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Small Collections Grant

This page is used to provide assessment scores for each  grant application assigned to you. Please use the rubric below the grant details to enter your assessment scores and any notes you wish to include.
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Phylogenetic diversity assessment and digitization of Agaricus species collected from different regions in Kenya.

susannjuguini@gmail.com

Kenya

Database, Digitally image

Cost (USD): 

1966

EA

National Museums of Kenya

Objective:

1. To Sequence PCR products of atleast 15 Agaricus samples targeting the Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and large-subunit rRNA (LSU) region .
2. To database the Agaricus collections preserved at the National Museums of Kenya, East Africa Herbarium (EA) using BRAHMS software.
3. To digitize the Agaricus collections by capturing high quality images and storing the information in a digital format.
4. To disseminate information on global platform for access by a wider audience such as GBIF.

Timetable:

1. Transcend 2TB USB 3.1 external Hand Drive . The external hand drive will be used for storing and importing data to the software.
2. 1 HP EliteOne 800 G3-AIO 23’’FHD, Corei56500 3.2 GHz, 16 GB RAM,256GB Solid State Drive The computer desktop will be used for data entry.
3. 1 camera Canon EOS 2000D DSLR Camera With 18-55MM Lens and a stand. The camera will be used for capturing high quality resolution images of the macrofungi. The stand is for holding the camera in position.
4. 1 Barcode scanner handheld Scanning Gun 2.4G USB Wireless 3 milPhone Tablet PC Windows. This equipment will be used for capturing barcode specimen information.
5. At least 15 Agaricus specimens will be shipped to macrogen for sequencing @ cost of 38 US dollars per sample.
6. Shipping cost will cater for sending samples for sequencing.
7. The budget costs are inclusive of 16% value added tax charged in Kenya for all the items.




Scoring Rubric

Reviewer's name:

Collection Improvement (max. 120 points)

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  • Facilitating access to the physical collections by digitization (e.g., data entry, setting up database structure with an outline of the platform to be used, purchasing equipment, and imaging specimens) – up to 30 points.

  • Enhancing physical collections by improving the conservation status of specimens in the herbarium (e.g., better folders, protecting covers, mounting paper, labeling, etc.) – up to 30 points.

  • Curating specimens (e.g., updating families, species identification, identifying types) – up to 20 points.

  • Increasing our understanding of the flora or funga by making new herbarium specimens available, such as processing of backlog or collecting and mounting of new specimens from understudied sites – up to 20 points.

  • Securing collections by distribution of duplicates (or orphan collections) to other regional or international herbaria or shipping endangered collections to another herbarium – up to 20 points.

This proposal scores:

/120

Methods & Funding (max. 40 points)

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  • Match between the proposed budget and methods for the aims described – up to 10 points.

  • Perceived need, the extent to which the project will benefit from IAPT funding: e.g., due to active floristic work or contribution to poorly collected sites, due to threatened conditions of collections, and for the degree of involvement of others (outreach and education). We give more points for herbaria in low- and middle-income countries – up to 20 points.

  • Sharing duplicate specimens with other herbaria – up to 10 points.

This proposal scores:

/40

Broader Impacts (max. 40 points)

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  • Degree of regional importance of the collection or the taxonomic importance of the targeted collection – up to 10 points.

  • The project will yield durable benefits (specimens, digitized metadata, databases, websites) – up to 15 points.

  • The project involves outreach/mentoring and broad dissemination – up to 15 points.

This proposal scores:

/40

Proposal

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Year of last successful SCG application:

Has applicant applied for SCG before?:

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Plan:

My PhD project is on the taxonomy of the genus Agaricus. The genus is known for over 500 species out of which many edible and few toxic. Despite the value of this genus, limited studies have been carried out in Africa and particularly in Kenya to describe and identify the species. The most comprehensive description of 9 species belonging to Agaricus was carried out 45 years ago by Pegler (1977) majorly from central region of Kenya. Since 2022, I have collected over 20 species from various regions in Kenya and some have not been documented and described in Kenya. Inorder to correctly name the species combined methods of identification (morphological and molecular tools) will be employed. The morphological descriptions of the species have been completed. I have extracted the DNA and amplified the ITS and LSU gene regions of almost all the 20 Agaricus species collected during 2020- 2022. Due to lack of funds the PCR products are preserved at -80 degrees centigrade awaiting sequencing. The generated molecular data will be critical in identification and the revision of the genus Agaricus. The East Africa Herbarium has been carrying out database and digitization of plant collections will little effort to database nor digitize over 2000 fungi collections. The data on collection will be entered using BRAHMS software and scanned images of the collections stored in digital format and the data will be published in GBIF for access by a larger audience.

Institution:

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Applicant First Name/s:

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Sequence

"Other" target:

Susan Njuguini Kabacia

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Applicant Last Name/s:

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