Project Number: 5310-21000-008-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 26, 2005
End Date: Apr 21, 2008

Objective:
1) Aquire, maintain, propagate, and distribute germplasm citrus, date palms, and related taxa. 2) Evaluate and characterize sekected accessions for genetic, horticultural, and other relevant traits; maintain and update associated databases and records describing and charcaterizing collection. 3) Develop better diagnostic methods for graft-transmissible pathogens in order to improve distribution of disease-free stock and methods of screeening for resisitance to the pathogens of citrus and dates. 4) Transfer technology in the form of genetic resouces, training/demonstrations, reseaech publications and associated information; promote the effective and efficient use of citrus and date germplasm.

Approach:
New accessions will be quarantined, indexed, and therapied before being available for distribution, and they will be characterized using the "Descriptions of Citrus" published by IPGRI. Genetic diversity for citrus and dates will be determined using molecular markers such as SSR and ISSR to identify gaps and redundancies in the collections and in recieved seedling populations. The 'core' collecion of 50 plants representing about 90% of the genetic diversity indentified in Citrus by use of SSR molecular markers will be further characterized by sequencing specific genes, representing regions from each chromosome, from each species of the 'core' collection. High-through-put laboratory based diagnostic procedures will be developed for pathogens for which genomic-based detection methods have been devloped to supplement biological indexing and to permit biennial testing of Citrus germplasm used for distribution. Laboratory based diagnostics will be devloped for Citrus vein enation virus, presently only detectable by biological indexing. Formerly 5310-21000-005-00D (4/05).