Genetics and Germplasm Working Group (GG)

GG is part of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)

Minutes (2006 meeting)

  • Genetics and Germplasm Working Group Business Meeting
  • American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference
  • New Orleans, Louisiana
  • July, 2006

Attendees

Nahla Bassil, John Clark, Richard Fery, Ryan Hayes, Maria Jenderek, Beiquan Mou, Matthew Robbins, Ed Stover, Janice Strachan, Todd Wehner, and Linda Wessel-Beaver.

Officers

Maria Jenderek (chair), Beiquan Mou (chair-elect), Nahla Bassil (secretary).

Agenda

  • Minutes
    • The meeting was called to order by Maria Jenderek.  Following introduction of attendees, the minutes of the 2005 business meeting were approved. The minutes were posted at a website maintained by Dr. Todd Wehner at NC State University, (http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/gg/ggmain.html).
  • Frank N. Meyer Medal for Plant Genetic Resources
    • Maria distributed information about the Frank N. Meyer Medal for Plant Genetic Resources.  Nominations were sought for the tri-society award that recognizes a person with an outstanding record of service over a long period of time in exploration, evaluation, preservation, or administrative foresight of plant genetic resources. Nomination for the 2007 award is due April 2007.
  • Waiver of registration fee for non-member speakers.
    • The group expressed mixed reactions to the proposal by the ASHS Headquarter to stop waiving the registration fee for invited non-member speakers of workshops at ASHS annual conferences and to give $500 to each workshop instead.  While recognizing the needs of the ASHS to reduce costs of annual meetings, the fee-waiver can be used as an incentive to obtain good workshop speakers, which in turn may attract more paid members to the conferences.  It was also suggested that the ASHS could increase the registration fee and /or seek sponsorship for the annual meetings in order to increase revenue
  • GGWG-sponsored events at the 2006 meeting
    • The workshop “What is involved in maintaining a germplasm collection?” organized by Barbara Hellier and Maria Jenderek was well attended by the meeting participants (ca. 50).
  • GGWG-supported activities at future ASHS annual meetings
    • 2007 Meeting: 16-19 July, Scottsdale, AZ.  The deadline for submitting colloquium proposals was June 30, 2006, but was extended to Sept. 1, 2006.  A proposal from GGWG was submitted: “Transgenic horticultural crops: Challenges and opportunities”.  It is co-sponsored by 4 other working groups (WGAH, OPB, BTCH, and VGBR).  It was suggested to seek sponsorship from additional working groups.  The deadline for submitting workshop proposals is February 2007.  Two possible topics were proposed: “Progress in the genetic improvement of plants for arid and semi-arid regions” and “Germplasm novelties”.
    • 2008 Meeting:  21-24 July, Orlando, FL.  The deadline for colloquium proposal submission will be June 2007.  No topic was suggested at the meeting.  Members are encouraged to send suggestions to the working group officers.
  • Working group leadership
    • Nahla Bassil was nominated and unanimously elected as the secretary of the working group, congratulations!  It was decided that Maria Jenderek and Beiquan Mou will remain the chair and the chair-elect respectively, for another year.
  • The meeting was adjourned.