Sustaining the Future of Plant Breeding: The Critical Role of the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System

Plant breeders require genetic diversity to develop cultivars that are productive, nutritious, tolerant of biotic and abiotic stresses, and make efficient use of water and fertilizer. The USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is a major source for global plant genetic resources (PGR), with accessions representing improved cultivars, breeding lines, landraces, and crop wild relatives (CWR), coupled with passport and trait evaluation data. The goal of this article is to facilitate use of PGR in plant breeding programs. Our specific objectives are (i) to summarize the structure and operation of the NPGS and its consultative and support committees, (ii) to review current use of the system by plant breeders, (iii) to describe constraints to improving the utility of PGR, and (iv) to discuss ways in which the NPGS might evolve to better meet the challenges facing agriculture and society in coming decades. The NPGS will enhance its relevance to plant breeding provided there is (i) ongoing attention to filling the gaps in NPGS collections, especially for CWR; (ii) a major increase in efforts to phenotype and genotype accessions using standardized methods; (iii) enhanced information content of the Genetic Resources Information Network (GRIN)-Global system and improved interoperability with other databases; (iv) increased attention to prebreeding activities; (v) improved training opportunities in practices for incorporating PGR in breeding programs; and (vi) expanded outreach efforts to strengthen public support for the NPGS. We believe these steps will be implemented most effectively through coordinated efforts among USDA-ARS, universities, the private sector, and international partners.