As part of its Forest Genetic Resources Working Papers series, FAO`s Forest Resources Division has just published a "Preliminary review of biotechnology in forestry, including genetic modification". The document provides a summary of four studies commissioned by FAO between 2002 and 2004 to investigate the worldwide extent and patterns of biotechnology research and application in forest trees. According to the report`s Executive Summary, "though no doubt incomplete, the resulting data set of over 2,700 major biotechnology activities (from the last 10 years) and responses to questionnaires provides a comprehensive summary of worldwide activities, particularly those in the public domain". Individual reports are provided in Appendixes 2.12.4 (Biotechnology in the forestry sector, by G. Chaix and O. Monteuuis; A global study on the state of forest tree genetic modification, by C. Walter and S. Killerby; The state of genetically modified forest trees in China, by H. Wang; Anticipated contribution to and scale of impact of biotechnology in forestry, by Y.A. El-Kassaby). The Executive Summary and Chapter 1 (Synthesis: a snapshot of the global status and trends in forest biotechnology) are both by N. Wheeler. See http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/ae574e00.htm or contact [email protected] for more information.

19/05/2005