Minutes of the International Safflower Germplasm Advisory Committee (ISGAC)
4 November 2008, Wagga Wagga, Australia
Attendees
| R. Johnson | rcjohnson@ars.usda.gov |
| Nandini Nimbar | nmimbar@sancharnet.in |
| B. Redden | bob.redden@dpi.vic.gov.au |
| Srivinas Belide | srinivas.belide@csiro.au |
| Surinder Singh | surinder.singh@csiro.au |
| S. von Witzke-Ehbrecht | switze@uni-goettingen.de |
| C. Reinbrecht | cr.planzenzuchtsaka@tele2.de |
| L. Velasco | ia2veval@uco.es |
| A. Hill | abhill@pacbell.net |
| A. Green | allen.green@csiro.au |
| A. Good | allen.good@ualberta.ca |
| Brent Barrett | brent.barrett@agresearch.co.nz |
Agenda items
Minutes of 2005 committee meeting approved, moved L. Velasco, seconded A. Hill
Committee membership
R. Johnson unanimously re-appointed chairman
New members
L. Velasco inducted to replace Jose Fernandez
No replacement yet to represent China
Additions: N. Nimbar – India, B. Redden – Australia, A. Good – Canada, V. Bradley – USDA nominated as Vice-Chair by R. Johnson
Molecular markers for safflower
A. Good proposed that the committee seek the opportunity to have sequence based genetics platform for genome information.
ESTs are available in safflower as a public good, and were recommended to the committee as a way forward.
Descriptors
List is based on IBPGR descriptors: seed morphology, head shape, flower traits both fresh and dry, plant morphology, oil quality traits, disease resistances.
Databases
Alpha – numeric to supersede + symbols, and standardize use of codes as per IBPGR descriptors, Proposed B. Redden.
Review descriptors for fatty acids proposed L. Velasco.
Molecular markers – A. Good proposed use of published primers for sequences. Microsatellites need to be robust and polymorphic, with amplification for common use and placed in a database, for relevant species. Primer and sequence information to be provided, with capability to link to accessions or for synthesis.
The first aim is a publicly available map from mapping populations.
The second aim is to maintain DNA from mapping populations for distribution to researchers who may then add traits to the map.
Collection of wild species
Discussion led by R Johnson
Wild species are available, USDA and other gene banks. There has been some useful increase in Spain. Some are noxious weeds.
Need wild germplasm for diversity of fatty acids and genomic studies.
Challenges are regeneration and self incompatibility, wild species are harder to maintain.
Possibly some can be increased in India.
Collection of wild relatives is an urgent need, especially of species that can cross with the domestic gene pool, e.g. Carthamus sp: oxyacanthus, palaestinus, and flavescens.
Possible areas for collection are Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey.
Viability issues and purity are concerns.
More thought is needed on opportunities.
Meeting closed after convening for 1 hour.
Minutes of the International Safflower Germplasm Advisory Committee (ISGAC)
8 June 2005, Istanbul, Turkey
Prepared by Zongwen Zhang, Outgoing Chair, on 20 July 2005
Members in attendance were:
José Fernández-Martínez, Spain
Peter Griffee, FAO, Rome
Li Dajue, Beijing Botanical Garden China
D.M. Hegde, India
R. C. Johnson, Incoming Chair, USA
Arthur B. Hill, USA
Zhang Zongwen, IPGRI, Beijing
Those unable to attend were:
Brent E. Zehr, India
Agenda items:
(1) Review and approve the minutes of last meeting of the Committee
The minutes of last meeting were reviewed and approved.
(2) Review the Terms of Reference of the Committee
It was agreed that as the meeting time is short the Terms of Reference for the Committee would not be reviewed until the next meeting.
(3) Discuss and make recommendations on future workplan of the Committee
The Committee agreed that efforts would be continuously made to update the Descriptors for Safflower. The current Descriptor list was published by IPGRI in 1984. It needs updating to meet the needs of research in national and international programmes.
The Safflower Website has been maintained at the Washington State University and the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS). The site was initiated by Dr. Richard Johnson and is currently maintained by Vicki Bradley, the WRPIS Safflower Curator. It has added the function for posting papers and as a forum for questions, answers, and discussion of safflower germplasm topics.
It was suggested that every effort should be made to collect and maintain wild species of safflower. Current collection are small and lack many key species that may be needed for future breeding efforts.
The world core collection of safflower maintained at the WRPIS may help to bring out useful diversity for breeding and improvement.
It was recognized that training would play a role in promoting safflower. Due to lack of funds, efforts should be made to seek the opportunities including IPGRI Vavilov-Frankel Fellowship, and special proposals to FAO for the training of young scientists for conservation and use of safflower diversity.
(4) Discussion and recommendation on important issues on safflower
It was suggested that the access to and information on safflower germplasm should be promoted. The Safflower Website and Sesame and Safflower Newsletter should be used to share relevant information.
It was suggested that the ISGAC should be integrated with the International Safflower Research Committee (ISRC). The Chair of the ISGAC should be a member of the International Safflower Research Committee and give a presentation on ISGAC’s work at next international safflower conference. This suggestion has been endorsed by the ISRC.
(5) Election of new Chair and members of the Committee
The meeting elected Dr. Richard Johnson as the new Chair of the ISGAC for next four years until the 7th International Safflower Conference.