, the raw material upon which genetic improvement is based, and also upon our potential to develop new crops, new uses for existing crops, and provide genetic solutions for production threatened by diseases, pests, and abiotic stresses. Diversity allows us to breed insect- or disease- resistant varieties that require fewer pesticide inputs, and from which new crops and products can be built, diversifying our nation’s agricultural economy. Plant scientists have been very active in the development of new varieties and products; germplasm collections play a significant role in providing the raw material and associated information, which contribute to their success. The OPGC is designed to assemble and manage diverse collections of floricultural germplasm and to make such collections available for breeding and selection, scientific study, and the development of new crops and products. It is widely known that the vast majority of food, grain, fruit, vegetable, and fiber crops produced in the United States originated in other parts of the world. This statement is also true for floricultural crops. The centers of origin for many of the species upon which our domestic floricultural producers depend are suffering severe environmental damage from a variety of causes, including habitat loss due to urbanization, deforestation, changing land-use practices, and the expansion of industrialized agriculture. Views on the open international exchange of germplasm have changed; policies engendered by the Convention on Biological Diversity and developments resulting from protection of intellectual property rights related to biological organisms and to farmers’ rights threaten further free and open exchange. As a result, the role of germplasm conservation centers as a primary source of potential genetic solutions is more important than ever. The United States has developed the most extensive national system for the preservation of agricultural biodiversity in the world. Because of the stability of its funding and operational systems, it is able to serve international germplasm resource needs better than any other nation. Consistent with the goals of the Action Plan for National Program 301, investments made in our National Plant Germplasm System bring the greatest returns when the collections we hold are actively and carefully managed; collection managers work closely with a dynamic community of users to ensure that we have germplasm and associated information of high quality available to serve their current and future needs. The OPGC is striving to serve those ends. The collective efforts of the OPGC will safeguard our nation’s plant germplasm collections for many important floricultural crops. These crops are particularly challenging to conserve because of high labor inputs, environmental manipulation for flowering and seed production, and the large-scale management of pollinating insects. At this point in its development, the OPGC is focusing on the assembly of genetically diverse, well-documented germplasm collections of important herbaceous ornamental plant genera based on the recommendations of the USDA Herbaceous Ornamental Crop Germplasm Committee. As that is accomplished, the collections will be actively promoted so that they are widely utilized in support of both basic and applied research, with the overall goal of serving both floricultural producers and a much wider research community. In addition, it is planned that research conducted as part of this project will focus on more efficient methods for seed production and the preservation of vegetatively-propagated germplasm. To accomplish these ends, the OPGC works closely with its ADODR, Dr. Mark Widrlechner of the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, Ames, Iowa and with the pertinent curators and other operational components of the NPGS, including the Germplasm Resources Information Network, Plant Exchange Office, the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation, and the Plant Germplasm Quarantine Center with the advice of the USDA’s Herbaceous Ornamental Crop Germplasm Committee. 2.List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. This Congressionally-mandated project operates under a Specific Cooperative Agreement (SCA) between USDA-ARS and The Ohio State University (OSU) with defined objectives. There is no direct relationship between those objectives and the milestones established in the Project Plan for the main CRIS project, 3625-21000-044-00D. Internal milestones for the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC) had been established in 2001 and covered a period through 2004. The OPGC and its ADODR recognize the need to conduct a current assessment of progress and update the overall planning process in order to develop more timely and appropriate goals and milestones for the next three years. During the coming FY, the OPGC will convene an external program planning session to meet these needs. When the Project Plan for the main CRIS project, 3625-2100-044-00D, is rewritten in 2007, there will be an opportunity to integrate OPGC’s activities and internal milestones with those of the parent CRIS. 4a.What was the single most significant accomplishment this past year? Expansion of germplasm collections being conserved and made available at the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC). During the last year, the OPGC acquired 1067 accessions (mainly of priority genera), bringing the total number of accessions to more than 3400. Collaboration with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has resulted in the collection of 282 accessions from throughout Ohio. To make these accessions available to the research community, the OPGC initiated seed regeneration of biennial and perennial species. In FY 2005, 85 accessions were planted in field and 148 accessions in the greenhouse using both insects (mainly bumblebees) and hand pollination for seed regeneration. In addition, about 400 accessions of Pelargonium have been put into an in vitro collection as meristem cultures. 