Conservation of Plant Genes: DNA Banking and In Vitro Biotechnology

This, the first report of the DNA Bank-Net - an organization whose goal is to encourage the conservation, collection and preservation of plant genes - covers DNA banking and gene retrieval; oligonucleotides from endangered/extinct species; operation of a DNA banking facility; the impact of intellectual property rights in developing countries; interim preservation of plants for DNA use; cryopreservation of fruit stocks; and a critical review of international conservation efforts.

Table of Contents:
Contributors - DNA bank-net workshop participants. Efforts to conserve tropical plants, V.H. Heywood; the gene library - preservation and analysis of genetic diversity in Australasia, J.S. Mattick et al; floristic diversity, botanical exploration and the establishment of a germplasm bank for conservation in the neotropic - the Columbian view, L. Atehortua; the economic impact of novel genes in plant biotechnology - not without strong intellectual property rights, S.C. Price; germplasm conservation and economic development, L.A. Barreto de Castro; feasibility of obtaining comparative gene sequence data from preserved and fossil materials, D.E. Giannasi; prospects of accessing DNA banks for the isolation of genes encoding biologically active proteins, R.A. Dixon and N.L. Paiva; the discovery of medicines and forest conservation, J.S. Miller and S.J. Brewer; preservation of DNA in plant specimens from tropical species by dessication, R.P. Adams et al; some possible applications of molecular genetics in the conservation of wild species for crop improvement, T. Hodgkin and D.G. Debouck; freeze-preservation of embryonic musa suspension cultures, B. Panis et al; cryoconservation of musa spp. and its potential for long-term storage of other tropical crops, V.M. Villalobos and A. Abdelnour; chromosome variation in callus culture of "gossypium hirsutum", Z. Sijun; DNA polymorphism in wheat and its relatives, L.P.P. Strelchenko et al; "in situ" conservation of plants with potential economic value, C.C. Heyn and M. Waldman; screening valuable genes from wild species of plants, L. Zhong-Ping et al; the status of rare and endangered plants in China and efforts for their protection, M. Cheng et al; transportation of plant materials out of developing countries, D. Abbiw; studies of the rare and endangered plant species in the Yunnan region of China, Z. Hu and Q. Wu; current status of plant genetic resources in Ethiopia, A. Demissie; conservation of plant diversity in Japan, K. Iwatsuki; status of forest conservation for maintenance of biodiversity in Nigeria, Z.O. Gbile; indigenous flora conservation in Kenya, T.K. Mukiama. DNA bank-net directory. Index.