The initial draft was developed by Dr Abdelouahhab Zaid, whilst working as Chief Technical Adviser for a field project of FAO. He collaborated closely with Dr Harrison G. Hughes, Professor of Horticulture, Colorado State University, USA.
As their field of expertise is in plant tissue culture, Dr Enrico Porceddu, Professor of Agricultural Genetics, University of Tuscia, Italy, was asked to introduce associated terminology from the broader area of agricultural genetics.
The three first authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Professors Oluf Gamborg and James Quick for their review and suggestions, and Mss D. Strauss, Anna Hughes, Peggy Flaherty and Gretchen DeWeese for their work in typing the initial manuscript.
The whole draft was systematically read over by Professor Frank Nicholas, Department of Animal Science, University of Sydney, who in particular addressed animal-related terminology.
The draft benefited from the expert comments of a number of specialists, and these were collated under the guidance of Dr Maria Zimmermann, Sustainable Development Department, FAO.
The final systematic editing for language and style, together with preparation for publication, was by Thorgeir Lawrence.
This first edition of the Glossary is available only in English, the language in which it was written. It is hoped to proceed further and to provide parallel definitions in the other official languages of FAO, but that will take time. In the meantime, it is sincerely hoped that any errors, omissions or infelicities will be identified before translation is finalized. This edition is therefore to be considered as provisional only.
FAO would like to be informed of any omissions, errors or infelicities identified by users. Please communicate them, and any other comments regarding entries or possible ways to improve the publication, to the:
Research and Technology Development Service (SDRR)
Sustainable Development Department
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy