ARS | Publication request: Ten Years of Research at the Us Potato Genebank Using Molecular Markers to Study Efficiency in the Acquisition and Management of Potato Genetic Diversity

Submitted to: Potato Association Of America Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: April 15, 2004
Publication Date: August 10, 2004
Citation: Del Rio, A.H., Bamberg, J.B. 2004. Ten Years Of Research At The Us Potato Genebank Using Molecular Markers To Study Efficiency In The Acquisition And Management Of Potato Genetic Diversity [abstract]. Potato Association Of America Proceedings. Paper No. P35.

Technical Abstract: All potato genebanks aim their efforts to make best use of their resources for enhancing the acquisition and preservation of genetic diversity. In the past ten years, research conducted at US Potato Genebank (NRSP-6) has been driven to fulfill that objective by incorporating DNA-based markers. The goal has been to make precise genetic comparisons possible and objective testing of assumptions upon which many current genebank methods are based. Furthermore, these studies have allowed NRSP-6 to establish research cooperation with national and international institutions as well as to train graduate students and visiting scientists. This poster reviews some of these investigations 1) Comparisons of populations in the genebank with those re-sampled from the exact original locations in the wild many years later. 2) Relating of populations with nonsensical or missing identification data to those that are well documented. 3) Testing efficacy of genetic conservation over seed increase. 4) Assessing the dynamics of diversity in natural habitats. 5) Testing genetic parity between genebanks' holdings. Further research cooperation among genebanks is recommended. In this way, the best techniques for maximum conservation of potato genetic diversity can be detected and implemented.