Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1281953
14 POTATO GROWER | SEPTEMBER 2020 T The U.S. Potato Genebank (USPG) coordinates all aspects of importation, classification, preservation, multiplication, documentation and distribution of potato germplasm. It is the most comprehensive and active collection in the world. The USPG is a cooperative effort between the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and all 50 state agricultural research stations, with special support from the University of Wisconsin. Potato cultivars have more exotic germplasm in their pedigrees than any other major crop. Of the last eight cultivar releases from the Wisconsin breeding program, six have parents of at least one wild species from the USPG. John Bamberg has been the project leader at the USPG for nearly 30 years. He was gracious enough to sit down and answer a few questions about the work being done at the USPG. WHY DO WE NEED A GENEBANK, AND HOW HAS THE USPG CONTRIBUTED TO POTATO PROGRESS OVER THE YEARS? The current breeding pool is strong, but there are lots of ways we could benefit from "new blood." Imagine the delays, inefficiencies and duplicated efforts there Gathering Place John Bamberg, project leader of the U.S. Potato Genebank, collects wild potato samples at Mormon Lake in northern Arizona. Two acres of potato seedlings were transplanted at the University of Wisconsin Hancock Agricultural Research Station, involving many USPG research projects. By Joe Kertzman Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association U.S. Potato Genebank in Wisconsin supports potato industry in a big way