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Taxonomic Information on Cultivated Plants in GRIN-Global




Special-Purpose Data Sets

A number of specialized data sets are incorporated into GRIN-Global Taxonomy, most of these arising from publications of National Germplasm Resources Laboratory (formerly Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory) botanists. One example is the family and generic data in USDA Technical Bulletin 1796, which has already been discussed. Also included are the scientific names endorsed by seed-testing associations such as Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) and International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) from the publications AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds Volume 3. Uniform classification of weed and crop seeds (Meyer and Wiersema, 2014) and ISTA List of Stabilized Plant Names (ed. 6, Wiersema et al., 2013), for which the nomenclature is being verified in GRIN-Global. The AOSA data set includes the federal noxious weeds controlled by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the state noxious-weed seeds regulated by the Federal Seed Act. A separate query page is currently not available to search all federal and state noxious weeds, both aquatic and terrestrial, and state noxious-weed seeds in GRIN-Global with links to federal and state regulatory resources. We hope to have it restored in 2019.

Another publication linked to GRIN-Global Taxonomy is the latest revision of former USDA Agricultural Handbook 505, A checklist of names for 3,000 vascular plants of economic importance (Terrell, 1986b). This new revision, which treats over 12,200 economically important vascular plants, was published in 2013 by CRC Press as a second edition of a 1999 work under the title World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. Data from this publication may be queried on the web.

Another data set incorporated into GRIN-Global relates to threatened and endangered plants. Among these are the plants listed in Appendices I, II, and III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Also included are the federal list of threatened and endangered plants maintained by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (US-FWS), Department of the Interior and the list of rare plants maintained by the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC).

A data set on crop wild relatives (CWR) was recently added to GRIN-Global Taxonomy in 2014. Currently, 0 CWR have been classified according to their hybridization potential with 0 major and minor crops. A query page exists to search these data in various ways.

A final specialized data set in GRIN-Global provides information on published rhizobial nodulation reports for genera and species. These data, concerning mainly legumes, are expected to be available for query by Fall 2018 on the web. Researchers who need access to the data in the meantime should send a request directly to Melanie Schori.



ILRI Germplasm Policy (excerpts)

The International Livestock research Institute (ILRI) maintains a collection of forage germplasm as a global public good. The material was acquired prior to the entry into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity; or if it was acquired after the entering into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity, it was obtained with the understanding that it was held in trust and could be made available for any agricultural research, breeding and training purposes under the terms and conditions set out in the agreement between the ILRI and FAO dated 26 October 1994. On 16 October 2006, ILRI signed an agreement with the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the Treaty) placing these in trust collections of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) within the purview of the Treaty.

In accordance with this Agreement, all shipments of PGRFA of crops listed in Annex 1 to the Treaty (shipments of PGRFA under the Multilateral System) will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA). In the event that the SMTA (attached) is used for the transfer of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture other than those listed in Annex 1 of the Treaty: i) The references in the SMTA to the "Multilateral System" shall not be interpreted as limiting the application of the SMTA to Annex 1 Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and in the case of Article 6.2 of the SMTA shall mean "under this Agreement". ii) The reference in Article 6.11 and Annex 3 of the SMTA to "Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture belonging to the same crop, as set out in Annex 1 to the Treaty" shall be taken to mean "Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture belonging to the same crop".

The material is held in trust and the recipient has no rights to obtain Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) on the material or related information. The recipient may utilize and conserve the material for research, breeding and training and may distribute it to other parties provided such parties accept the terms and conditions of the SMTA .

ILRI will provide forage seeds in small experimental quantities of between 1 and 20 grams without charge from the germplasm collection under the SMTA as appropriate for the crop as part of its policy of maximizing the utilization of material for research, breeding and training. Larger quantities sufficient to sow up to one quarter of a hectare of a limited number of promising accessions will require that requesters cover the costs of production and shipping.

ILRI makes no warranties as to the safety or title of the material, nor as to the accuracy or correctness of any passport or other data provided with the material. Neither does it make any warranties as to the quality, viability, or purity (genetic or mechanical) of the material being furnished. The phytosanitary condition of the material is warranted only as described in the attached phytosanitary certificate. The recipient assumes full responsibility for complying with the recipient nation’s quarantine and biosafety regulations and rules as to import or release of genetic material.