14 Bud Cutting Nursery Budwood Cutting by Month (does not include Chiefl<strong>and</strong>) Chiefl<strong>and</strong> Budwood Cutting by Month Nursery Budwood Sources <strong>2012</strong> 14 Annual Report <strong>2012</strong> (FY 2011-<strong>2012</strong>) Bureau <strong>of</strong> Citrus Budwood Registration
15 Lab Report Dr. Peggy Sieburth, Biological Scientist IV This year key accomplishments continue to include training new personnel <strong>and</strong> testing the usual large volume <strong>of</strong> samples, working with large numbers <strong>of</strong> incoming parent tree c<strong>and</strong>idates needing shoot-tip grafting (STGing) <strong>and</strong> participating in the Citrus Clean Plant Network. No major changes were made to the testing part <strong>of</strong> the program as we strived to continue to provide a high level <strong>of</strong> service to the industry. We matched last year’s number <strong>of</strong> seventy-two new entries into the Parent Tree Indexing Program. We were able to release 10 more parents <strong>and</strong>/or STGed selections this year (compared to last year) as a result <strong>of</strong> previous improvements to the program. For the very first time we have cleared our backlog as all the 138 selections undergoing parent tree indexing are actively being pushed through some part <strong>of</strong> the program. The presence <strong>of</strong> viroids in the original parent adds about another year to the clean-up process; nine <strong>of</strong> those currently being worked on were entered with viroids. Grant money for the second year from the Citrus Clean Plant Network (Farm Bill) continues to make a huge positive impact on our program. Greenhouse improvements to date include: hard sides replace screening to reduce canker risk, enclosed walkway with one positive pressure double entryway, increased circulation <strong>and</strong> temperature control with more fans <strong>and</strong> cooling pads, double wall polycarbonate replacing a glass side on one <strong>of</strong> the indexing houses, enlarged covered pot washing area, <strong>and</strong> a back-up generator so that in the event <strong>of</strong> a power outage, tighter greenhouses would not overheat. We continue to appreciate that we have enough room at the Winter Haven greenhouses for propagation, biological indexing <strong>and</strong> raising seedlings in support <strong>of</strong> the Parent Tree Indexing Program. In the laboratory, an Apricot liquid h<strong>and</strong>ling system is our initial piece <strong>of</strong> robotic equipment. More has been ordered <strong>and</strong> is on the way. This equipment will increase our precision <strong>and</strong> reduce h<strong>and</strong> strain. The new milestone in the STGing program was completing the cleanup <strong>of</strong> a breeder’s selection that went perfectly at every step <strong>and</strong> was finished in just under one year (when the average time has been closer to two years). With the turnover <strong>and</strong> hiring <strong>of</strong> a Biological Scientist III in the laboratory for a second year in a row, getting back into a regular routine which incorporates the new robotic equipment will be the goal for the following year. Pathogen Testing (<strong>Florida</strong>’s Budwood Program) Scion/Foundation/Parent Source Tree testing Tests run Pathogen Tested Test Type Frequency <strong>2012</strong> 2011 2010 2009 2008 HLB qPCR Annual 6,481 7,348 8,558 8,982 10,198 Tristeza qPCR Annual 7,554 7,744 8,821 6,149 3,918 Biological New introductions 58 126 48 24 0 Psorosis qPCR Every 6 years 1,589 1,713 2,468 527 945 Tatter Leaf* qPCR Every 6 years 1,970 4,546 7,583 267 0 Leaf Blotch* Viroids qPCR Every 6 years 1,970 4,546 2,601 7,600 988 CEVd, CVd I, III, IV, V Biological New introductions 83 89 87 1 57 CVd I – V, CEVd qPCR Every 6 years 8,255 9,953 14,133 9,568 17,517 * Seed Source every 3 years Total 27,960 36,065 44,299 33,118 33,623 15 Annual Report <strong>2012</strong> (FY 2011-<strong>2012</strong>) Bureau <strong>of</strong> Citrus Budwood Registration