Alan C. Cassells – författare

This book is based mainly on invited and offered papers presented at the Second International Symposium on Bacterial and Bacteria-like Contaminants of Plant Tissue Cultures held at University College, Cork, Ireland in September 1996, with additional invited papers. The First International Symposium on Bacterial and Bacteria-like Contaminants of Plant Tissue Cultures was held at the same venue in 1987 and was published as Acta Horticulturae volume 225, 1988. In the intervening years there have been considerable advances in both plant disease diagnostics and in the development of structured approaches to the management of disease and microbial contamination in micropropagation. These approaches have centred on attempts to separate, spatially, the problems of disease transmission and laboratory contamination. Disease-control is best achieved by establishing pathogen-free cultures while laboratory contamination is based on subsequent good working practice. Control of losses due to pathogens and microbial contamination in vitro addresses, arguably, the most importance causes of losses in the industry; nevertheless, losses at and post establishment can also be considerable due to poor quality microplants or micro-shoots. In this symposium, a holistic approach to pathogen and microbial contamination control is evident with the recognition that micropropagators must address pathogen and microbial contamination in vitro, and diseases and microplant failure at establishment. There is increasing interest in establishing beneficial bacterial and mycorrhizal association with microplants in vitro and in vivo.

This book is based on papers presented at the Second International Symposium on Bacterial and Bacteria-like Contaminants of Plant Tissue Cultures held at University College, Cork, Ireland in September 1996, with additional invited papers. Since the first symposium (published as Acta Horticulturae 225, 1988), there have been considerable advances in both plant disease diagnostics and in the development of structured approaches to the management of disease and microbial contamination in micropropagation. These approaches have centered on attempts to separate, spatially, the problems of vertical disease transmission, via infected explants to progeny microplants, from laboratory contamination. Disease control is best achieved by establishing pathogen-free cultures, while laboratory contamination management is based on subsequent good working practice. Control of losses due to pathogens and microbial contamination in vitro addresses, arguably, the most important causes of losses in the industry; nevertheless, losses at and post establishment can also be considerable due to poor quality micro-propagules.In this book, a holistic approach to pathogen and microbial contamination control is evident with the recognition that micropropagators must address pathogen and microbial contamination in vitro, and diseases and microplant failure at establishment. There is increasing interest in establishing beneficial bacterial and mycorrhizal association with microplants in vitro and in vivo. The contents are divided into sections. In each section there are papers that update contributions offered at the first symposium; for example, major advances have been made in microbial taxonomy and diagnostics based on advances in DNA-based techniques. Consolidation has occurred in therapy and laboratory contamination management. Novel, and arguably speculative, in vitro contamination control based on autotrophic culture is described; and disease control at establishment using bacterial and mycorrhizal inoculants is discussed.

A range of novel techniques is available to the plant breeder today to complement classical breeding methods. The new options are based on the integration of advances in plant cell biology with those in plant molecular biology. Plant cell, tissue and organ cultures provide efficient systems for transformation, for the achievement of wide crosses and for the production of variation through spontaneous and induced mutation, while permitting effective isolation of desired genotypes by in vitro selection. This book presents a critical appraisal of the methodologies of plant genetic manipulation for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers and plant breeders, and provides guidance on the choice of breeding options. The latter depends on the breeding system of the crop, the breeding objective and the tissue culture systems applicable to the target genotype(s).

A range of novel techniques is available to the plant breeder today to complement classical breeding methods. The new options are based on the integration of advances in plant cell biology with those in plant molecular biology. Plant cell, tissue and organ cultures provide efficient systems for transformation, for the achievement of wide crosses and for the production of variation through spontaneous and induced mutation, while permitting effective isolation of desired genotypes by in vitro selection. This book presents a critical appraisal of the methodologies of plant genetic manipulation for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers and plant breeders, and provides guidance on the choice of breeding options. The latter depends on the breeding system of the crop, the breeding objective and the tissue culture systems applicable to the target genotype(s).