Clonal Walnut Rootstock Field Trial Coordinator

A market survey is being conducted to determine if there are adequate Small Business, SBA-certified HUBZone, SBA-certified 8(a), Women-Owned, or Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) contractors available for a proposed project who meet the specific criteria outlined below. This is not a solicitation Announcement or Request for Proposal. It does not constitute any commitment by the Government. No award will result from this notice. The purpose is to conduct market research to gain knowledge of potentially qualified sources. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will be used by the Government to make an appropriate acquisition decision. The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will not award a contract on the basis of responses or pay for the preparation of any information submitted. Respondents will not be notified of the results of this notice. After completing an analysis of the responses, the Government will determine whether to limit competition to 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, Women-Owned, or other small business firms, or to proceed with issuing an unrestricted solicitation, inviting full and open competition.

Requirements:

Approach – existing trials:

• Will continue to coordinate the evaluation and collate data for the four ongoing orchard

rootstock 2016 June bud trials (one trial each in Glenn, Lake, Sutter, and Tulare counties) and be

primary investigator at Sutter County site. J. regia ‘Chandler’ was grafted on four of the elite

selections, as well as commercial standards of Paradox seedling and VX211, RX1, and Vlach

clonal rootstocks and planted at the sites in 2016. Additionally, a privately patented clone was

planted at two of the sites. We will continue to assess tree growth (i.e., annual rootstock and

tree trunk circumference measurements, percent of photosynthetically active radiation

intercepted by tree canopy at selected sites), yield, crown gall and other disease incidence, and

rootstock suckering when noted. Crown gall incidence is visually assessed, and roots from trees

that decline or die are examined to determine whether they are infected with Phytophthora

spp. or lesion nematode.

• Tree performance data from all orchard trials are subjected to analyses of variance and

regression analyses, as appropriate.

• Will continue to manage the NIFA SCRI grant for extension as PI for the rootstock trials and write

progress reports. Write reports for all funding agencies.

• These rootstock trials will be sites for extension and outreach activities to inform growers and

farm advisors about recent developments in walnut rootstock research. Relevant rootstock

performance data also will be shared through our walnut rootstock website maintained by the

UC Davis Fruit and Nut Center and Advisor websites.

• Will assist with the tree removal and root and crown inspection and disease assessment of the

fifth rootstock trial planted at UC Davis Armstrong field station in 2015 as potted trees and then

field budded and subsequently inoculated with Agrobacterium and Phytophthora in fall 2020.

Approach – new trials:

• The identified 25 genotypes with elevated levels of disease resistance to one or more of our

three target pathogens were clonally propagated under commercial conditions. An average of

eighty clones of each of these genotypes (i.e. ~2,000 plants) are currently growing in the field at

our cooperating commercial nursery. These will be grafted in Spring 2021 and dug in winter

2021/22 for planting in Spring 2022.

• Depending on numbers of trees available, field trials will be prioritized and established at the UC

Davis Armstrong field station for inoculation treatment (i.e. inoculated with A. tumefaciens,

Phytophthora, and/or nematodes), a Phytophthora trial in San Joaquin County, and other

cooperators with nematode or crown gall problems are being identified in Stanislaus and other

counties for Spring 2022 planting.

• All field trials will be under my direction as the field trial coordinator for this clonal rootstock

research. Plots at Armstrong and KARE (if included) will include an inoculation treatment (i.e.

inoculated with A. tumefaciens, Phytophthora, and/or nematodes). Coordinator will work with

walnut farm advisors in respective counties to identify cooperators, design plots, and plant

trials.

• Monitor growth of new genotypes at cooperating nursery. Take baseline and end of season

growth data in spring and winter 2021 respectively at rootstock trial planted in fall 2019 at

cooperating nursery.

• Most of the new elite rootstocks mentioned above will be grafted to J. regia ‘Chandler’ with

‘Serr’ being grafted for one trial. Depending on the trial and identified problem, Chandler or

Serr trees on standard rootstocks (i.e. VX211, RX1, or Vlach) or other clones as controls will be

included for comparison at new experimental sites that collectively represent the diversity of

California walnut production regions and selected biotic stress factors (i.e., soil-borne

pathogens). The grafted trees will be planted in replicated randomized or randomized complete

block or split plot designs

• In addition, given our current rate of discovery, we anticipate identification of 10-15 additional

elite disease resistant genotypes within the next 12 months that also will enter our invitro

propagation system in preparation for field evaluation.

NAICS Code: 115116 and the size standard is $8.0

Companies who have the experience, as well as an interest in doing business with ARS, should submit a Capabilities Statement which, for this notice, is not expected to be a proposal, but rather short statements regarding the company’s ability to demonstrate their expertise and experience in relation to the areas specified in this notice. Companies should also indicate whether they are a Small Business, SBA-certified HUBZone, SBA-certified 8(a), SDVOSB, or Women-Owned Small Business. Responses should be submitted by 11/25/2020 BY 12:00pm PSTto the attention of Brian Fien at Brian.fien@usda.gov or 509-335-3349