Pisum Genetics Volume 27 1995 Preface i-iv

PGA	The Pisum Genetics Association (PGA) is a non-profit, unincorporated organization established to foster genetic study of the pea, to facilitate the exchange of information and to ensure preservation of valuable genetic stocks. Pisum Genetics (formerly The Pisum Newsletter = PNL) is the principal means of meeting these aims. Published annually in one issue, Pisum Genetics contains reports of research findings and other information relating to genetic variation in Pisum. The PGA currently has 160 members from 28 countries.
"Pisum Genetics"
Membership	Membership of the PGA is open to all interested persons and organizations. Dues are $15 U.S. or $20 Australian per annum. Cheques for an equivalent sum are acceptable in any other major currency e.g. Danish kronar, English pounds, French francs or Japanese yen. Please do not send Money Orders. Dues are used to help defray the costs of publishing and mailing Pisum Genetics. Members are encouraged to pay dues for two or more years to simplify bookkeeping and to reduce losses through bank charges which are Aust $2.50 per cheque regardless of the size of the cheque. Please make cheques payable to Pisum Genetics Association and send to Prof I.C. Murfet, Dept. of Plant Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. Pisum Genetics will be sent on receipt of dues.
Payment of dues
Editor	The Editor, Prof I.C. Murfet, may be contacted at the above address by phone 61 02 202605, fax 61 02 202698 or e-mail Ian.Murfet@plant.utas.edu.au.
Manuscripts	Please submit manuscripts double-spaced. Figures should be ready to print and of good quality. Tables should be set out in accordance with established format. References should be listed in alphabetical then chronological order and full details supplied for papers in monographs, e.g., give details of editors, publisher and city, page numbers and list all authors; Smith et al. is not sufficient. Research reports should be organised concisely in the format of a short introduction outlining the background to and aim of the study, a materials and methods section with essential details and references to techniques, a results section and a discussion section interpreting the results and integrating findings with those of other workers. Section headings are not obligatory. Conclusions should be justified, where applicable, by appropriate statistical analysis. Length should generally be kept within the range of 1-4 journal pages but longer papers will be considered on their merits. Research reports and reviews are subjected to peer review and revision if necessary. Research reports should contain original work not currently submitted to any other journal. Review articles are obtained by invitation. However, the Editor would welcome enquiries or suggestions regarding possible review topics. Papers will not be rejected because the English is not fluent. However, the intended meaning must be clear, the scientific content sound and appropriate, the conclusions justified and the organisation logical. Abstracts may be submitted of work to be published elsewhere or conference papers. Issues of interest to members may be discussed in the forum section or raised as letters to the Editor.
Gene Symbols	Mr Mike Ambrose (John Innes Institute, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; phone 44 1603 452571, fax 44 1603 456844, e-mail michael.ambrose@bbsrc.ac.uk) continues as Co-ordinator of Gene Symbols. If you are proposing a new gene symbol please check with Mike that the symbol is free and appropriate. In most cases not more than three letters are necessary to symbolise a locus. Again if you are proposing a new gene please make a reasonable effort to check for allelism with established genes of similar type. (Reports where allelism tests have not been done risk rejection). This saves the literature being cluttered with confusing synonyms. PGA rules for gene symbols are under review. The current rules are given in Pisum Newsletter 9 Supplement: 61-64 (1977). In due course, please send type lines for new genes and relevant reprints to
Pea Genetic Stock Centres	Mike Ambrose as the John Innes Institute has now taken on responsibility in regard to the maintenance and supply of pea type and representative lines. Members are reminded that the USA national Pisum collection and the G.A. Marx Pisum Genetics Stocks Collection have been transferred from Geneva, NY to Pullman, WA and enquiries concerning this material should be addressed to Dr R.M. Hannan, USDA-ARS, Western Regional Plant Introduction Station, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164.
