Seed Info

LITERATURE

Literature, books and journal articles of interest to readers are presented here. Please send list of seed publications on policy, regulation and technology to the Editor for inclusion in Seed Info.

ISTA. 2003. International Rules for Seed Testing.
The International Rules for Seed Testing lays down detailed standard techniques and procedures, primarily to promote uniformity in seed testing procedures. The publication includes 17 Chapters and Appendices describing the principles and definitions illustrated by tables and methods to be used. The International Rules for Seed Testing are approved and amended at ISTA Ordinary and Extraordinary Meetings based on the recommendations of ISTA Technical Committees. The 2003 edition includes the latest changes at the ISTA Extraordinary Meeting held in Bolivia 3-6 July 2002. The complete set of the International Rules for Seed Testing will include two separate publications: International Rules for Seed Testing, Edition 2003 and Annexe to Chapter 7, Seed Health Testing Methods. The Rules become effective from 1 January 2003. ISBN: 3-906549-38-0 (En); Price $214.

Amarjit S. Basra (ed.). 2000. Hybrid Seed Production in Vegetables: Rationale and Methods in Selected Crops.
The monograph published simultaneously as the Journal of New Seeds, 3/4) Price $24.95 (for developing countries). For more information contact: GTZ, Dag-Hammarskjold-Weg 1-5, Postfach 5180, 65726 Eschborn, Germany; Website: http://www.gtz.de.

S. David and B. Oliver. 2002. Handbook Two Business Skills for Small-Scale Seed Producers and Handbook Three: Business Skills for Small-Scale Seed Producers: A Trainer's Guide.
The former designed for direct use by farmers and farmer groups while the latter is for use by service providers interested in strengthening the business capacity of farmers in this area. These aims to enhance the performance of decentralised seed systems are not commercially attractive to the formal seed sector, for example due to the nature of the crop or of the demand for seed or planting material, or the accessibility of many small farming areas. For details contact: Dr Roger Kirkby, CIAT Africa Coordinator, Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute, P. O. Box 6247, Kampala, Uganda. Fax: ++256-41-567635; E-mail: ciat-africa @cgiar.org.

Nicolas, G., K.J. Bradford, D. Come and H. Pritchard (eds.). 2003. The Biology of Seeds: Recent Research Advances.
This book presents edited and revised papers from the Seventh International workshop on Seeds, held in Salamanca, Spain in May 2002. Key topics addressed include seed development, seed germination and dormancy, desiccation, seed ecology, seed biotechnology. ISBN 0 85199 653 1; Price $175; 500 pp; Website: http://www.cabi-publishing.org.

Evenson, R.E. and D. Gollin (eds.). 2003. Crop Variety Improvement and Its Effects on Productivity: The Impact of International Agricultural Research.
This volume reports the findings of a study of the productivity impacts of varietal improvement research conducted at a number of international centers affiliated with the CGAIR. The study was initiated and supported by the Impact Assessment and Evaluation Group of the CGIAR. Econometric models are used to evaluate investment in these cases of agricultural research and to analyze impact in selected countries (Brazil, China, India) and crops (wheat, rice, barley, maize, sorghum, millet, beans, lentils, potato, cassava). ISBN 0 85199 549 7; Price $140; 544 pp.

P.G. Pardey (ed.). 2002. The Future of Food: Biotechnology Markets and Policies in an International Setting.
The book offers contributions from a wide range of authors and fields. They include assessment of the global economic gains that are likely to result from growing GM grain and oilseed crops, and the costs to countries who choose to ban GM imports; the future potential of bio-science, and the perspective this gives on current developments such as Bt cotton; the role that public research agencies may have, and their ability to take advantage of privately developed technologies; and an analysis of the trade-offs between higher costs and faster results in marker-assisted maize breeding. Of primary interest to policy-makers, it offers a useful appraisal of the economic dimension to the biotechnology debate. Published by the IFPRI and distributed by Johns Hopkins University Press 2715 N, Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218-4319, USA. Website: www.jhupbooks.com, 329pp; ISBN 0 89629 709 8; Price (Pb) £13.50.

D.R. Murray. 2003. Seeds of Concern: The Genetic Manipulation of Plants.
This book makes a significant contribution to the debate about the applications and implications of gene technology, from the perspective of a plant biologist. ISBN 0 85199 725 2; Price $35; 158 pp.

