196 • Technologies To Maintain Biological Diversity 



As an alternative, an existing private orga- 

 nization, such as the Center for Plant Conser- 

 vation (CPC), could become the mechanism 

 within NPGS for coordinating maintenance of 

 endangered wild plants. Funds could be desig- 

 nated through USDA/ARS for this purpose, and 

 CPC could be responsible for coordinating ef- 

 forts and administering funds to cooperating 

 botanic gardens and arboretums. 



Improve Movement of Cermplasm 

 Through Quarantine 



Technologies that identify viruses in im- 

 ported plants could reduce delays associated 

 with the testing of a few plant species. Although 

 many potentially useful technologies exist, few 

 are applied routinely to quarantine testing, be- 

 cause USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspec- 

 tion Service (APHIS) lacks sufficient trained 

 personnel, facilities, or operating funds needed 

 to implement a particular technology. Cooper- 

 ation between APHIS and NPGS facilities could 

 enhance the technical expertise applied to 

 quarantine-testing and other solutions to im- 

 prove quarantine efforts. 



A panel representing APHIS, the research 

 community, and NPGS could be convened to 

 assess the adequacy of facilities and programs 

 relating to quarantine. It could make recom- 

 mendations for implementing newer technol- 

 ogies, improving present facilities, construct- 

 ing new facilities, and mechanisms for 

 promoting cooperation with NPGS facilities. 

 The panel could also redirect existing budgets 

 within USDA to address specific problems and, 

 if necessary, develop legislation for increasing 

 USDA appropriations to meet quarantine 

 needs. The panel might also consider mecha- 

 nisms for incorporating new technologies and 

 the appropriateness of facilities and personnel 

 for performing them. 



Promote Basic Research on 



Maintenance and Use off Plan 



Oermplasm 



Although technologies to maintain plants off- 

 site have advanced considerably in recent 



years, several fundamental questions still need 

 to be addressed. 



In the past, storage has essentially referred 

 to orthodox seed storage. It is increasingly 

 apparent that new techniques for storage of 

 nontraditional forms of germplasm (e.g., recal- 

 citrant seeds, pollen, and in vitro cultures) are 

 needed. Although cryogenic storage has been 

 used for several years on animals, its use with 

 plants has only recently been investigated. 

 Questions about the nature of genetic control 

 and the mechanisms involved in somaclonal 

 variation are as yet unresolved. These new stor- 

 age technologies all require better understand- 

 ing of developmental processes, of cell and seed 

 physiology, and of mechanisms of cellular de- 

 terioration and repair. 



New methods for storage of naked DNA and 

 RNA and possible recovery of DNA from dead 

 cells could lead to a new concept in germplasm 

 conservation. Caution must be exercised, how- 

 ever, to ensure that limited funds are not dis- 

 proportionately channeled into this high-tech- 

 nology area. If genetic conservation is a goal, 

 then existing technologies and those showing 

 promise should receive adequate funding be- 

 fore more speculative approaches are pursued. 



Improved understanding of the biochemical, 

 genetic, and physiological control of develop- 

 ment may lead to techniques for characterizing 

 and evaluating germplasm. The genetic control 

 of most important traits is not yet understood. 

 Additional research on the basic structure and 

 function of genes can also improve the biologi- 

 cal knowledge necessary for genetic manipu- 

 lation of plants. 



Funding for research on germplasm has come 

 from several agencies. But research priorities 

 at the National Science Foundation (NSF) or 

 USDA's Competitive Research Grants Office 

 (CRGO), however, generally do not encompass 

 projects that focus on germplasm maintenance. 

 Perhaps a new program within USDA/CRGO 

 or NSF could be created to address research 

 appropriate to germplasm maintenance and 

 use. 



