Proceedings of the Conference on "Progress in Plant Sciences from Plant Breeding to Growth Regulation" [antikvár]

PrefaceThe scientists of the Institute of Cereal Processing (IGV Instituí für Getreideverarbeitung GmbH) initiated a pioneer work in 1992 by organising of the 1st European Workshop" on Biotechnology of Microalgae (EWBM) in Bergholz-Rehbriicke, Germany. The intensive cooperation between the Hungarian University and the German Research Institute, organisers of the present conference "Conference on Progress in Plant Sciences" started at that time. Several joint research projects were financed by the Federal State of Brandenburg in Germany for the investigation of valuable products of microalgae, which could potentially be used in plant production. Auxin- and cytokinin-like compounds as well as antimicrobial ones were found in some cyanobacterial and microalgal strains during the last years. The results were published continuously, among others in the Proceedings of the 2nd EWBM in 1995 in Bergholz-Rehbriicke. The high acceptance of the promising results encouraged the scientists of the Hungarian and German institutions to unite their forces for the first time in the co-organization of a conference, which induced discussion between practical plant producers and plant scientists, including microalgal biotechnologists. This type of cooperation will probably be continued at the 3rd EWBM in Bergholz-Rehbriicke in 1997.The present Conference in Mosonmagyaróvár covered some of the most interesting topics of the plant sciences. Nowadays, the development of plant production depends more and more on the discoveries of genetics and plant physiology. Breeding new varieties by gene manipulation methods, measuring of plant physiological responses to - sometimes extreme - environmental factors, up to the possible use of plant growth regulators, all should belong to the arsenal of a new plant production system. On the other hand, the Conference paid great attention to an absolutely new idea, i.e. what species of cyanobacteria and algae could be used in the plant production. It became clear that selected strains of these photosynthetic microbes could be applied successfully for higher plant treatments as exogenous plant hormone sources and for increasing plant tolerance against plant diseases.It was the first and very unique event for us, as we have never had so many international guests at our university faculty at the same time as in this Conference. We were very pleased to welcome professors, researchers and experts from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany. India, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, the Slovak Republic, Turkmenia, Ukraine, the USA, Yugoslavia, and last but not least from Hungary. The Conference offered good opportunity for an exchange of experiences in the broad field of plant sciences and for making new contacts among scientists coming from Eastern and Western Europe as well as from other continents.