The U.S. Department of Agriculture Area Office for the Great Plains Region is in Ft. Collins, Colorado. The Great Plains Region comprises Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. Also in Ft. Collins are three research centers of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation, the Crops Research Laboratory, and the Natural Resources Research Center.
ARS Website
NATIONAL CENTER FOR GENETIC RESOURCES PRESERVATION
1111 South Mason, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521-4500
Telephone: 970-495-3200, Fax: 970-221-1427
National Center For Genetic Resources Preservation
The National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008. Its Mission:
- Acquire, assess, preserve, and provide genetic resources
- Secure biological diversity for sustainable agriculture and a changing world
- Combine high quality research with the best possible stewardship
The Center conducts research programs in three areas, food animal production, plant biological and molecular processes, and plant genetic resources, genomics and genetic improvement. Its research is conducted by Center scientists and through cooperative agreements.
In July 2008, the NCGRP was preserving 501,513 Seed Samples and 4,757 Vegetatively Propogated Samples representing 6,968 Species. It also maintains collections from other international genebanks, genetic material from threatened and endangered species, and special collections from non-governmental organizations.
The National Animal Germplasm Program materials stored at NCGRP in July 2008 included
164 Subspecies/breeds of cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, fish representing 9722 animals and
477,388 units of germplasm
CROPS RESEARCH LABORATORY
USDA, ARS, NPA
Crops Research Laboratory
1701 Centre Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Crops Research Laboratory
The Sugarbeet Genetics Program of the USDA-ARS at the Crops Research Lab in Fort Collins combines traditional methods of crop improvement with the use of new molecular biology techniques to understand the genetics of the sugarbeet plant and some of its major pathogens. Germplasm from the Lab is screened and incorporated into the commercial germplasm pool. Plant introductions are also screened for resistance to nine diseases and for various traits. Enhanced sugarbeet germplasm developed in Fort Collins is released to the sugarbeet industry.
Laboratory research includes programs in Beta genomics to explore the potential uses of new traditional, biochemical, and molecular techniques. This includes marker discovery in sugarbeet. These techniques and tools are used to: 1) investigate the genetic relationships among cultivated and wild sugar beets, to bring new sources of resistance into the cultivated genepool, and to better manage our USDA-ARS germplasm resources; 2) determine genetic control of pathogenicity in important sugar beet pathogens and the genetic control of resistance in the sugarbeet, and genetic control of the interactions between this pathogen and sugarbeet; and 3) increase our understanding of the genetic control of sugar beet physiology.
NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH CENTER
2150 Centre Avenue, Building D, Suite 320
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526-8119
Natural Resources Research Center
The mission of the Agricultural Systems Research Unit is to enhance economic and environmental sustainability of agricultural production systems by:
- Synthesizing and quantifying biological, chemical and physical processes at the whole-system level
- Conducting cooperative field research
- Developing computer models of agricultural systems to support field research and analysis of major issues, emphasizing water quality and water conservation, production, precision farming, and climate change
- Providing farm-level computerized decision support technology and information system packages to farmers, ranchers, agricultural consultants and action agencies for evaluating sustainability of alternative farming/ranching options
- Creating an Object Modeling System with a library of science and related tools to assemble customized modular models
- Collaborating nationally and internationally to evaluate and improve knowledge and products
The mission of the Soil Plant Nutrient Research Unit is to develop and evaluate new knowledge required to efficiently manage soil, fertilizer, and plant nutrient (emphasis on nitrogen) to achieve optimum crop yields, maximize farm profitability, maintain environmental quality and sustain long-term productivity.
The Water Management Research Unit conducts research in Water and Weed management technologies and practices for irrigated agriculture in water deficit areas that use water efficiently, improve agricultural productivity, sustainability and reduce negative environmental impacts. The Unit is conducting field trials with a four-crop rotation (Wheat, Sunflower, Corn, Dry Beans) under two tillage practices (conventional, minimum) and five levels of irrigation (rain fed to full irrigation). Unit scientists study the interrelationships among irrigation schedules, weather, crop stress responses, and week management practices.