OREGIN collection of oilseed rape fungal pathogen isolates managed by a relational database accessible to stakeholders via the Internet

Abstract

One aim of the Defra-funded Oilseed Rape Genetic Improvement Network (OREGIN) is to establish, characterise and catalogue a collection of Leptosphaeria maculans (phoma stem canker) and Pyrenopeziza brassicae (light leaf spot) isolates from around the world and to determine genetic diversity in the world-wide populations of these pathogens. Five hundred and twenty isolates of L. maculans and 253 isolates of P. brassicae have been assembled at Rothamsted Research from sources representative of the world-wide distribution of phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. Information on these isolates (including geographical origin, host species and cultivar of origin, pathogenicity group, mating type and other properties such as culture medium, stock type [slope culture/ glycerol spore suspension stocks]) is now being collected and saved to a Rothamsted Research MySQL open source relational database server. This is being made accessible to the research community and stakeholders via the OREGIN website (www.oregin.info). Once characterised and described, the isolates will be available and the website will generate the appropriate Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) forms. The OREGIN website is being expanded to include access to information relating to other public domain plant resources being made available via OREGIN. This includes information about the Brassica napus Diversity Fixed Foundation Set (BnDFFS) and reference genetic mapping populations that are held in secure storage at Warwick HRI.