Pisum Genetics Association Notes

Membership
and Dues

 

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.  The journal, Pisum Genetics, is the principal means of meeting these aims.  Published annually in one issue, Pisum Genetics contains reports of research findings and other information of interest to researchers studying the genus Pisum. 
      Membership in the PGA is open to all interested persons and organizations.  Dues are US $15.00 per year.  These dues are used to help defray the costs of publishing and mailing Pisum Genetics.  Members are requested to send checks or bank drafts in US currency only.  Such efforts avoid bank charges, which can exceed $10.00 per check in some currencies.  Please make checks payable to Pisum Genetics Association and send to Dr. N.F. Weeden, Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717 USA.  Pisum Genetics will be sent upon receipt of dues.  Electronic payment is also a possibility.  Contact the current Chair (nweeden@montana.edu) for instructions.
      All members of the PGA are welcome to submit manuscripts on topics appropriate for Pisum Genetics.  The deadline for such submittals is usually September 1 of the year of publication, allowing for sufficient time for review and revision of manuscripts.  The journal provides opportunities for both refereed and non-refereed manuscripts, publication is within 3 to 6 months of submittal, there are no page charges, articles are indexed in BIOSIS, and a web-based version is available shortly after publication of the hard copy (http://hermes.bionet.nsc.ru/pg/).  Hence, research findings become available to a worldwide audience within months of submission and without a significant impact on research budgets.

Submission of
Manuscripts

      All members of the PGA are welcome to submit manuscripts on topics appropriate for Pisum Genetics.  The deadline for such submittals is usually September 1 of the year of publication, allowing for sufficient time for review and revision of manuscripts.  The journal provides opportunities for both refereed and non-refereed manuscripts, publication is within 3 to 6 months of submittal, there are no page charges, articles are indexed in BIOSIS, and a web-based version is available shortly after publication of the hard copy (http://hermes.bionet.nsc.ru/pg/).  Hence, research findings become available to a worldwide audience within months of submission and without a significant impact on research budgets.
      When submitting an electronic copy of a manuscript, please use Microsoft Word when possible.  Other formats can be handled, but these will usually be converted to Word for processing.  It is also helpful if authors avoid the use of extra formatting in their submissions (headers, sections, automatic indentation) as these generally have to be eliminated when preparing the manuscript for final printing. Tables created in Word using the table function are most likely to survive the formatting process intact. We have severe limitations on support staff, and the removal of interfering formatting can occasionally be quite time-consuming.  Graphics reproduce best at 300 dpi.

Format of
Manuscripts

       Manuscripts are generally separated into two types, research papers and brief communications.  Manuscripts submitted as research papers will be subjected to peer review. In most cases some revision is required, and in the last five years, approximately 10% of the submitted manuscripts have been rejected for not meeting the standards of Pisum Genetics. Research papers should be written concisely, with a short introduction presenting the purpose for the study, a materials and methods section with essential details and references to techniques, a results section and discussion section interpreting the results and integrating findings with those of other workers.  Section headings are not obligatory. Length should be kept under five journal pages, but longer papers will be considered on their merits. Such research papers must be treated similarly to submissions to other refereed journals in that they should contain original work not currently submitted to any other journal.

Brief
Communications

Brief communications are to encourage a rapid sharing of new results that may not meet the standards of a research paper (i.e. allelism tests not completed, map locations only approximate).  Brief communications can also be used to describe the availability of new germplasm, such as the article in this issue by Ambrose and Hedley.
Brief communications will not be subjected to peer review, although the editor reserves the right to screen papers for appropriateness and to review submissions for clarity and brevity. Such submissions will be limited to approximately one page and should be narrowly focused. Otherwise, the format of brief communications (tables, references, etc.) should correspond to that of a research paper.  Publication of a brief communi-cation in Pisum Genetics does not preclude publication of a full paper on the same subject in a later issue or in another journal.

Member News

I was fortunate enough to visit the Institute of Cytology and Genetics just outside Novosibirsk this July, where I was able to meet with most of the members of the PGA stationed there.  I was too late to renew acquaintances with Vladimir Berdnikov and Faina Gorel’, who had moved to Israel earlier in the year for health considerations.  They remain in contact with the research group at the institute, but are no longer active in pea research.  The two have a long list of contributions both to legume genetics in general and to the Pisum Genetics Association.  Professor Berdnikov authored or co-authored over 40 in the pages of the Pisum Newsletter and Pisum Genetics.  Speaking for the PGA membership, I know we will greatly miss their perceptive contributions to this journal and wish them both a long and enjoyable retirement.  The remaining group of PGA members, including Drs. Siderova, Kosterin, Smirnova, Rozov, and Bogdanova form an active and creative nucleus of plant geneticists. We had many stimulating discussions on the subjects of pea genetics, genetic diversity and molecular biology, as well as an overview of the Siberian flora which was abundantly represented in the local forests and botanical garden.  Unfortunately, as of this writing we have yet to be able to transmit the electronic version of Volume 36 of Pisum Genetics to Dr. Rozov for posting on the web.  We anticipate a successful transmission soon, and you will be able to view vols. 29-37 at http://hermes.bionet.nsc.ru/pg/.  
      Another individual who is retiring from PGA membership after many years is Dr. William Proebsting at Oregon State University.  Recently, Bill’s group has been working on identification of the Np gene.  Several candidates were cloned, with at least one sequence mapping very near the gene.  However, it appears that none of the candidates represent the actual coding sequence.  Such is life in the research lab.  We thank Bill for his past support of the PGA and wish him much success in his future endeavors.

Financial Report       The financial report of the period October 1, 2004-September 30, 2005 is presented below.  Income was slightly above expenses this last year due to a number of members paying dues in advance and a relatively low mailing expense resulting from the lower page content of Volume 36.  Volume 37 will cost more to mail, and income from dues probably will drop to more normal levels next year.  Thus I anticipate that the PGA will run a slight deficit in 2006.  However, the Pisum Genetics Association continues to possess an adequate buffer of funds to cover expected expenses for the coming year.  I recommend that annual dues remain at their current level.

Account balances as of October 1, 2004

        Account balance (savings and time deposit)                                          8003.05

        Cash on hand                                                                                         120.75

        Total assets                                                                                                       8123.80

Income

        Subscriptions                                                                                       1034.97

        Bank interest (savings and certificate of deposits)                                    118.67

      Total income                                                                                                       1153.64

Expenditures

        Printing costs                                                                                       (434.00)

        Mailing expenses                                                                                  (203.89)

        Supplies                                                                                               (168.84)

        Total expenditures                                                                                            (806.73)

Account balances as of September 30, 2005

        Account balance (savings and time deposit)                                          8349.37

        Cash on hand                                                                                          23.02

Net balance for Pisum Genetics Association                                        8372.39

 

N.F. Weeden for the Coordinating Committee:

M. Ambrose                          F.J. Muehlbauer                     S.M. Rozov
T.H.N. Ellis                          I.C. Murfet                             W.K. Święcicki
O.E. Kosterin                       J.B. Reid                                N.F. Weeden