A number of trials are underway at the Picos Test Site funded through the CRDF.� A detailed current status is outlined below this paragraph.� In the last quarter, the most signficant advances have been: 1) A replicated planting of 32 transgenic trees and controls produced by Dr. Jeff Jones at UF.� These trees include two very different constructs, each quite specific in attacking the citrus canker pathogen. 2) Initiation of an experiment on pollen flow from transgenic trees. Data on flowering overlap was collected on transgenic US-802 and non-transgenic FF-5-51-2.� The FF-5-51-2 trees are slightly more than 1000 ft from the US-802, and are self-incompatible and mono-embryonic.� When seed mature in the FF-5-51-2, thousands will be collected and tested for nptII, a transgene in the US-802.� Controlled crosses were also made of US-802 pollen onto 36 flowers of FF-5-51-2.� This will demonstrate cross-compatibility and provide seed to validate testing protocols.� If pollen from transgenic trees is not detected from open-pollination, it should reduce isolation distances required by BRS. 3) Annual BRS inspection of the planting site was conducted.��Previously established at the site:�1) The UF Grosser, Dutt and Gmitter transgenic effort has a substantial planting of diverse transgenics.� These are on an independent permit, while all other transgenics on the site are under the Stover permit.�2)� A broad cross-section of Poncirus derived material is being tested by USDA-ARS-Riverside and UCRiverside, and led by Chandrika Ramadugu.� These are seedlings of 82 seed source trees from the Riverside genebank and include pure trifoliate accessions, hybrids of Poncirus with diverse parents, and more advanced accessions with Poncirus in the pedigree.� Plants are replicated and each accession includes both graft-inoculated trees and trees uninfected at planting. Likely 2019 will be the last year for data collection.�3) More than 100 citranges, from a well-characterized mapping population, and other trifoliate hybrids (+ sweet orange standards) were planted in a replicated trial in collaboration with Fred Gmitter of UF and Mikeal Roose of UCRiverside.� Plants were monitored for CLas titer development and HLB symptoms. Data from this trial should provide information on markers and perhaps genes associated with HLB resistance, for use in transgenic and conventional breeding. Manuscripts have been published reporting HLB tolerance associated QTLs and differences in ACP colonization. Trees continue to be useful for documenting tolerance in a new NIFA project.�4) A replicated Fairchild x Fortune mapping population was planted at the Picos Test Site in an effort led by Mike Roose to identify loci/genes associated with tolerance.� This planting also includes a number of related hybrids (including our easy peeling remarkably HLB-tolerant 5-51-2) and released cultivars.� Genotyping, HLB phenotyping and growth data have been collected and will continue to be conducted under a new NIFA grant.�5) Valencia on UF Grosser tertazyg rootstocks have been at the Picos Test Site for several years, having been CLas-inoculated before planting, and several continue to show excellent growth compared to standard controls (Grosser, personal comm.).�6) In a project led by Fred Gmitter there is a planting of 1132 hybrids of C. reticulata x C. latipes. C. latipes is among the few members of genus Citrus reported to have HLB resistance, and it is expected that there will be segregation for such resistance. The resulting plants may be used in further breeding and may permit mapping for resistance genes.��7) Seedlings with a range of pedigree contributions from Microcitrus are planted in a replicated trial, in a collaboration between Malcolm Smith (Queensland Dept. of Agriculture and Fisheries) and Ed Stover. Microcitrus is reported to have HLB resistance, and it is expected that there will be segregation for such resistance. The resulting plants may be used in further breeding and may permit mapping for resistance genes.��8) Conventional scions on Mthionin-producing transgenic Carrizo are planted from the Stover team and are displaying superior growth to trees on control Carrizo.�9) Numerous promising transgenics identified by the Stover lab in the last two years have been propagated and will be planted in the test site.� New transgenics from� Zhonglin Mou of UF, Tim McNellis of PSU will be planted in the next quarter.� �10) Availability of the test site for planting continues to be announced to researchers.��