S. Adams and V. Henson-Apollonio 2002. Defensive Publishing: A Strategy for Maintaining Intellectual Property as Public Goods: ISNAR Briefing Paper 53.
Scientific research generates intellectual property which can be patented provided it meets the requirement for novelty. Where public research institutions need to ensure that the products of their work remain accessible to those whom they wish to benefit, it may be appropriate to block others from obtaining proprietary rights over the same matter by deliberately publishing information. No one else could then patent and subsequently control the use of a research finding or product because they would be unable to satisfy the requirement for novelty. This is the subject of ISNAR Briefing Paper 53 intended primarily for research managers in public institutions who may need to consider whether defensive publishing would be appropriate and what form it should take. Can be read online at http://www.isnar.cgiar.org/publications/briefing/bp 53.htm or downloaded in Pdf format from ftp://ftp.cgiar.org/isnar/publicat/bp-53.pdf.

FAO. 2003. World Agriculture: Towards 2015/2030-An FAO Perspective.
This report is FAO's latest assessment of the long-term outlook for the world's food supplies, nutrition and agriculture. It presents the projections and the main messages. The projections cover supply and demand for the major agricultural commodities and sectors, including fisheries and forestry. This analysis forms the basis for a more detailed examination of other factors, such as nutrition and under nourishment, and the implications for international trade. The report also investigates the implications of future supply and demand for the natural resource base and discusses how technology can contribute to more sustainable development.

One of the report's main findings is that, if no corrective action is taken, the target set by the World Food Summit in 1996 (that of halving the number of undernourished people by 2015) is not going to be met. Nothing short of a massive effort at improving the overall development performance will free the developing world of its most pressing food insecurity problems. The progress made towards this target depends on many factors, not least of which are political will and the mobilization of additional resources. Past experience underlines the crucial role of agriculture in the development process, particularly where the majority of the population still depends on this sector for employment and income. A hardcopy of this report and the Summary report can be ordered at http://www.fao.org/icatalog/inter-e.htm

New Journal Launched on Food, Agriculture and Environment

Scope and Aims
Research on Food and Agriculture is progressively moving towards an interdisciplinary study of sustainable food production to meet the demand of growing human populations. However, as more countries industrialize, there is an increase in air and water pollution, soil contamination, as well as elevated levels of global warming and depletion of the ozone layer. This complex scenario challenges researchers to develop and test more appropriate technologies for sustainable agriculture. Research, for example, is being carried out to overcome problems of environmental stress, minimize the use of pesticides, slow post-harvest storage losses, and explore nutrition, animal science and human health, by using conventional and new technologies such as biotechnology, mutation-assisted breeding and molecular biology.

The Journal of Food, Agriculture, and Environment (JAFE) is dedicated to meeting the need for a new journal that can encompass this wide range of topics and interdisciplinary approaches. JAFE will publish (in print and on-line versions) peer-reviewed original research, protocols, critical reviews and short communications in food science and technology, and agriculture, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary studies on food, human nutrition, agricultural, animal science and environment. For more details please contact: World Food RD Ltd/JFAE Editorial Office, Meri-Rastilantie 3C, FIN-00980 Helsinki, Finland; Tel: ++358-50-5051135; Email: editoria@world-food. net or Info@world-food.net

Useful Internet Sites/Electronic Publications

Funding Opportunities
The Global Development Network is producing an electronic newsletter that contains funding opportunities for researchers in developing countries. These include research grants, scholarships, calls for project proposals, and subsidized conference and workshop attendance. Details are available at http://www.gdnet.org/ resources/funding.htm

Research Grants
The International Foundation for Science (IFS) provides research grants of up to US$12,000 to support young scientists from developing countries. The research should focus on the management, use and conservation of biological resources and their environment and the period in which the research is carried out should be not less than a year and not more than three years. For specific details, contact: IFS Secretariat, Grev Turengatan 19, SE-114 38 Stockholm, Sweden. Fax: ++46-8-545-81801; E-mail: info@ifs.se; Website: http://www.ifs.se/ research_grants.htm

Seed identification
Seed identification can now be facilitated by visiting a website where over 700 full color photographs are displayed. The database is meant for seed analyst, seed industry (seed conditioners, seed labelers, seed marketing/sales, seed buyers/customers) educators (college and university, agricultural extension, high school) and general public who are interested in seed identification. This database will help everyone associated with the seed industry to identify noxious weeds. Access is based on registration and payment of fees. For more information contact: E-mail:
seedings@colostate.edu; Webiste: http://www.seed images.com

Search Engine
The Info Finder is a new search engine for information on agriculture, hunger, poverty and the environment from web pages and online publications that are produced by FAO-the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and CGIAR-Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. Info Finder is a result of collaboration between FAO's World Agricultural Information Center and the CGIAR's international agricultural research centers. For details, go to the website at http://infofinder. cgiar.org.