United States and BrazilSow Seeds forGer"leJasmExchan9...e

What effect does temperature have on long-termseed storage?

Christina Walters, a plant physiologist at the ARSNational Center for Genetic Resources Preserva-tion (NCGRP) in Fort Collins, Colorado, and visit-

ing scientist Luciano Nass, from Brazil, are trying to find out.They're using germplasm-the genetic material of a plant-from

maize, which is an important crop in STEPHEN AUSMUS (D681-1)

both nations.

"NCGRP has a lot of data on maize

storage, dating back to 1977, whichmakes it an ideal crop for a comparisonstudy like this," Walters says.

She and Nass plan to clarify howmaize grains respond to both extremelycold cryogenic storage and conven-tional storage over time. PreviousNCGRP research suggests that maizedeteriorates faster in the frigid tem-peratures of cryogenic storage (about-238°F) than in those of conventionalstorage (about OaF).Walters and Nasswant to know why.

They'll use this information to deter-mine the most economical and efficient

method for storing maize germplasm.They may be able to extrapolate theresults to other crops as well. Thiswill aid both countries in evaluatingthe cost efficiency of their respectivegenebanking systems and could guidefuture investment decisions.

"This research will show us how to

use taxpayers' money to the greatestadvantage," Walters says. "We wantto know which method gives themthe most bang for their buck and ~owwe can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of germplasmstorage."

their differences by organizing a formal agricultural collabora-tion. The resulting program is Labex, from a Portuguese termmeaning "virtual laboratory," so called because it lacks anyphysical laboratory buildings of its own.

ARS's Office of International Research Programs coordinatesthe Labex program, through which the United States and Brazilshare equipment, researchers, and expertise. ARS provides of-

fices, laboratory space, equipment, andsupplies to visiting senior scientistsfrom Brazil. EMBRAPA funds the

salaries and expenses of the ~cientists,who are among the most respected andexperienced ones in their country.

The program often expands its fo-cus, but previous projects emphasizedprecision agriculture, animal health,integrated pest management, new usesof commodities, genomics, proteomics,bioinformatics, and global change.Current projects focus on geneticresources, nanotechnology, and foodsecurity.

In December 2005, Nass and visit-ing scientist Arthur Mariante arrivedfrom Brazil to investigate and analyzeeffective genebank management tech-niques and encourage internationalgermplasm exchange. This is the firstLabex project to deal with geneticresources, says Labex program co-ordinator Pedro Arraes.

Brazilian geneticist Luciano Nass (left) and ARSanimal geneticist Harvey Blackburn prepareto cryopreserve germplasm in a computerizedprogrammable freezer as part of the Labexexchange program.

The Virtual LaboratoryThis research is one aspect of an ongoing collaborative

effort between ARS and its Brazilian counterpart, EMBRAPA(Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuana).

Despite differences in climate, native flora and fauna, and agri-cultural management practices, the United States and Brazil havea lot in common. Both are large nations with diverse topogra-phies. Both count com and soybeans among their principal crops.The two nations even face similar agricultural challenges.

In 1998, ARS and EMBRAPA decided to capitalize on thenations' similarities and the unique perspectives that arise from

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Updating Animal-GRINWhile Nass has been working in

NCGRP's Plant Germplasm PJeserva-tion Research Unit, Mariante spent 6months working with researchers in

the National Animal Germplasm Program. Mariante comparedU.S. and Brazilian livestock genetic conservation programs, metwith livestock breeders from around the country, and workedwith ARS animal geneticist Harvey Blackburn to develop plansfor evaluating the genetic diversity of U.S. and Brazilian sheepand cattle populations.

Blackburn and several EMBRAPA leaders have also arrangedfor a Brazilian computer programmer, Eduardo Vaz de MelloCajueiro, to work with U.S. programmers in Beltsville, Maryland,to develop a new version of the animal germplasm component ofARS's Genetic Resources Information Network (GRIN). MoreBrazilian programmers are expected to participate.

"Currently, Brazil does not have an equivalent database foranimals, so this collaboration will help them develop their own

Agricultural ResearchIFebruary 2007

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JIInational database and document their animal genetic resources,"Blackburn says. "It will help the United States by developinga critical mass of programmers to expedite the development ofthe animal section of GRIN."

Once completed, users from both countries will be able toquery the database to obtain information on the breeds and in-dividual animals whose germplasm is contained in the nations'repositories.

"In the future, this information could facilitate internationalexchange of germplasm or tissues for genomic studies,"Blackburn says.

Going to Seed (Exchange)Germplasm exchange is an important aspect of this binational

collaboration, which is particularly significant because of itsuniqueness. International germplasm exchange can be compli-cated by a variety of factors, so efforts like this are rare.

NCGRP provides long-term, backup storage for about 78percent of the more than 470,000 plant germplasm accessionswithin the National Plant Germplasm System and about 300,000units of semen, embryos, and blood from about 120 livestockbreeds collected by the U.S. National Animal Germplasm Pro-gram. The Brazilian genebank, located in Brasilia and called"Cenargen," holds about 40 percent of 250,000 accessions ofplant germplasm and more than 56,000 semen samples and 200

STEPHEN AUSMUS (0682-2)

embryos in support of the Brazilian National Genetic ResourceProgram, called "Renargen."

The researchers are encouraging scientists from both countriesto identify which germplasm samples they'd like to exchange.Nass and NCGRP curator David Ellis are coordinating theinternational germplasm exchange from Fort Collins, but itincludes all the curators within the U.S. National Plant Germ-

plasm System."It's a practical collaboration," says Ellis. "The international

approach allows us to compare each other's ways of genebankingand to examine strengths and weaknesses within each system.This will help us develop programs that optimize resourceswithin our own countries, while benefiting from the exchangeof information, technology, and germplasm."

By doing so, both the United States and Brazil can learnmuch from their shared and individual experiences.-By LauraMcGinnis, ARS.

This research is part of Food Animal Production (#101) andPlant Genetic Resources, Genomics, and Genetic Improvement(#301), two ARS National Programs described on the WorldWide Web at www.nps.ars.usda.gov.

To reach scientists mentioned in this story, contact LauraMcGinnis, USDA-ARS Information Staff, 5601 Sunnyside Ave.,Beltsville, MD 20705-5129; phone (301) 504-I654,fax (301)504-1486, e-maillaura.mcginnis@ars.usda.gov. ,.

Plant pathologist Dave Ellis (left) and visiting geneticist Luciano Nass discuss cryopreservationtechniques for vegetatively propagated crops.

Agricultural Research/February 2007 13