Encouraging cross-fertilisation

TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE Edited by Andrew Sugden Elsevier, monthly, Pounds 386.00 institutions, Pounds 78.00 individuals, Pounds 39.00 students - ISSN 1360 1385.

There are several reasons for publishing a new journal. The classic one, so that a learned society may disseminate the scholarship of its members, is now relatively rare. Publication simply as a money-making enterprise of a publisher, while not uncommon, is at the other pole. In between lie specialist journals to serve the interests of authors, who must find vehicles in which to publish, and other specialist journals, such as the present one, where in addition to the profit motive there really seems to be an intention to serve the educational and information interests and needs of a wider group of readers.

Parts one and three are a pleasure to read and augur well. They cover a splendid range of topics. Editorial policy is to provide different kinds of articles: research news, reviews, perspectives and update. I particularly welcome the perspectives section intended to feature opinion and essays and presumably to try to encourage readers to explore outside their own specialisations. Part two however lacked this section. Those in parts one and three covering phenotypic and genotypic plasticity in plants, by Virginia Walbot, and "Rice as a model plant", by Takeshi Izawa and Ko Shimamoto, were admirable and stimulating.

One hopes that the editors will encourage this type of essay and there will be a mind-broadening feast ahead.

Throughout the papers there is a high degree of up-to-date referencing to other work, which is of course highly commendable. But there are few references to classic or little-known work that is old but relevant. In a journal with the word trends in its title, this is a missed opportunity. I would be pleased to find an emerging trend in which more contributors are encouraged to reach back into the past. At present, we may be in danger of forgetting more than we learn every year.

It is sad that half a page in volume one, part two, had to be used to correct and apologise for an error, introduced during production, of a figure in a fascinating paper by Joseph Wessels on fungal hydrophobins in volume one, part one. There may be something to be said for old-fashioned author's page proofs.

One would expect the first issues of a new journal to include some excellent papers. I will watch the progress for a little longer, while seriously considering a personal full-cost subscription, but confidently recommend this journal as well worth the reduced personal subscription for biological students. For biological libraries, even those with very tight budgets, I think Trends in Plants Science will rate as essential reading, and I predict that it will become very well used.

Colin L. A. Leakey is an applied biologist working mainly on agricultural, food and industrial feedstock aspects of pulses and leguminous oilseeds.