Ch. 9— Maintaining Biological Diversity in the United States • 235 



from active collections to the NSSL (56). And 

 the study determined that approximately 63 per- 

 cent of the active germplasm collections were 

 stored in inadequate containers or in undesira- 

 ble climates. The result, GAO concluded, may 

 be the loss of at least one-fourth of the germ- 

 plasm resources held by NPGS. 



Efforts have been made to address some of 

 these deficiencies through reallocation of re- 

 sources, construction of new facilities, and cen- 

 tralization of responsibilities, but the need to 

 improve germplasm maintenance remains. 

 Recommendations to improve NPGS have been 

 hampered by the diffuse nature of the network 

 and by inadequate resources. 



The system has been cited as needing a 

 clearer division of responsibility for maintain- 

 ing and evaluating germplasm collections (7). 

 Because it is a cooperative network, lines of 

 authority are frequently unclear, and there may 

 be too many levels of authority to adequately 

 administer a national program on germplasm 

 (60). The result is a general lack of understand- 

 ing of how decisions concerning NPGS are 

 made by ARS. Such decisions can be further 

 complicated by the competing interests and 

 concerns of other cooperative Federal (i.e., 

 GSRS) or State agencies that may provide pro- 

 gram support. 



The ARS staff has recently increased its in- 

 put into budget allocations for Federal facilities 

 and has attempted to centralize program re- 

 sponsibilities into one office (42). Further 

 centralization could provide increased coordi- 

 nation of the system's collections, improved 

 communication on available germplasm diver- 

 sity (especially through the GRIN database), and 

 more effective identification of funding pri- 

 orities. 



One area that has received insufficient funds 

 is regeneration of seeds with reduced viabil- 

 ity. Although NSSL monitors seed viability, it 

 sends seeds that germinate poorly to another 

 facility for growing-out. If viability is found to 

 be low, it may be difficult to obtain a regener- 

 ated sample. If NPGS does not have specific 

 responsibility for a sample, NSSL must locate 

 a willing donor, but it does not have funds to 



pay for grow-outs. A comprehensive system to 

 support regeneration of stored seed has been 

 hampered by competing interests for available 

 resources. 



The crop advisory committees (GAGs) in 

 NPGS were developed to improve communi- 

 cation about crop-specific needs (see table 9-4). 

 GAGs are comprised of scientists from NPGS, 

 private industry, and the academic community. 

 They provide technical expertise to the National 

 Plant Genetic Resources Board, the National 

 Plant Germplasm Gommittee, ARS staff, and 

 NPGS curators. In some cases, such as the pear 

 collection at the national clonal repository in 

 Corvallis, OR, GAGs advise the facility in charge 

 of a particular crop (7). 



GAGs are growing in importance and influ- 

 ence within NPGS (45). Gommittees have been 



Table 9-4.— Existing and Proposed Crop Advisory 

 Committees of the National Plant Germplasm System 



Existing committees 



Proposed committees 



Alfalfa 



Barley 



Carya 



Citrus 



Clover 



Cotton 



Crucifer 



Grass 



Juglans 



Maize 



Malus 



Oats 



Pea 



Peanut 



Phaseolus 



Potato 



Prunus 



Pyrus 



Rice 



Root and bulb 



Small fruits 



Sorghium 



Soybean 



Sugar beet 



Sugarcane 



Sunflower 



Sweet potato 



Tomato 



Vigna 



Vine crops 



Vitis 



Wfieat 



Asparagus 

 Florist crops 

 Leafy vegetables 

 Tropical fruit and nuts 

 Woody ornaments 



SOURCE: US- Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Plant 

 Genetics and Germplasm Institute, Germplasm Resources Information 

 Network, Progress Update, February 1986. 



