Project Number: 5402-21220-007-01
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 01, 2006
End Date: Dec 31, 2010

Objective:
ARS and BSDF will work together to produce the highest quality basic and applied research to meet the changing demands of the sugar beet world market, and its customers and stakeholders by: 1. Promoting sugar beet research concerning the isolation of specific genes and the development of germplasm, which may be used effectively in breeding to develop hybrids and varieties that are resistant to various pathogens, regionally adapted, suitable for various cultural practices, superior in biochemical attributes, and storable with minimum deterioration. 2. Establishing technology whereby new genetic characters, inbred lines, or sugar beet germplasm established via ARS research may be brought into widespread use by breeders and growers promptly, efficiently and at less cost. 3. Promoting research to develop better disease management, through an increased understanding of sugar beet disease etiology and epidemiology and an elucidation of the biochemistry, physiology and genetics of the sugar beet-pathogen-biocontrol agent interaction. 4. Increasing the understanding of the biochemical genetic and physiological basis of the development of the sugar beet plant, the storage of the harvested root and the extraction of sucrose from the beet to be better able to maximize the efficiency in the processing of sugar beet to sucrose and other products. 5. Evaluating, characterizing, and utilizing available genetic resources (esp., in the USDA-ARS NPGS Beta PI germplasm collection) to determine the genetic diversity within sugar beet and pathogen populations, to better understand and manage important pathogens of sugar beet, and to produce enhanced germplasm more rapidly and more efficiently to meet the changing needs of seed companies and the growers they serve.

Approach:
The purpose of this Agreement is to establish a general framework for cooperation and coordination between the United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service (ARS), and The Beet Sugar Development Foundation (BSDF). Both parties, the BSDF and the ARS, desire to continue their close working relationship on sugar beet breeding; genetics; disease management, etiology, and epidemiology; seedling, mature plant, and post harvest physiology, genetic resources; variety characterization; agronomic practices, and extraction of sugar and other products from sugar beet. The parties agree that meeting the objectives of this project will strengthen and enhance ongoing research within the scope of this agreement. It is the understanding of the parties to this agreement that the research, investigational work, and the writing of publications shall be for their benefit and the general benefit of the people of the United States. The Parties have a long history of collaborative research on the sugar beet, which formally began in the 1940's, under a Memorandum of Understanding. This collaboration has been, and continues to be, a vital synergistic relationship wherein ARS scientists are able to expand their sugar beet research capacity through their relationship with BSDF and its Members, and the BSDF and its Members are engaged in collaborative opportunities with ARS sugar beet scientists. ARS is actively conducting research on the sugar beet, sugar beet production and beet sugar extraction. The BSDF is composed of most of the sugar beet seed companies, processors, grower-owned cooperatives, and suppliers in the United States. It is in the interest of both parties to continue their close working relationship so that research can be better directed toward meeting the needs of the United States and other nations, and can be more expeditiously accomplished at less cost. This will be a joint effort between ARS, who is conducting research on the production of sucrose and other products from sugar beet and the BSDF, who is dedicated to the advancement of sugarbeet production and beet sugar processing through science based research and leading educational programs.