VI.Editorial remarks

This is the last volume of Wheat Information Service (WIS), published in the normal edition. We, editorial board, are glad to have an ideal style of WIS in the present volume, including a review article by Dr. M. Muramatsu, six research articles from five countries, three Research Information, Record and Announcements. The centennial issue will be in a special edition with reviewing papers, chief-edited by Dr. Koichiro Tsunewaki as announced in the previous page of this issue.

It was 50 years ago when 26 wheat scientists had discussed on organizing an international exchange and cooperation program for wheat research on the occasion of the 9th International Congress of Genetics held at Bellagio, Italy in 1953, and reached a conclusion of publishing a research journal, Wheat Information Service. Since then, WIS has been published biannually with together organizing international wheat genetics symposium every 5 years. Worldwide contributors, in a maximum record covering 64 countries with 677 subscribers, have published WIS with supports. The chief editors in its history are; Dr. Kosuke Yamashita (1954-1986), Dr. Masatake Tanaka (1986-1992), and Dr. Kozo Nishikawa (1992-present). Staffs of Kyoto University, Kihara Institute for Biological Research and Kihara Memorial Foundation worked as business managers in these respective terms. Members of International Advisory Board, and Editorial Boards (mostly Japanese scientists) have contributed for continuous publication and for improvement of contents of WIS. WIS has been organized and maintained on the voluntary bases for mutual supports among wheat researchers, although Kihara Memorial Foundation had accepted as the publisher for last 10 years. We should not forget to note our appreciation to Ministry of Education of Japan, Japanese Miller's Association , Kihara Institute for Biological Research, and Kihara Memorial Foundation for their financial supports. Thank to these contributions, research notes totaling 1,050 have been published during the past fifty years as follows:

Nos.
Years
Articles published
Nos.
Years
Articles published
1-10
1954-1959
155
51-60
1980-1985
92
11-20
1960-1965
108
61-70
1986-1990
96
21-30
1966-1970
109
71-80
1990-1995
98
31-40
1970-1975
102
81-90
1995-2000
115
41-50
1976-1979
104
91-99
2000-2005
71

We are proud that many articles appeared in WIS had originality and are still important, cited by many scientific reports. Also, it should be mentioned that WIS have contributed to wheat scientific world by publishing lists of genetic stocks and catalogues of gene symbols (special thanks to Dr. R. A. McIntosh for his efforts of edition). Back numbers are available on request to Kihara Memorial Foundation.

Due to modern development of information exchange media and financial problem, W1S is going to terminate. However, we hope WIS had contributed to the wheat research, and its idea of free exchange of research information with mutual support will be inherited. Thank you very much, and good luck for wheat research.

  January 17, 2005

  Editorial Office of WIS
   Kozo Nishikawa, Tetsuo Sasakuma, Hisashi Tsujimoto, & Keiko Furukawa