Selected plant species are placed in quarantine when they enter the United States to prevent the introduction of pests or diseases that could harm U.S. agriculture. This requirement is often seen as an impediment to germplasm acquisition. Most imported plants pass through quarantine following little more than visual inspection, but in some cases (e.g., Prunus species) quarantine can entail years of isolation and testing before the germplasm is released. The NPGS has developed priorities for the materials and agents of greatest concern to guide research on quarantine, but has limited funds. Molecular technologies now emerging hold the potential to greatly reduce quarantine periods, particularly for detecting viruses or mycoplasmas. Methods should be further developed and adopted to screen for intracellular organisms.

The protocols developed for molecular identification should be rapid, definitive, and relatively simple to use to enable the screening of greater numbers of entries. While the technologies for developing such methods are available, their application to disease agents of particular significance has been slow.

The development of pathogen-specific protocols for routine use in quarantine is needed. Chemotherapy, thermotherapy, and meristematic tissue culture are examples of such procedures. The required research could be accomplished by specialists in cooperation with scientists at USDA facilities.

Collections must be managed as national, not regional, resources.

If germplasm activities are to have a national focus and international recognition, collections should be fully integrated into a national system. The management of that system should be coordinated at national rather than regional or area levels. For example, all of the NPGS sites could be designated as national plant genetic resources centers, and individual collections could be designated as national plant genetic resources collections.

These or similar designations will underscore the national focus for germplasm activities. While many of the national system's sites arose as regional efforts, they must now have stronger national and international significance. The national germplasm collections could be managed uniformly, with budget and administrative oversight exercised by one central office. The designation “national collection” would carry with it the requirements for certification and adherence to basic management standards, and the assurance of basic support to ensure safekeeping.

Front Matter (R1-R16)

Executive Summary (1-20)

1 Managing Crop Genetic Resources (21-42)

2 Elements of the National Plant Germplasm System (43-86)

3 Administration of the National System (87-106)

4 Prescription for Effectiveness (107-144)

References (145-148)

Glossary (149-153)

Abbreviations (154-155)

Authors (156-160)

Index (161-173)