US National Arboretum

 


Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit

Mission

The Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit conducts a broad based program of basic and developmental research that contributes to the introduction of new cultivars and the implementation of new technologies for the florist and nursery industries.

Emphasis is placed on developing new and superior floral and woody nursery plants.

In addition, the Unit has the responsibility to collect, propagate, maintain, distribute, evaluate and preserve representative levels of inherent genetic diversity of woody landscape plants as part of the National Plant Germplasm System.

Current Goals and Activities

 
  • Acquisition and testing of domestic and foreign germplasm
 
  • Taxonomic classification of plant materials
 
  • Interspecific and intraspecific hybridization
 
  • Develop virus resistant plants through incorporation of viral gene and anti-viral antibody gene products into the host plant
 
  • Develop new methods for the detection of plant pathogens using serological- and nucleic acid-based techniques
 
  • Improve methods of genetic transformation for floral crop improvement
 
  • Develop new methods of pest and disease control utilizing natural products
 
  • Improvement of field and container nursery crop production systems
 
  • Evaluation and improvement of turfgrass for more sustainable turf use

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Last Updated   July 27, 2012 3:23 PM
URL = http://www.usna.usda.gov/Research/mission&.html

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