ESTABLISH A GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR COOPERATION FOR RESEARCH ON THE SUGAR BEET

ARS and BSDF will work together to produce the highest quality basic and applied research to meet the changing demands of the sugar beet world market, and its customers and stakeholders by: 1. Promoting sugar beet research concerning the isolation of specific genes and the development of germplasm, which may be used effectively in breeding to develop hybrids and varieties that are resistant to various pathogens, regionally adapted, suitable for various cultural practices, superior in biochemical attributes, and storable with minimum deterioration. 2. Establishing technology whereby new genetic characters, inbred lines, or sugar beet germplasm established via ARS research may be brought into widespread use by breeders and growers promptly, efficiently and at less cost. 3. Promoting research to develop better disease management, through an increased understanding of sugar beet disease etiology and epidemiology and an elucidation of the biochemistry, physiology and
genetics of the sugar beet-pathogen-biocontrol agent interaction. 4. Increasing the understanding of the biochemical genetic and physiological basis of the development of the sugar beet plant, the storage of the harvested root and the extraction of sucrose from the beet to be better able to maximize the efficiency in the processing of sugar beet to sucrose and other products. 5. Evaluating, characterizing, and utilizing available genetic resources (esp., in the USDA-ARS NPGS Beta PI germplasm collection) to determine the genetic diversity within sugar beet and pathogen populations, to better understand and manage important pathogens of sugar beet, and to produce enhanced germplasm more rapidly and more efficiently to meet the changing needs of seed companies and the growers they serve.