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National Programs Plant Genetic Resources, Genomics and Genetic Improvement
Projected Outcomes/Impacts
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NP301 - Projected Outcomes/Impacts

 

  • By 2011, this national program will have substantially increased the number of well-documented plant germplasm accessions so as to safeguard and improve the U.S. system of renewable resource production.  The rate whereby new germplasm, especially for specialty and new alternative crops is acquired, must be balanced with the effective maintenance of existing germplasm collections.  Attaining this programmatic outcome in this period of rapid change in the international environment will be an urgent matter for the future of the United States and world agriculture.  

 

  • By 2011, this national program will develop improved methods for germplasm conservation, breeding, and genome analyses.  The USDA/ARS will thereby enhance the continuum of the germplasm conservation, genetic, genomic and bioinformatic research, and breeding process – from identifying a useful gene in its original source, through genomic and genetic analyses, to its ultimate deployment in an end product for the consumer.  It will thereby serve as the primary steward of not only the Nation's crop germplasm and associated descriptive information, but also of traditional and innovative approaches for crop improvement.

 

  • By 2011, this national program will broaden genetic diversity in crops throughout their production areas and under different production conditions.  Genetic diversity will be enhanced by developing (from an array of different genetic sources) genetically diverse cultivars, lines, strains, or even "new crops" with high productive efficiency, capacity, and reliability.  Crop genepools with broadened genetic bases may enable plant breeders to reduce the likelihood of losses due to rapidly changing climatic conditions, environmental extremes, or epidemics of pests or pathogens.  Access to a broader spectrum of crop genetic diversity may also enable U.S. crop producers to react and to adapt relatively rapidly and sustainably to dynamic world market demands.  

 

  • By 2011, this national program will elucidate (via rapid gene sequencing, mapping, and identification methods) the structure and function of a broad spectrum of crop genomes.  It will also enhance the U.S. national capacity for crop genomic and bioinformatic research.  Whenever genetic repertoire, gene order, gene content, and gene function are conserved across crops, genomic information and technology developed for one crop might be deployed to simultaneously improve closely or distantly related crops.

 

  • By 2011, this national program will improve methods for breeding crops.  More effective procedures for manipulating germplasm via marker-assisted selection, elucidating genetic bases of traits with complex inheritances, identifying and characterizing novel heterotic groups and quantitative trait loci, identifying optimal germplasm for specific breeding objectives, and monitoring response to selection and breeding progress will be developed.

     
Last Modified: 11/07/2008
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