North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station   Part of the National Plant Germplasm System -                       Conserving and Providing Plant Genetic Resources for Agricultural Success A collaboration between the USDA-ARS, Iowa State University, and the North Central Regional Agricultureal Experiment Stations:  Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Spotlight:

GEM Field Day 2008 Genetic Enhancement of Maize Field Day, September 2008 North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station Farm, Ames, IA. The USDA-ARS GEM Project hosted their Annual Field Day on September 18 at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station in Ames, Iowa. Joining the Field Day were members of the GEM Technical Steering Group who met the previous day at NCRPIS and toured the GEM nursery. Over 60 participants attended the GEM Field Day from seven states. The participants included students, corn breeders, food scientists, and other agricultural scientists representing eleven companies, five USDA Research Units and four universities. Visitors viewed 150 entries of historically important germplasm sources, new GEM inbreds and top crosses, and five new inbreds from Iowa State University. The mission of the GEM (Germplasm Enhancement of Maize) Project is to effectively increase the diversity of U.S. maize germplasm utilized by producers, global end-users and consumers.        more information

Our mission is to conserve genetically-diverse crop germplasm and associated information, conduct germplasm-related research, and encourage the use of germplasm and associated information for research, crop improvement and product development.
Crops curated:

Amaranth Brassica

Cucumis Cucurbita

Cuphea Daucus

Flax Grasses

Helianthus Ornamentals

Umbels Zea mays

Above is an aerial view of the station facilities and part of the farm land used for seed increase. On the right side are pollination cages used to contain the insect pollinators. The cages prevent the insects from cross pollinating the many accessions grown for a crop in one year. The North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station specializes in increasing seed of crops that require cross pollination while maintaining accession purity.
NCRPIS Brochure	Proving their Prowess -		Photo credit: Peggy Greb, USDA
		Insects Help Preserve Germplasm Collection May/June 2008 Issue of Agricultural Research Pictured at right: Steve Hanlin, Entomologist, NCRPIS See also:   Agricultural Research   This article in html.   Table of contents.