Maintaining and ensuring plant health in seed germplasm collections: an applied
Maintaining and ensuring plant health in seed germplasm collections: an applied plant pathology perspective
Anna L. Testen, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS, Application Technology Research Unit, Wooster, OH<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Previous Position: Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS Plant Introduction Research Unit, Ames, IA
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- Introduction
- Photosanitary concepts relating to germplasm exchange
- Diagnosing and managing diseases in the context of germplasm collections
- Meeting phytosanitary requirements through field inspections, laboratory testing, and seed treatments
- Research to improve plant health in germplasm collections
- References
- Additional information
- Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
Preserving plant germplasm is critical to weathering emerging challenges from pests and diseases, habitat loss, and climate change. Plant diseases, caused by bacteria, viruses and viroids, fungi, oomycetes, parasitic plants and nematodes, affect all plants. In order to ensure germplasm is viable and available to combat incoming plant disease challenges, plant pathologists work to maintain the health of germplasm collections, ensure compliance with phytosanitary regulations in international germplasm distributions, and develop methods to detect and manage seedborne and propagule-borne (e.g. tubers, cuttings, budwood) diseases. This chapter provides practical knowledge and resources describing how plant pathologists support and improve plant health in seedbanks and germplasm collections through disease diagnostics, disease management and seed health testing.
2. Phytosanitary Concepts Related to Germplasm Exchange
Understanding phytosanitary regulations is critical to enabling safe and uninterrupted plant germplasm distributions. An overview of key concepts and documents in phytosanitary issues is provided in this section. For a more detailed description of phytosanitary regulations related to germplasm exchange, please see the chapter “Phytosanitary and Regulatory Issues in the Movement of Plant Genetic Resources.”
Plant pathologists work with local, national (NPPO), and regional (RPPO) Plant Protection Organizations (PPOs) to ensure compliance with phytosanitary regulations. For example, the plant pathologist at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS) in Ames, Iowa, USA, works with the local PPO: the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), the NPPO: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the RPPO: North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO).
Import permits and phytosanitary certificates
Several documents enable international movement of germplasm. Two main documents that plant health practitioners must understand are the import permit and the phytosanitary certificate. An import permit is provided by an importing country and lists the conditions that must be met by the germplasm exporter to allow ger