Learn about the USDA Subtropical Horticulture Research Station
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Second Saturday Seminar
Get a glimpse into the research of the USDA Subtropical Horticulture Research Station at the August installment of MBBG's free Second Saturday Seminar. Led by Dr. Gul Shad Ali, the talk will delve into the research and work done by the USDA to study and protect South Florida’s tropical crops.
The USDA-ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Miami, Florida maintains a large collection of tropical crop germplasm that includes mangoes (Mangifera spp.), avocados (Persea spp.) and 38 other taxa some of which date back to early 20th century. Additionally, one of the world’s largest collections of sugarcanes and related grasses is also maintained at this unit. These resources provide important genetic material for basic and applied research. The entire collection is evaluated for various agronomics, horticultural and fruit quality traits, which are provided to stakeholders through GRIN-global.org. This insightful talk will cover USDA-ARS efforts and future plans on the following topics:
- genetic variability expansion
- molecular phenotyping – including nutritional traits such as vitamins, minerals, flavoring compounds, sugars, and lipids
- safety in duplication through tissue culture and cryopreservation.