4b.List other significant accomplishments, if any. During FY 2005, the OPGC divided its curatorial responsibilities into two curatorial teams that are now fully operational. The Clonal Curatorial Team has taken responsibility for Begonia, Pelargonium, Chrysanthemum, Euphorbia, Hemerocallis and Narcissus. And the Seed Curatorial Team has taken responsibility for Aquilegia, Aster, Baptisia, Campanula, Dianthus, Geranium, Impatiens, Iris, Lilium, Petunia, Phlox, Tagetes, Verbena, Veronica and Viola. 4c.List any significant activities that support special target populations. Nothing to report. 4d.Progress report. This report serves to document activities conducted during FY 2005 under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and OSU. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 3625-21000-044-00D. The following infrastructure items and equipment are in place and operating satisfactorily: seed storage cooler, tissue culture laboratory, seed laboratory and greenhouse. All essential equipment has been purchased and, presently, efforts are concentrating on establishing regular maintenance and calibration systems. A capillary-mat irrigation system has been installed in some greenhouse compartments, and drip irrigation will be installed in others. The OPGC has made a substantial progress in genebanking techniques, especially in the areas of seed multiplication, seed cleaning, seed germination and storage. Many of the annual cultivars that are easy to regenerate have been multiplied and, currently, efforts are concentrating on the regeneration of biennials, perennials, and wild species. One of the greenhouse compartments was made into a winter vernalization chamber, and this has proven effective in promoting floral development. Progress is also being made in the establishment of in vitro collections of clonally propagated crops. Presently, about 400 accessions of Pelargonium have been established as meristem cultures. An evaluation proposal to study the genetic diversity of these Pelargonium accessions by using DNA markers was also recently funded and is now underway. A workplace safety system was established, including an OPGC Employee Orientation Handbook and Work Place Safety and Hazardous Communication Safety Training Manuals. Procedures for training documentation were established for all OPGC employees. Four OPGC staff members maintained their Ohio Pesticide Applicator Licenses. Recently, the OPGC also initiated cooperative research with the OSU College of Pharmacy to screen OPGC collections for bioactive compounds. One of three proposals on germplasm evaluation for pharmaceutical compounds in collaboration with the OSU College of Pharmacy and Department of Plant Pathology has been funded. A seed grant of $5000 from the Mid-America Orchid Congress to study seed storage in orchids was used to leverage a doctoral assistantship at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. A proposal to collect herbaceous ornamental germplasm from Upper Mesopotamia in Turkey with Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey and AARI, Izmir, Turkey was approved for funding, and field collection is scheduled for July 2006. Proposals written jointly with the Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), Costa Rica, and the American Begonia Association to collect Begonia and Verbena germplasm in Costa Rica, and with the Limbe Botanical Garden, Cameroon, to collect Impatiens have been completed and submitted to the USDA-ARS Plant Exchange Office. 5.Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. The OPGC was established in 1999 through a Specific Cooperative Agreement (SCA) between USDA-ARS and the Ohio State University (OSU). The initial SCA was made for a five-year period, ending August 31, 2004. A new SCA was negotiated during 2004 and was entered into operation for an additional three-year period. A detailed account of accomplishments during the initial five-year period was summarized in the AD-421 Final Report for FY 2004. Highlights are included below, along with progress made during the FY 2005. Mr. James Corfield was hired by OSU as Interim OPGC Director in November 1999 and served in that capacity until July 2001. He was instrumental in managing all aspects of the project, including the hiring of a permanent Director and Curator. National searches were initiated in June 2000 to identify a pool of well-qualified candidates to fill those key positions. Dr. David Tay began service as OPGC Director in May 2001 and Ms. Susan Stieve as the first Curator in March 2001. In 2004, a second Curator, Ms. Jennifer Ehrenberger, was hired to manage clonally-propagated collections. By 2004, full-time staffing levels at the OPGC reached six, with the hiring of two Research Assistants and a Research Aide, now organized into two curatorial teams. Routine outdoor and laboratory work is supported by student helpers and master-gardener volunteers. Research relating to OPGC activities is mainly provided by eight post-graduate students in cooperation with OSU and Virginia Tech faculty, through joint sponsorship of graduate research assistantships. For example, a doctoral student is now using DNA markers to study one of the highest priority genera, Pelargonium, and a master’s student initiated an ornamental germplasm evaluation project on Begonia in October 2003. In 2001, the Herbaceous Ornamental Crop Germplasm Committee (HOCGC) established an OPGC Subcommittee to provide an external sounding board for OPGC activities. This Subcommittee assisted in the development of a strategic plan. A mid-cycle analysis of the strategic plan was conducted in July, 2002. This helped establish an implementation plan for the next 18 to 24 months, covering three main areas: (1) Building a broad network of professional contacts, (2) Prioritizing activities and setting benchmarks, and (3) Generating more publicity and participation and maintaining a proper balance between professionals and hourly laborers. A coordinated program to make significant improvements to existing OPGC facilities on the Columbus campus of OSU was completed in 2002, through an extra cash contribution of $67,500 from OSU. The OPGC