Pisum gene database	Work has continued on updating the Pisum gene database, particularly through the efforts of the working party of Mike Ambrose, Niall Green and Peter Winfield. The cooperation of those who provided information for the data base during the past year is most appreciated.
Linkage map	The Linkage Map Co-ordinator is Dr Norman F. Weeden (Dept. of Hort. Sci., Cornell Univ./ NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456, USA; phone 1 315 787 2245, fax 1 315 787 2320, e-mail nfw1@nysaes.cornell.edu). The most recent map update provided by the Linkage Committee appears on the cover of Volume 25 and an RFLP map by Ellis et al. appears in Volume 25:5. We had planned a further map update for the cover of Volume 27 but in the interests of achieving a more stable map it was decided to defer the update for a further 12 months. One change now seems certain. Based on work at Christchurch, Geneva NY, Hobart, Norwich and Novosibirsk, linkage group IA will be joined to group II. While the foundations of genetics were laid by work on the pea, it is a matter of concern to all of us that we still do not have a stable pea linkage map. Nor do we know for certain all the linkage group/chromosome relationships. The pea is an important model species not only for genetics but also for work on the physiological, biochemical and molecular control of plant development All members are strongly encouraged to help fill in the gaps in our knowledge and to send relevant results to Norm Weeden as soon as possible. Adherence to the proposed Mapping Guidelines (Pisum Genetics Volume 25:13-14) will improve the rigour of the work and hopefully avoid some of the pitfalls of the past.
Retirements	During 1995, Dr Stig Blixt retired as Director of the Nordic Gene Bank, Alnarp, Sweden and Dr R.O. Hampton retired from his position as Research Plant Pathologist and Professor of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. At the end of June, 1996, Dr Earl Gritton will retire from his post as Professor in the Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin, Madison. All three men have made very substantial and significant contributions over many years to work on the pea and to the running of the Pisum Genetics Association since its inception. Fortunately, all three will continue their PGA links and on behalf of all our members I wish them a long, healthy, enjoyable and fulfilling retirement. Your attention is drawn to page 30 of Volume 27 where Earl Gritton generously offers to make available some of the fruits of his 32 years on the Pea Improvement Program at Madison.
Thanks	Thanks to all members (and non-members) who assisted with the refereeing and in other ways helped with the work of the PGA. Special thanks to Norm Weeden (Map Co-ordinator/Associate Editor), Mike Ambrose (Gene Symbols Co-ordinator), Oleg Kosterin for his help with PGA matters in the Novosibirsk area, and Gaye Johnson, our typist, for her loyalty, dedication, patience and professionalism in bringing Volume 27 to fruition. Sue Dwyer (Plant Genetic Resources Unit, Geneva, NY) retired during 1995 and her role in sending out back issues (Volumes 4, 6 and 11 are now out of print) has been taken over by Norm Weeden. Thanks to Sue for her prompt and efficient handling of this service and to Norm for taking on the task. Lastly, thanks to the crew in the Printing Section for their significant contribution to the publication of Volume 27.
Financial Report	Financial Report for the period Oct 27 1994 to Oct 1 1995. This period includes the production and mailing of Pisum Genetics Volume 26. All sums are in Australian dollars except funds in Geneva, NY which are in US dollars and included in the report for the first time since production of Pisum Genetics moved from Geneva to Hobart. Our balance of funds increased by $766.31. This net gain was influenced by reduced printing costs for Volume 26, a mailing weight below the 250g threshold where the charge doubles and the increase in the annual subscription rate in 1995. Our finances will be adversely affected in 1996 by the 7% rise in the Australian dollar against the US dollar. Most subscriptions are paid in US dollars.

Hobart balance brought forward (AUD) 5229.83

Income

Subscriptions 1734.27

Bank interest 128.79

Total income 1863.06

Expenditure

Printing 687.00

Postage 368.20

Typing 40.00

Govt duties 1.55

Total expenditure 1096.75

Hobart balance as at October 1 1995

Commonwealth Bank a/c 767102.5002314 5804.04

Univ. of Tas. A72 KPA 070-36 177.40

Cash on hand 14.70

Total 5996.14

Geneva, NY balance (USD)

Sav. Bank Finger Lakes a/c 01-11030029 236.35

I.C. Murfet

for the Co-ordinating Committee:

S. Blixt F. Muehlbauer W.K. Swiecicki

E. Gritton I. Murfet N. Weeden

C. Hedley J. Reid

L. Monti B. Sharma