Accessions of glabrous apricots from Alma-Ata in the south central Soviet Union were introduced into the United States in July 1990 and placed under quarantine. They cannot be made available to researchers until tests to detect plant pathogens in them have been completed, which can take several years. Credit: Calvin Sperling.

of a lack of facilities to grow them under quarantine in the United States, a number of items (such as corn and sorghum accessions from Africa and Asia) must be grown in Europe or Latin America before becoming a part of the 90 percent that pass quickly. An offshore quarantine site, such as that being developed by ARS in St. Croix under a permit from APHIS, will greatly expedite the entry process for many accessions.

Recent agreements between ARS and APHIS have promoted cooperation on importing germplasm for scientific purposes. The National Plant Germplasm Quarantine Center near Beltsville, Maryland, run jointly by NPGS and APHIS, was established to facilitate exchange and importation and to eliminate a rapidly growing backlog of germplasm materials. However, the center's isolation areas, greenhouses, controlled environment rooms, laboratories, and staff members will be insufficient