AN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK OF THE NUT TREES SECTOR IN GREECE
EDITORIAL of the Walnut Subnetwork, is in charge of its publication. As both publications are species germplasm related, the Subnet-work on Genetic Resources has been closely involved in the editing. We, as Coordination Centre of the Nut Network, are very grateful to all institutions and researchers who contributed by sending useful information and encouraging curators to complete it. The Inventory on Chestnut Germplasm, Research and References is being produced by G. Bounous, Liaison During 1999 a number of planned activities were carried out within the FAO-CIHEAM Interregional Cooperative Research Network on Nuts following the agreed programme (1997-2002). National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) and supported by the Centre technique interprofessionnele des fruites et légumes (Ctifl), FAO and CIHEAM. In each case, corresponding Subnetwork meetings took place. However, an International Congress on Stone Pine, planned to be held in Valladolid, Spain, was rescheduled for February 2000. Officer of the Chestnut Subnetwork. The Inventory on Pistachio Germplasm, Research and References, which will be produced jointly with the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), was relaunched during the XI GREMPA Meeting on Pistachio and Almond held in San-liurfa, Turkey and now N. Kaska, Liaison Officer of the Pistachio Subnetwork and B.E. Ak are compiling the information requested via internet. All these catalogues are being funded by FAO's Regional Office for Europe (REU), the Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service (AGPS) together with CIHEAM-IAMZ. In addition, a special volume of Options Méditerranéennes containing the papers presented at the Economics Subnetwork Meeting held in late 1996 in CIHEAM-IAMZ, Zaragoza, to review the economic situation of the nut sector in different Me-diterranean countries, has been edited. This volume will be used as a base document for calling a new meeting of the Economics Subnetwork during 2000 in Reggio Calabria, Italy. The approach of the next century has generated many discussions and uncertainties about the future. The trend to a global economy and the new trade agreements have originated significant changes in most aspects of horticultural production and thus also on nut tree production. It seems clear that the ability to predict new trends and to adjust them to the future market efficiently will afford new opportunities for nut tree growers. It is necessary to quickly adopt changes for global competition while covering customer demands. Changes are needed at all levels: training, research and industry. Research …
The pistachio nut—a new crop for the Western United States
Importers claim that each year they could process and sell approximately 15,000 tons ot pistachio nuts it they were available. Presently, only a small quantity are produced commercially in Caliiornia. Experimental work with selected imported varieties, breeding, cultivating, pruning and other horticultural practises at the United States Department of Agriculture's Plant Introduction Station at Chico, California has demonstrated the economic feasibility of this crop for American growers.
Vegetative storage proteins in woody plants
Vegetative storage proteins accumulate in the vegetative organs of numerous plants, where they play a role of temporary reserve of nitrogen. This physiological function appears to be crucial for the growth of several perennial plants. An increasing interest has been recently developed in vegetative storage proteins of woody plants. This review reports the essential results on the identification, characterization and localization of vegetative storage proteins in woody plants. Other topics will be discussed, such as homologies between storage proteins, the potential functions that these proteins may assume and the genetic regulation of their biosynthesis