Cooperative Agreement AP26PPQFO000C203

AWARD PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS FOR THE TEXAS CITRUS CLEAN PLANT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM'S ONGOING MISSION TO MAINTAIN AND EXPAND THE TEXAS CITRUS COLLECTION, CONTINUE AN EXTENSIVE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING PROGRAM, AND IMPLEMENT A VARIETY INTRODUCTION PROGRAM DESIGNATED FOR TEXAS CITRUS VARIETIES, WITH SHOOT-TIP GRAFTING AND BIOLOGICAL INDEXING. THIS EFFORT WILL ALLOW THE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CLEAN, PATHOGEN FREE, TRUE-TO-TYPE, CERTIFIED BUDWOOD TO THE TEXAS CITRUS INDUSTRY. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE INCREASE SCREENHOUSES (SCREENHOUSE 3 AND 4) ARE FULLY POPULATED WITH OVER 4,100 INCREASE TREES AS WELL AS CERTIFIED NURSERY STOCK FOR PROPAGATING NEW SOURCE TREES. ALL FOUNDATION SCREENHOUSES 1 AND 2 ARE AT OR NEAR CAPACITY AND CURRENTLY CONTAIN OVER 150 FOUNDATION TREES. A SEPARATE SCREENHOUSE CONTAINING NEARLY 250 FOUNDATION TREES WAS DESTROYED BY WINDS IN MAY, 2021, AND A PROJECT IS UNDERWAY TO REBUILD AND REPOPULATE THE SCREENHOUSE. THE SCION TREE SCREEN STRUCTURES I AND II CONTAIN APPROXIMATELY 450 SCION TREES. THE STEPHENVILLE FOUNDATION GREENHOUSE IN STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS CONTAINS OVER 100 FOUNDATION AND SCION TREES OF KEY COMMERCIAL AND NON-CO MMERCIAL, HIGH DEMAND CITRUS VARIETIES. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: II - DURING THE AGREEMENT PERIOD, CERTIFIED BUDWOOD WILL PRIMARILY COME FROM INCREASE SCREENHOUSES 3 AND 4, FOUNDATION TREES IN SCREENHOUSES 1 AND 2, AND SCION TREES IN SCREEN STRUCTURES I AND II. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEPHENVILLE GREENHOUSE CONTAINING THE SECONDARY COLLECTION OF FOUNDATION AND SCION CITRUS TREES WHICH HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WILL BE UTILIZED AS NEEDED. THE BUDWOOD PROGRAM HEADQUARTER FACILITY WHICH CONTAINS TWO CLIMATE-CONTROLLED GREENHOUSE ROOMS AND ONE SCREENED ROOM, ARE NOW CERTIFIED BY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND ALSO BY USDA AS A QUARANTINE FACILITY FOR THE NEW GERMPLASM INTRODUCTION PROGRAM WHICH WILL ALLOW TEXAS VARIETIES TO UNDERGO SHOOT-TIP GRAFTING AND THERMAL THERAPY FOR INTRODUCTION INTO THE BUDWOOD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF FOUNDATION, SCION AND INCREASE TREES WILL CONTINUE, AS WILL PATHOGEN TESTING FOR HUANGLONGBING AND CITRUS TRISTEZA VIRUS AND VIROID TESTING FOR ALL FOUNDATION AND SCION TREES, PEST CONTROL, AND INCREASING BUDWOOD ORDERS AS THE PROGRAM IS NOW FULLY FUNCTIONAL. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): THE ENTIRE CITRUS NURSEY, FRUIT AND JUICE INDUSTRY IN TEXAS AND ALL THE FOOD CHAIN THAT BENEFITS FROM SAID INDUSTRY TO INCLUDE THE DOMESTIC RETAIL, EXPORT AND TRADE MARKET. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: N/A.