
New
Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center CelebratedBy Marcia Wood July 16, 2001A new genebank for ornamental crops
will help ensure a bright future for floral and nursery plants that make
colorful, fragrant bouquets or beautify backyard gardens and other landscapes. Located at The Ohio State University,
Columbus, the Ornamental Plant Germplasm
Center is part of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's nationwide network of plant repositories. Each genebank is
somewhat like a Ft. Knox for plants, where germplasm-- seeds, bulbs, and other
living tissue--is safeguarded, according to David Tay, director of the new
center. Without genebanks, genes that confer valuable traits such as natural
resistance to insects or disease can be lost when plants that are popular today
are replaced by newer, trendier varieties. That's why genebanks preserve wild
relatives of domesticated crops, as well as older, heirloom varieties no longer
grown commercially. Begun under an agreement with The Ohio State University in 1999, the center
is the only one in the National Plant
Germplasm System to specialize exclusively in herbaceous ornamental plants.
The Agricultural Research Service,
USDA's chief research agency, has primary responsibility for maintaining the
genebank system. Plant breeders can use germplasm that will be housed at the
new genebank to develop attractive new plants. These new varieties may, for
example, require less water, fertilizer, or pesticides than plants available at
nurseries today, according to Tay. His staff will be responsible not only for
maintaining healthy, vigorous plants and seeds but also for continuously
building the collection--either through exchanges or plant-collecting
expeditions--and for producing new and improved techniques for long-term
conservation. Tay, genebank curator Susan M. Stieve and other scientists and industry
colleagues are developing the list of species that the center will house. Members of America's $12-billion floral and nursery crops industry actively
support the new repository and were among those attending its July 14 grand
opening. The new genebank includes a 6,000-square-foot office and laboratory
building at 670 Tharp St., Columbus, and an adjacent 11,500-square-foot
greenhouse. Story contacts Marcia A Wood U.S. Department of Agriculture | |