PLANT GENETIC-RESOURCES CONSERVATION - THE ROLE OF THE GENE BANK IN DELIVERING USEFUL GENETIC MATERIALS TO THE RESEARCH SCIENTIST

General gene banks have had variable success in securing adequate or even consistent funding to conserve, describe, and distribute valuable genetic resources. Particularly vulnerable, and with even less secure funding, are the collections of individual scientists and those of a few scientists who have built up unique inventories over their careers. Genetic stock collections of morphological and chemical mutants, aneuploid lines, and wild species have special utility to breeders and molecular and developmental biologists as new technologies permit specific gene transfers, wider crosses, and genome mapping. Provisions to register and secure individual plant genetic stocks have been made by the Crop Science Society of America through its agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Seed Storage Laboratory to place genetic stocks within the National Plant Germplasm System. It will be necessary to acquire and preserve genetic materials and develop career programs to interest young scientists in the field of genetic resources conservation. © 1990 The American Genetic Association.