Objective:
ARS manages the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), a network of plant genetic resources repositories, research stations, and service elements which maintain, regenerate, characterize, document, preserve, and distribute germplasm under USDA policies to research scientists all over the world. ARS has established a storage facility at its National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation (NCGRP), Fort Collins, Colorado, for the long-term preservation of plant germplasm at the highest level of viability and genetic integrity, with the aim of ensuring a safe and secure supply of plant genetic resources for current and future use. NS/S maintains a collection of genetic resources comprised of the domesticated crops and their wild relatives that were traditionally used as food, fiber, dye, medicines, herbs or were otherwise important to the many cultures and communities inhabiting the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. NS/S and ARS share common interests and objectives in collecting, preserving, utilizing, and exchanging plant genetic resources and recognize the mutual benefits and advantages of accurate scientific and technical information and collaboration.

Approach:
ARS agrees to place duplicate samples of seeds of accessions held in the NS/S collection in long-term Security Backup Storage at NCGRP. ARS agrees that the Stored Germplasm placed in Security Backup at NCGRP will remain the property of NS/S and that samples of the original seeds will be returned to NS/S upon request. ARS agrees not to claim ownership over the materials received through this cooperative agreement, nor to seek intellectual property rights over that germplasm or related information. Seed samples received from NS/S will be equilibrated to optimum moisture content, packaged and sealed in a moisture-proof container, and stored in a cold vault that is maintained at about -18C. When seeds with high viability are dried to optimum moisture content for the storage temperature and are stored in moisture-proof containers at sub-zero temperatures, good viability is expected for many years; and security at NCGRP is provided by design basis construction against natural disasters and by an electronic security monitoring system. For each accession sent by NS/S, sample of seed of highest possible quality with no seed treatment will be placed in a cloth bag or paper envelope, and within cardboard boxes (numbered sequentially) and shipped to NCGRP. Each germplasm shipment will be accompanied by an inventory list (on diskette) of accessions with NS/S identifiers (and other identifiers when available), crop or species, variety name, and germination information when available. The inventory list should be numbered sequentially to match the numbering of the boxes.