Report of a meeting held during the Genetics Congress on August 26th by those interested in corn genetics

M. M. Rhoades

The meeting was called to order by Dr. R. A. Emerson. Approximately 45 individuals were present.

The following resolutions were discussed and favorably acted upon:

1. That the dropping of the second letter in bi-literal symbols to form a subscript be condemned as confusing and unsatisfactory.

2. That some place be designated as a 'clearing house' to assist in the assigning of appropriate names and symbols for characters and genes. Cornell was chosen as the institution where the records will be kept and help given in the assigning of symbols. An example of how this 'clearing house' may be expected to function is as follows: Two individuals, A and B, are working on glossy seedlings. A reports he has 5 and B reports he has 4 new glossy seedlings. A will then be assigned from gl₄ to gl₈ and B will be assigned from gl₉ to gl₁₂. This should avoid the confusion that arises when two investigators use the same symbols for different genes.

3. That a repository be formed for the storing and disseminating of new genes and of desirable multiple factor combinations, and that a list of such genes and combinations be furnished those interested from time to time.

4. That the geneticists refrain from designating the linkage groups by numbers until the cytologists agree to the size sequence of the different members of the haploid set.

5. That a committee be appointed by Dr. Emerson to consider the problems connected with the maintenance of a central seed repository. The report of the committee follows:

In accordance with the action noted above a committee was appointed consisting of Brink, Jones, Mangelsdorf, Stadler, and Emerson (chairman). The committee met and took action as follows:

1. The genetics group at Cornell, with M. M. Rhoades in charge, is to act as custodian of these stocks.

2. The custodian is to receive from the several workers seed of any stocks involving new characters considered by the finder as worth saving and certainly any such characters the linkage of which is known, also particularly useful combinations of genes in the several groups, etc.

3. The custodian will furnish those interested a list of the stocks received.

4. He will distribute on request small lots of particular stocks to workers having need of them.

5. The custodian will see that viable seed of these stocks is provided at least every three or four years by those charged with growing them.

6. The finder of a new character is expected to maintain the stock or to notify the custodian that he can not do so. Those assuming responsibility for particular groups will maintain stocks involving all the genes of those groups and will endeavor to build up desirable combinations of genes of the particular groups.

7. The following assignment of groups was made by the committee:

Any of the above who cannot assume or continue responsibility for the group assigned him is to notify the custodian at once. It is to be understood that anyone may begin or continue work with any group whether or not it has been assigned to him. The purpose is not so much to prevent duplication as to insure that no group is neglected. It is expected, however, that when two or more are interested in the same group, they will work in close cooperation.

R. A. Emerson (chairman)