headquarters in Columbus were renovated, with significant improvements to the facility’s electrical and air conditioning systems, plumbing, and roofing to accommodate new equipment and personnel. Its greenhouse complex was substantially upgraded for germplasm maintenance and seed multiplication, with a repair and maintenance program now in place. Other works completed include the acquisition of high-quality seed testing, germination and processing equipment, the construction of a temperature and humidity-controlled walk-in cooler for medium-term seed storage, and installation of office furniture and equipment. These acquisitions and renovations have allowed the OPGC to direct more of its attention to germplasm acquisition, conservation and distribution. Given the diverse array of species under the OPGC’s purview, the development of priority lists was an important first step in the Center’s evolution. The ranking of the 30 priority genera recommended by the HOCGC was completed in 2003. Germplasm acquisition, conservation and evaluation of these top-ranking genera serve as the initial focus of OPGC activities. In addition to the general guidance that has been received from the HOCGC, crop-specific Technical Working Groups (TWGs) are being established to provide specific technical advice and recommendations to OPGC on the collection, conservation and evaluation of individual genera. Currently, 15 TWGs are functional with their current membership posted on the OPGC website (http://opgc.osu.edu/). The most significant immediate tasks of TWGs are to identify acquisition needs and appropriate sources. In 2002, 964 accessions of herbaceous ornamental plants were transferred to the OPGC from other NPGS sites. Additional transfers have followed. A seed regeneration program was initiated in 2002, focusing initially on easy-to-grow annuals, such as Antirrhinum, Tagetes and Zinnia, but now being expanded to include biennials, perennials, and wild relatives. In the first field season, 35 pollination cages were installed at the OSU Waterman Farm to accommodate 70 accessions; that year, 37 accessions produced sufficient seeds for distribution and back-up at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins, CO. By 2004, 120 accessions were being regenerated. The efficacy of various pollinating insects (honeybees, bumblebees, and blue-bottle flies) has been compared in both field-pollination cages and greenhouse compartments. Based on these results, bumblebees are now the primary pollinator for seed regeneration. In addition, more than 400 accessions of Pelargonium have been established as meristem cultures following the creation of a tissue-culture lab in 2004. To acquire key germplasm collections, the OPGC is building relationships with all NPGS active sites, along with the Mid West Plant Collecting Consortium, the North America China Plant Exploration Consortium, National Arboretum, Chicago Botanic Garden, Cornell Plantation, Native Seed/SEARCH, and seed companies, such as Shady Hill Nursery and Benary Seed, to contribute germplasm. Collections resulting from USDA-funded explorations to Armenia, the Republic of Georgia, Russia, China and Ukraine have been received, and germplasm transfer programs were established with the American Begonia Society, the International Impatiens Society, and the American Narcissus Society. By FY 2005, these relationships had led to an increase in the total number of accessions to 3,467, with 2,010 accessions representing HOCGC priority genera. With so much recent acquisition activity, efforts in seed regeneration and in vitro storage of clonally-propagated accessions are not yet sufficient to keep pace, creating temporary regeneration backlogs. During FY 2006, plans will be developed to manage these backlogs while preserving the viability of samples awaiting regeneration. For clonally-propagated collections, a germplasm consolidation process with input from TWGs is underway with a goal of reducing redundant accessions. Partnering with public gardens to conduct ornamental germplasm conservation through the development of associate germplasm collections is also being explored. The OPGC continues to refine and document its procedures based on the application and modification of the best available practices in plant genetic resource management. This is being formalized through the writing of an OPGC Operations Manual. Examples of refinements include modifications to pollination-cage design from five- to seven-foot width and height and the adoption of black plastic mulch and T-tape for weed suppression and irrigation in field cages. Accuracy and speed in seed cleaning have been remarkably improved where optimal sieve sizes and Oregon seed blower settings have been identified for different species. Digital X-ray equipment installed in June 2004 is effective in differentiating empty and inadequately-filled seed from good seed even for microscopic Begonia seeds and is proving essential in the seed-cleaning process. In 2003, 59 seed and plant samples were distributed. This increased to 189 samples in 2004. So far in 2005, 269 samples have been distributed to meet external requests. One of these distributions, a Cuphea accession, is now being multiplied for possible commercial introduction by a local nursery. With sustained increases in the number of conserved accessions and successful regenerations, and the anticipated completion of the entry of passport and inventory data into GRIN, even more germplasm requests are anticipated. The OPGC works closely with its ADODR, Dr. Mark Widrlechner in both policy and operational matters to ensure that its operations are consistent and fully integrated with the NPGS, including all matters related to acquisition, conservation and distribution. The Director and Curators have attended all meetings of the NPGS Plant Germplasm Operations Committee, which brings together leadership throughout the system. In fact, OPGC staff are now members of the following NPGS subcommittees and working groups: Associate Germplasm Collection, Barcoding of Economic Plants, In Situ, Medicinal Plants, PI Indexing, and