liaison between chairs and the NPGRB needs to be established so their substantive policy concerns are addressed.

Collections must be managed as national, not regional, resources.

The distinction between regional plant introduction stations, which are viewed as being supported by both the ARS and the states within their respective regions, and national clonal germplasm repositories, which are considered as having more national focus, should be eliminated. These facilities should be designated as national plant germplasm centers. Elimination of the administrative differences would promote cooperation among all of the centers and would simplify the system 's structure.

Curators with specific knowledge should be appointed for each major crop or crop group, and they should be given management responsibilities.

There is now no plan to ensure that knowledgeable, suitably trained curators oversee acquisition and management of the major or essential collections in the national system. At present some site managers oversee several crops. Curators must have specific knowledge about their crop plants and be familiar with their collection, documentation, regeneration, evaluation, and enhancement. They should work with the appropriate crop advisory committee and the leader of the NPGS to develop and implement plans for the management and enhancement of germplasm.

The National Plant Germplasm System must devote more of its resources to regenerating seed accessions.

Regeneration of seed lots with low germination is a continuing need. A large proportion (almost 50 percent) of the accessions at NSSL are below the minimum desired size (550 seeds). Regeneration of these samples is urgently needed. Where responsibility for providing fresh seed cannot be assigned to an existing site, funds should be available to secure regeneration on a contract basis with appropriate supervision and safeguards. Where regeneration is required outside the United States the NPGS should make contractual arrangements with the appropriate international groups or foreign government agencies.

A plan should be developed for monitoring, supporting, and conserving important special collections.

Special collections have proved to be invaluable, both to the scientific

Front Matter (R1-R16)

Executive Summary (1-20)

1 Managing Crop Genetic Resources (21-42)

2 Elements of the National Plant Germplasm System (43-86)

3 Administration of the National System (87-106)

4 Prescription for Effectiveness (107-144)

References (145-148)

Glossary (149-153)

Abbreviations (154-155)

Authors (156-160)

Index (161-173)