10 Rice Genetics Newsletter 13 ( 1996)

First of all we would like to dedicate this volume to the memory of Dr. Hiko Ichi Oka. He made outstanding contribution to Rice Genetics Cooperative. He served as co-editor of the Rice Genetics Newsletter since its inception in 1984. He played a main role in standardizing the rules for gene symbolization and for evolving the unified chromosome numbering system in rice. We are also grateful for his enormous contributions to the advancement of rice genetics.

During the Second International Rice Genetics Symposium, Dr. Ray Wu proposed that meetings on some aspects of rice genetics should be held between the two international symposia. Consequently Forth International Workshop on Rice Molecular Biology was held in August 1994 in Tokyo. We are happy to report that two meetings have been held after the Third International Rice Genetics Symposium.

During the plant Genome IV in San Diego, California in January 1996, a Rice Workshop was organized by Dr. Susan McCouch. Progress on rice genome projects was reviewed and advances in PCR markers, YAC libraries and FISH techniques for chromosome studies were reviewed. Posters on rice genetics and demonstration of Rice Genes database were included.

Fifth International Symposium on Rice Molecular Biology was held on October 14-15 at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Jong-Ching Su played a major part in organizing the symposium. It was decided to hold the next Symposium on Rice Molecular Biology at Hangzhou, China in 1998. More than 200 scientists participated in the symposium. There were nine plenary lectures, 23 oral and 52 poster presentations, in the following eight sessions.

1. Rice genome research.

2. Gene mapping.

3. Gene structure and expression (1).

4. Gene structure and expression (2).

5. Molecular and physiological aspects of stresses.

6. Gene regulation.

7. Biotechnology: Transformation techniques and applications.

8. Informatics.

We are happy to report that Dr. H. Morishima has agreed to be the co-editor of Rice Genetics Newsletter in place of Dr. Oka starting with this volume.

Please extend your cooperation to Drs. H. Morishima and G.S. Khush in editorial matters of RGN. Please send suggestions for the functioning of Rice Genetics Cooperative to any member of RGC.

T. Kinoshita, Chairman G. Rothschild, Co-chairman

Report of the Coordinating Committee of Rice Genetics Cooperative 11

In this issue, both new and conventional rules for gene symbolization are used according to the authors' choice. All RGC members are advised to shift hereafter to the new system (see RGN, Vol. 12, p5; remove the hyphen between the gene symbol and the numeral in case of mimic series, separate allele designation by hyphen).