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Seeds of Coreopsis leavenworthii Torr. & Gray (Asteraceae) are being commercially produced but the lack of genetic diversity information has hindered growers and end users from addressing several critical issues affecting wild collection, commercial production, distribution, and the use of seeds. In this study, the genetic diversity and differentiation among natural, production, and introduced populations were analyzed at the molecular level using 320 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A high level of diversity [68.6% average polymorphism; total genetic diversity (H _t ) = 0.309] and a moderate level of genetic differentiation [total genetic diversity residing among populations (G _st ) = 0.226; Φ _st = 0.244; Bayesian analog of Nei's G _st (G _st -B) = 0.197] was detected among six natural populations—two each from northern, central, and southern Florida. Two distance-based clustering analyses, based on an individual's AFLP phenotypes or a population's allele frequencies, grouped natural populations into three clusters, concordant with our previous results from a common garden study of phenotypic variation. Clustering of populations was mostly according to their respective geographical origin within Florida. The correlation between geographical distances and pairwise F _st values between populations was very significant (r = 0.855, P < 0.0001). Two central Florida natural populations were divergent and grouped into separate clusters, indicating that the existence of factors other than physical distance alone were contributing to genetic isolation. Three production populations maintained a level of genetic diversity comparable to that in the natural populations and were grouped with the natural populations from which the production populations were derived, suggesting that the genetic identity of the seed origin was maintained under production practices. The genetic diversity of the introduced population was comparable to that of the source populations (central Florida natural populations), but genetic shift seems to have occurred, causing the introduced population to cluster with local (northern Florida) populations where planted. The observed genetic differentiation among natural populations may indicate a need to develop appropriate zones within Florida for preservation of genetic diversity during seed collection, increase, and distribution. This high level of population differentiation also suggests a need to collect and analyze more natural populations across Florida and from Alabama for a better understanding of the species' genetic diversity and population structure across its distribution range.

Eight new green fluorescent protein (GFP) binary vectors were developed by inserting gfp reporter gene cassettes into pGreen vectors. We chose one of them, pG52KF, with the nptII selection and gfp reporter gene and one recombinant construct, pG52KFp, for a preliminary evaluation in citrus using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. High-transformation efficiency was observed, whereas green fluorescence greatly facilitated the early in vivo screening and categorizing of the transformants. These pGreen-derived GFP binary vectors, freely available on request, provide more and flexible options for genetic transformation in citrus and other woody plants.

Genetic resources are the foundation of American agriculture’s ongoing success—the diversity, security, health, and genetic integrity of these resources must be safeguarded. However, in contrast to other crops, protecting, managing, and using collections of woody landscape plant genetic resources present significant challenges. These include conservation of at-risk populations that have high genetic diversity, evaluation of taxa with an unknown potential to invade, and management of large specimens that have long generation times and often recalcitrant or difficult-to-store seeds. The wide diversity of taxa and the limited number of specialist curators and scholars present further challenges. Thus, effective collection, preservation, evaluation, and distribution of woody landscape plant germplasm require substantial and specialized resources. The most fundamental challenge is simple: too many built landscapes have low taxonomic diversity and are often dominated by a single taxon, or monoculture. In turn, these taxonomically and genetically depauperate landscapes are vulnerable to a host of biotic and abiotic threats and are less likely to provide ecosystem and societal services for which they were designed. To develop more resilient landscapes, there is an urgent need to expand taxonomic diversity, which requires the horticultural community to effectively acquire, curate, evaluate, distribute, and use diverse woody landscape plant genetic resources. The role of the US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) Woody Landscape Plant Crop Germplasm Committee (WLPCGC) is to identify vulnerabilities and threats that compromise WLP crops in the United States and make recommendations for prioritization of germplasm acquisition, evaluation, research, and management priorities through regular interaction with stakeholders. Due to the breadth of genera and shifting plant genetic resource needs of the nursery industry, it is impractical to list specific threatened or priority genera in a broadly applicable crop vulnerability statement. Instead, the WLPCGC has identified themes of threats and vulnerabilities providing a foundation upon which to support prioritization as threats to specific genera emerge.