Handbook of Plant Cell Culture. Volume 1. Techniques for Propagation and Breeding.

Abstract

TORRE YA Handbook of Plant Cell Culture. Volume 1. Tec hniques for Propagation and Breeding. EdiLed b}' D. A. Evans, \V. A. Sharp, P. V. AmmiraLo, and Y. Yanell. 470 pages. ~lcMillan Publishing Co. 1983. As far back as 1949, Gavino Rotor, at thaL Lime a studenL at Cornell University, reported on the regeneration of whole plants from axillary buds on Phalaenopsis (Orchi- daceae) flower stem sections. As far as we can dcLermine, this was the first instance of micropropagation (i.e., the successful use of Lissue culture methods for rapid clonal propagation of plants). Approximately 10 years later, Georges Morel in France and Donald Wimber in the United States re- ported separately the development of prac- tical methods for rapid clonal propagation of Cymbidium (Orchidaceae). The signifi- cance of the e Lechniques became instantly apparent to orchid growers who adopLed them and exLended them to other genera. This and Lhe pioneering work of Toshio Murashige led Lo a veritable explosion in tissue culture research both in tem1s of basic sLuclies and as a means of rapid clonal propagation. Cell and prowplast cultures were not far behind. The result is a vast literature on the subjecL and a plethora of techniques, media, and approaches-all of them scattered through the literature. l n practical terms, this proliferation meant long searches for t he right tech- nique or unnecessary repetition of re- search. Computer searches facilitate the process, but one must still locate the papers listed by the machine and tllis can take time. Also, it may become necessary to request reprints or use interlibrary loan services. Thus, convenient sources of information are needed, especially if they take the handbook, manual, or cookbook approach and couple it wiLh relevant literature re- views. The intent of the editors of this book seems to be to upply critical literature re- view , detailed protocols of techniques, and applications for improvement of crop plants. This they have succeeded in doing, but not completely. For example, orchids and taro, plants of special interest to us, are barely mentioned in this volume despite their eco- nomic importance and the use of tissue cul- ture in their propagation . The question, then, i which other plant are also missing? But, then, thi is onlr the first volume in a series and future volumes mar have more extensive coverage of the Orchidaceae, the Araceae, and other important planes. The title of the book is not fully rep- resentative of its contents because it is more than a handbook. l t contains reviews on organogenesis, embryogenesis, biochemis- try of hormone action, and extensive lists of literature. And, it is not really limited to cell cultures, with chapters and discussions on shoot tip explams, callus masses, eval- uation of d isease resistance and coffee rust, a11d breeding for nematode resistance. Prefatory chapters by noted scientists are always imercsting to read and to that extent the contribution by F. C. Stewart is most welcome (especially since there is an orchid plant in the background of his pho- tograph). This book contains numerous tables, protocols, and recipes. From Lhis point of view it is a gold mine, but ince details are not alway given, the reader may often have to seek the primary source. Therefore, in some instances the handbook is a valuable shortcut to the literature rather than a di- rect ource. The only major problems with the handbook are the indices; they are simply not detailed enough for a book of this type. Altogether, such a handbook has long been needed and we are sure that this one will be of help to many workers in need of in- formation on the su~jects it covers. Its flaws can be corrected in the last volume which cou ld include more deLailed indices and in- formation on species and families which were omitted from the present one. - JOSCPJ I ARD!Trl AND LESLIE P. NYMAN, Developmental and Cell Biology, Univer- sity of California, Irvine 92717. The Biology and Ecology of Mangroves. Edited by Howard J. Teas. viii - 188 page . Ta k for VegetaLion Science, Serie Number 8. Di-. W. Junk Publish- ers, The Hague. 1983. $64.00. This thin tome is the first of two books planned for publication on mangroves in the Tasks for Vegetation Science Series. The second will supposedly deal with Physi-