Contact Information E-mail:      barbara.hellier@ars.usda.gov Phone:      509-335-3763 Fax:      509-335-6654 Address:      59 Johnson Hall, WSU      Pullman, WA 99164-6402

Education

2000 -	M.S. Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University, Pullman, WA Seed analysis program for preparation of AOSA certification test. Thesis: Genetic, morphologic, and habitat diversity of two species of Allium native to the Pacific Northwest, USA and their implications for the in situ seed collection for the National Plant Germplasm System.
1984 -	B.S. Animal Sciences University of California, Davis, CA

Professional Experience

1998 - Present	Horticulture Crops Curator USDA-ARS Western Regional Plant Introduction Station Pullman, WA
1987 - 1998	Biological Plant Technician Technician for station Horticulturist & Plant Pathologist USDA-ARS Western Regional Plant Introduction Station Pullman, WA
1984 - 1986	Peace Corps Volunteer Peace Corps Micronesia Kosrae State, Federated States of Micronesia

Research and Interests

As the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station Horticulture Crops curator, Barbara has curatorial responsibility for 211 genera, 58% of the generic diversity held at the station. The major collections she is responsible for are Lactuca and Lactuca relatives (1388 accessions), Allium (969 accessions), Astragalus (752 accessions), Onobrychus (604 accessions), Papaver (556 accessions), Sanguisorba (126 accessions), Hedysarum (110 accessions), Scorpiurus (80 accessions), Anthyllus (66 accessions), Plantago (60 accessions) and Salvia (48 accessions). The remaining 200 genera in her program are represented by 40 or fewer accessions each. The total number of accessions maintained by the Horticulture Crops program is 5774.

The current focus for Barbara's program is building and evaluating the collections of medicinal and ornamental species, establishing in situ seed collection sites for Allium species native to North America, exploring the genetic diversity of the Lactuca sativa core collection using molecular techniques, and collecting germplasm for the species within her program via domestic and foreign explorations.