NPGS’ major activities are (1) acquiring germplasm, (2) developing and documenting information on the germplasm in its collections, and (3) preserving the germplasm. NPGS is responsible for developing characterization information—data on traits such as plant structure and color that are little influenced by the environment. Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

We surveyed the members of the 40 CGCs for their views on the sufficiency of NPGS’ principal activities—acquiring germplasm to ensure the diversity of the collections in order to reduce crop vulnerability, developing and documenting information on germplasm, and preserving germplasm. Specifically, we surveyed the 680 members of the CGCs—including 38 additional experts identified by USDA. For the NPGS collections alone, just over half the CGCs reported that the genetic diversity of their NPGS collections is sufficient to reduce crop vulnerability. CGCs Believed That Germplasm Acquisition Should Be a Top Priority for NPGS

While over half the CGCs believed that the genetic diversity of their NPGS germplasm collections for their crops is sufficient, they all reported that it is moderately to extremely important to increase the diversity of their NPGS collections. Obsolete and current cultivars are sufficient for reducing the vulnerability of their crops, according to most CGCs. USDA’s Management of Quarantine Program Has Hampered Acquisition of Some Germplasm

A number of problems related primarily to USDA’s overall management of the germplasm quarantine program have hampered the program’s effectiveness and resulted in delays in the release of some germplasm. Many NPGS Germplasm Collections Lack Information Needed for Crop Breeding

According to most CGCs, NPGS collections for their crops lack sufficient information on germplasm traits to facilitate the germplasm’s use in crop breeding. 3.2.) Preservation Activities Have Not Kept Pace With Needs of the Collection

Preservation activities—including viability testing, germplasm regeneration, and secure, long-term backup storage of germplasm—have not kept pace with the preservation needs of the collections. First, only minimal viability testing—testing that determines the amount of live germplasm in a sample—has been conducted at some sites, including two plant introduction stations that account for over one-fourth of NPGS’ germplasm samples. Viability testing is needed to determine when germplasm should be reproduced to prevent the loss of the sample. Second, NPGS has significant backlogs for regenerating germplasm at all four plant introduction stations. Third, over one-third of NPGS’ germplasm is not backed up in NPGS’ National Seed Storage Laboratory (NSSL), which provides secure, long-term storage for the system. NPGS officials from two plant introduction stations told us that, generally, their sites’ germplasm that is low in viability or quantity should be regenerated within 2 to 5 years in order to minimize the loss of diversity in their collections over the long term. Several factors contribute to these backlogs. Thus, in case of a natural disaster, disease, or other catastrophe, both the active and backup samples could be destroyed.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO surveyed the 680 members of the 40 crop germplasm committees (CGC) for their views on the sufficiency of the National Plant Germplasm System's (NPGS) principal activities focusing on: (1) acquiring germplasm to ensure the diversity of the collections in order to reduce crop vulnerability; (2) developing and documenting information on germplasm; and (3) preserving germplasm.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) just over half of the CGSs reported that the genetic diversity contained in NPGS' collections is sufficient to reduce the vulnerability of their crops; (2) considering both this collection and all other freely available collections, almost three-quarters of the committees said that the diversity in these collections is sufficient for reducing their crops' vulnerability; (3) at the same time, the committees identified several concerns affecting the diversity of their collections, and they ranked the acquisition of germplasm as the highest priority for the germplasm system if more funding becomes available; (4) current acquisition efforts are hindered by problems in obtaining germplasm from some countries and by the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) management of the quarantine system, which has contributed to the loss of germplasm and delays in its release for certain plants; (5) according to the crop committees, many of the system's collections lack sufficient information on germplasm traits to facilitate the germplasm's use in crop breeding; (6) officials of the germplasm system acknowledged that some information on plant traits, such as resistance to disease or plant structure, has not been developed because it is considered to be a lower priority than preserving germplasm; in other instances, the information has been developed by scientists outside of the system and has not been provided for entry into the database; (7) preservation activities--viability testing, regeneration, and the long-term backup storage of germplasm--have not kept pace with the preservation needs of the collections; (8) only minimal viability testing--testing the seeds in a sample to determine how many are alive in order to prevent the loss of the sample--has occurred at two of four major locations; (9) in addition, the system has significant backlogs for regenerating (that is, replenishing) germplasm at the four major locations; and (10) over one-third of the system's germplasm is not stored in the system's secure, long-term storage facility, thereby increasing the risk that samples located around the nation could be lost through environmental damage or other catastrophes.