Apples in the ARS
germplasm collection at Geneva, New York, vary widely in size, shape, and
color. Click the image for more information about it. |
New York Germplasm Resources Unit to
Celebrate ARS' 50th Anniversary with Open House By
Luis Pons September 17, 2004
GENEVA, N.Y., Sept. 17The Plant Genetic Resources
Unit (PGRU),
operated here by the Agricultural Research
Service, will help celebrate ARS' 50th year with an
open
house Saturday at the unit's headquarters at the
Cornell University
New York State Agricultural Experiment
Station. Established in 1953, PGRU houses one of the largest crop-plant
germplasm collections in the country. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief
scientific research agency.
"The Finger Lakes region of New York has always given our
scientists outstanding support, so we're delighted to invite everyone to PGRU's
first public open house," said ARS Administrator Edward B. Knipling. "Our
scientists want to share their work by offering tours of the orchards,
vineyards and vegetable crop plantings, along with demonstrations of
small-scale seed production and state-of-the-art research in fruit breeding and
genomics. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn about PGRU programs,
meet the scientists, tour the facilities and talk with the staff."
The Plant Genetics Research Unit is one of 33 components of the
National Plant Germplasm System, a
nationwide cooperative effort by federal, state and private organizations to
preserve the genetic diversity of plants. The ARS germplasm preservation system
acquires, preserves, evaluates, documents and distributes germplasm to breeders
interested in developing improved varieties.
The PGRU is focused on safeguarding germplasm of apple,
asparagus, buckwheat, celery, cole crops, grape, ground cherry, onion, radish,
tart cherry, tomato, tomatillo and winter squash. In addition, its researchers
are involved in projects to breed, protect and improve apples and grapes. The
open house will include farm tours showcasing the unit's grape and apple
collections. The diverse apple collection includes wild trees grown from seeds
collected in Kazakhstan, Russia, China and Turkey, as well as dwarf apple trees
from the PGRU apple rootstock breeding project.
Also highlighted will be displays such as one showcasing the
wide range of tomato colors, shapes and sizes; videos; and a demonstration of
how apple buds are cryogenically stored at minus 320·F in a liquid
nitrogen tank. For children, there will be a live honey bee observation hive,
leaf printing and coloring books.
A centerpiece of the event will be a hands-on, small-scale,
seed-harvesting demonstration that is part of the Public Seed Initiative (PSI). This on-farm breeding and
seed-production project seeks to connect small seed producers with seed
companies, university researchers, nonprofit groups and government agencies.
The PSI is sponsored by the Initiative for Future Agriculture Food
Systems and implemented by PGRU, Cornell University, the nonprofit
organization Oregon Tilth and the
Northeast Organic Farming
Association of New York. |