This symposium is the third in a series featuring the propaga tion of higher plants through tissue culture. The first of these symposia, entitled "A Bridge Between Research and Application," was held at the University in 1978 and was published by the Technical Information Center, Department of Energy. The second symposium, on "Emerging Technologies and Strategies," was held in 1980 and pub lished as a special issue of Environmental and Experimental Botany. One of the aims of these symposia was to examine the current state of-the-art in tissue culture technology and to relate this state of technology to practical, applied, and commercial interests. Thus, the third of this series on development and variation focused on embryogenesis in culture: how to recognize it, factors which affect embryogenesis, use of embryogenic systems, etc.; and variability from culture. A special session on woody species again emphasized somatic embryogenesis as a means of rapid propagation. This volume emphasizes tissue culture of forest trees. All of these areas, we feel, are breakthrough areas in which significant progress is expected in the next few years.

Since the first edition of our book "Tissue Culture in Fores try" in 1982 we have witnessed remarkable advances in cell and tissue culture technologies with woody perennials. In addition to forest biologists in government, industry, and universities, we now have molecular biologists, genetic engineers, and biochemists using cell and tissue cultures of woody species routinely. There fore, the time has come for an update of the earlier edition. In our present effort to cover new developments we have expanded to three volumes: 1. General principles and Biotechnology 2. Specific Principles and Methods: Growth and Development 3. Case Histories: Gymnosperms, Angiosperms and Palms The scientific barriers to progress in tree improvement are not so much lack of foreign gene expression in plants but our current inabili ty to regenerate plants in true-to-type fashion on a mas sive and economic scale. To achieve this in the form of an appro pr iate biotechnology, cell and tissue culture will increasing ly require a better understanding of basic principles in chemistry and physics that determine structural and functional relationships among molecules and macromolecules (proteins, RNA, DNA) within cells and tissues. These principles and their relationship with the culture medium and its physical environment, principles of clonal propagation, and genetic variation and ultrastructure are discussed in volume one.

Plant Tissue Culture and Its Agricultural Applications presents the proceedings of the 41st University of Nottingham Easter School in Agricultural Science held in England. The sessions covered in this volume reflect the revolution of tissue culture and its role in the propagation of elite plant material and the development of improved genotypes. This book is organized into four main sections. The first section chronicles the revolution of the plant tissue culture. This includes papers on clonal propagation, morphogenesis, germplasm storage, plant health, and genetic improvement. The core of this volume is covered by the introductory and the final chapters which interrelate the different subjects areas covered by the proceedings and provide a realistic assessment of future research required for the plant tissue culture revolution to come to fruition. This book will be useful to readers interested in understanding the history, evolution, and future of plant tissue culture and its applications in the agricultural sector.

In 1980, a conference on tissue culture of fruit crops was held at Beltsville to summarize the current status of this technology and to stimulate interest in it among research scientists, students, and commercial producers in the U. S. Interest in that conference and the proceedings from it far exceeded the expectations of the organizing committee. Since that time, micropropagation of fruit crops in the U. S. has increased significantly, but still lags far behind applications to production of ornamental plants. Within the past two years, a number of new laboratories have been established and some of the existing laboratories have expanded to a size far larger than any previously anticipated. Creation of new laboratories capable of producing more than 400,000 plants per week will test the ingenuity of laboratory managers and the skills of marketing departments. In recent years, numerous symposia have been held on various aspects of biotechnology and genetic engineering. Although micro propagation is the key to providing large numbers of genetically engineered plants, it is a topic that has been relegated to a minor position, or ignored completely, at such meetings. Accordingly, the time seemed propitious for a conference devoted solely to all aspects of micropropagation as applicable to horticultural crops.

Plant Cell and Tissue Culture gives an exhaustive account of plant cell culture and genetic transformation, including detailed chapters on all major field and plantation crops. Part A presents a comprehensive coverage of all necessary laboratory techniques for the initiation, nutrition, maintenance and storage of plant cell and tissue cultures, including discussions on these topics, as well as on morphogenesis and regeneration, meristem and shoot tip culture, plant protoplasts, mutant cell lines, variation in tissue cultures, isogenic lines, fertilization control, cryopreservation, transformation, and the production of secondary metabolites. Part B then proceeds into detail on the specific in vitro culture of specific crops, including cereals, legumes, vegetables, potatoes, other roots and tubers, oilseeds, temperate fruits, tropical fruits, plantation crops, forest trees and ornamentals. Plant Cell and Tissue Culture is, and is likely to remain, the laboratory manual of choice, as well as a source of inspiration and a guide to all workers in the field.

This work integrates basic biotechnological methodologies with up-to-date agricultural practices, offering solutions to specific agricultural needs and problems from plant and crop yield to animal husbandry. It presents and evaluates the limitations of classical methodologies and the potential of novel and emergent agriculturally related biotechnologies.

This volume covers recent advances in the vegetative propagation of woody plants by tissue culture. A wide range of topics relevant to micropropagation of woody plants are discussed by renowned international scientists. These include cellular contro of morphogenesis, light regimes in tissue culture, maturation and rejuvenation, synthetic seed, genetics of micropropagated plants, haploid embryogenesis, protoplast culture, and acclimatization of ex vitro woody plants. In addition to micropropagation of selected woody plants, both gymnosperms and angiosperms, this volume also includes in vitro genetic selection, strategic planning for application of biotechnology for genetics and breeding, and clonal options for woody plant improvement. A balanced view of both perspectives and limitations of woody plant micropropagation is presented.