Procedures Manual. To increase the Center’s visibility and establish professional contacts, the OPGC has presented its plans to many trade and professional groups. Discussions with representatives of the seed and nursery industries, academia, botanic gardens and arboreta, and the general public, including Master Gardeners, are being used to build networks and partnerships. The OPGC hosted the 2003 National Floriculture Forum, and OPGC staff members have participated in numerous professional and trade meetings. Dr. Tay is now involved in planning for an ISHS International Symposium on herbaceous ornamental plant germplasm conservation and utilization, to be held in South Korea in 2006, to help establish global benchmarks on collection and conservation status, genetic erosion, germplasm utilization, and international cooperation. The OPGC website was updated and revised in 2004, and reciprocal links with GRIN are in place. The OPGC brochure was revised to include OPGC contact details, and three bookmarks, a poster on the centers of origin of the 30 priority genera, and a postcard have been printed. An OPGC Endowment presently holds $30,000, and negotiations are on-going to integrate the Endowment with OSU’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences fundraising program. A bookmark and a flyer were developed to publicize the OPGC endowment and request contributions. 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? At this point in the development of the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center (OPGC), the emphasis is on building cooperator networks within the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), the Ohio State University and outside institutions to allow the OPGC to become fully operational. To build those networks, OPGC staff members actively participate in scientific societies and industry associations, including the American Society for Horticultural Science, American Horticultural Society, International Society for Horticultural Science, OFA, Society of American Florists, and American Public Gardens Association. Its Director and one of its Curators are members of the OFA Educational Affairs Committee. The Director also recently began service as a member of the International Seed Testing Association’s Flower Seed Committee, and he and his staff are now preparing presentations on flower seed production and processing to give to professional organizations. In addition, the Director chairs the ASHS Seed and Seedling Establishment Working Group and is responsible for organizing a workshop at the 2006 ASHS Annual Conference. He is also organizing a 1-day symposium on Safe Movement and Germplasm Conservation of Ornamentals at the 2006 International Horticultural Congress in Seoul, Korea. To publicize the existence of the OPGC, its mission and activities, two new brochures and a poster, “Centers of Origin for Common Ornamental Plants,” were produced during the last year. During this start-up period, most technology transfer involves the transfer of established technologies for germplasm conservation, such as systems for caged, insect-pollinated seed production and optimal seed and vegetative-sample storage, from the NPGS and other genebanks to the OPGC. For example, OPGC personnel are consulting with scientists from the National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, OR, and Olgevee Ltd. to develop techniques to reduce contamination for accessions being maintained in vitro, and OPGC curators are working with staff at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, Ames, IA to develop workable methods to input data from Excel spreadsheets into the NPGS’s Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) database. However, the dissemination of germplasm collections and new technologies by the OPGC to horticultural producers and scientific researchers through cooperator networks (as described above) is now beginning and is expected to increase substantially in the next one to two years. OPGC staff members are networking with seed scientists in universities and seed companies to develop suitable germination protocols, which also involves OPGC collaboration in the training of eight graduate students, conducting research related to plant genetic resource conservation. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). Article in Popular Press: OPGC Newsletter 2005 Winter Issue (http://opgc.osu.edu/doc/Newsletter_1-28-05.doc). OPGC Newsletter 2005 Spring Issue (http://opgc.osu.edu/doc/OPGC%20Sp'05%207-7.pdf). April 11, 2005 – Germplasm Center Reviving "Old-Style" Petunias. OSU news release, by Candace Pollock. April 11, 2005 – Ohio State University’s Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center revives old-style petunias, SeedQuest News Section, News release 11,931. April 12, 2005 – Germplasm center reviving "old-style" petunias. OSU Today. E-mail news - Headlines for Wednesday, April 13, 2005. April 22, 2005 – An Ohio State University center is working on regerminating the past. Richmond (IN) Palladium-Item (http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050422/NEWS13/504220332/1007). April 26, 2005 – Old-style petunias could see revival. GMPRO greEn-Mail. May 16, 2005 – Heirloom petunias not all cut and dried. The Columbus (OH) Dispatch, p. B1. May 27, 2005 – Old plants kept alive thanks to work of Ohio State researchers. The Lantern (OSU Student Daily), Friday Issue p. 1. July 2005 – Research could revive old-style petunias. GMPRO 25(7): 6. July 20, 2005 – Preserving beauty: OPGC preserves genomes of herbaceous plants, by Joni Bentz Seal, onCampus (OSU Faculty and Staff News) 35(1) (http://oncampus.osu.edu/article.php?id=527). July-August 2005 – Reviving heirloom petunias. The American Gardener 84(4): 48. August 4, 2005 – Center collects seeds to sprout plant research. The Lantern (OSU Student Daily), Thursday Issue p. 3. Presentations: August 20-22, 2004 - OPGC Poster Display and brief introductory speech at the Ohio Prairie Association Annual Conference. September 2, 2004 - China Guangxi TV filming OPGC greenhouse and interviewing David Tay.