Marcus Rhoades, whose memory we honor with the dedication of this issue, produced or read 65 Maize Newsletter issues in which Cooperators shared data and information. This issue of MNL; all of the 65 before it; all map compilations; all gene lists; all of the joyous challenging and sharing in seminars and conferences; and our attitude of sharing knowledge and materials; are a tribute to him. It is fortunate for us that we have been set on this path by such a Cooperator.

The working research information here is shared with the understanding that each item is unpublished and is not to be cited in publications without specific consent of the authors. By sharing our research information here, we contribute to the advancement of biology and to the power of shared technical knowledge.

Information here is in the form of "notes" and is not "published" in the sense of a refereed journal. In event a policy statement should be needed, the following suggested guidelines may ensure against misunderstanding of our Newsletter:

1) In publications, refer to MNL notes in the text, never in the bibliography. Specify "unpublished data", or "personal communication" (i.e., with the colleague's consent). The volume and page numbers might be given, as an aid to the reader.

2) When preparing your MNL notes, emphasize brief technical notes, updates, mutants, mapping data, and the like. Avoid presenting comprehensive material and analyses that are better directed to formal publication.

3) Never refer to MNL notes as "published".

4) If challenged, forward these comments as a statement of the purpose, intent, and policy of the cooperators who contribute to this Newsletter.

More and more cooperators supply notes, tables and figures in electronic form, and this greatly facilitates the editing and compiling.

Gifts to the Endowment Fund for support of the Newsletter now total nearly $75,000. Please see the listing, in the front of this issue, of donors whose generosity has made this total grow. We are all grateful for the support of our colleagues and of organizations with which we have common interests. Part of our regular support has been from the National Science Foundation (Integrated Mapping Grant). The continuity and support necessary for collecting genetic and molecular information, evaluating it, and preparing gene lists, maps, and similar syntheses, however, is made possible only by sustained and ongoing encouragement of this work within the Agricultural Research Service, USDA, specifically as part of my regular research project and most recently as part of the Plant Genome Initiative project for development of a database prototype for maize.

A warm acknowledgement for advice and ideas during the past year is given to my colleagues, Gerry Neuffer, Shiaoman Chao, Marty Sachs, Mary Polacco, Jim Birchler, Karen Cone, Kathy Newton, Jack Beckett, and John Walker. Their advice and encouragement is greatly appreciated.

Shirley Kowalewski this year, while coping with new twins, edited and nurtured the contents from rough into fine form, fooled the word-processor into doing what was needed, structured the year's literature, and gave creative advice at critical moments. Mary Ann Steyaert booked addresses and subscriptions through the year, carried out literature searching and verifications with efficiency and accuracy, and artfully prepared the mockup. Denis Hancock steadily and enthusiastically enhanced our computer efficiency to a higher art. Kudos for vigilance and communications are given to Evelyn Bendbow, Earl Patterson, and Dick Whalen, for their contributions of corrections to the gene list and other places. At University Printing Services, Yvonne Ball and the printshop staff again efficiently and carefully made sure that the job was done promptly and well.

For submission of notes for the next issue (Number 67, 1993), please see details inside the back cover.

If you wish to subscribe to this Newsletter please use the form in the back of this issue. Gifts to the Endowment Fund, toward our goal of $100,000, will be very much appreciated.

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