Plant Genome I Conference
Town & Country Conference Center, San Diego, CA, November, 1992.
PG-I: 32pg1
OVERVIEW OF PGD: THE USDA PLANT GENOME DATABASE SYSTEM.
Douglas W. Bigwood, C. Rose Broome, and Pamela A. Mitchell, USDA,
National Agricultural Library, 10301 Baltimore Blvd.,
Beltsville,
MD 20705
The Plant Genome Database System is part of the USDA Plant
Genome Program which is a cooperative effort between three USDA
agencies: the Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS), the
Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the National
Agricultural Library (NAL). The database will initially consist
of genome data which has been uploaded from five species groups:
wheat, maize, soybean, pine, and Arabidopsis. In the coming
months the database will expand to include data from solanaceous
crop plants and eventually the approximately 70 important crop
commodities. At present, all of the genome data in the database
is being collected, organized, and evaluated by members of the
species groups and then uploaded to the PGD. The database will
contain a wide variety of genomic data including information
about maps (genetic, physical, etc.), sites (mappable objects
such as genes), variations of sites (e.g. mutations and alleles),
phenotypic traits, probes, gene products, and germplasm. The
database will be linked to other relevant databases such as
AGRICOLA (NAL's bibliographic database), DNA and protein sequence
databases, and GRIN (ARS' Germplasm Resources Information
Network). Interactive access to PGD will be via the Internet and
modems. The data will also be made available as ascii files
including a version converted into the ASN.1 data description
language. A CD-ROM release is also planned. The expansion of
the PGD, as part of USDA's new National Genetic Resources
Initiative, to include animal commodities, other forest tree
species, insects, and microorganisms will be discussed.
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