1. Dedication: Dermot P. Coyne Bean Breeder, Geneticist, Humanitarian (James R. Steadman and Jules Janick).

2. Strategies for Genetic Improvement of Common Bean and Rhizobia Towards Efficient Interactions (Carla Snoeck, Jos Vanderleyden, and Stephen Beebe).

I. Rhizobium-Common Bean Symbiosis.

II. Bean Breeding.

III. Selection of Optimized Rhizobium Strains for Bean Inoculation.

IV. Conclusions and Future Prospects.

Literature Cited.

3. Developing Marker-Assisted Selection Strategies for Breeding Hybrid Rice (Yunbi Xu).

I. Introduction.

II. Features of Hybrid Breeding.

III. Components of Marker-Assisted Selection.

IV. Germplasm Evaluation.

V. Traits Requiring Testcrossing or Progeny Testing.

VI. Environment-Dependent Traits.

VII. Quality Traits.

VIII. Gene Introgression and Whole Genome Selection.

IX. Prediction of Hybrid Performance and Heterosis.

X. Seed Quality Assurance.

XI. General Discussions.

Literature Cited.

4. Significance of Cytoplasmic DNA in Plant Breeding (Ursula Frei, Edmundo G. Peiretti, and Gerhard Wenzel).

I. Introduction.

II. Some Basic Information on DNA in the Cytoplasm of Plants.

III. Agronomic Traits Influenced by Cytoplasmic Factors.

IV. Breeding Using Cytoplasmic Factors.

V. Conclusion.

Literature Cited.

5. Flowering, Seed Production, and the Genesis of Garlic Breeding (Philipp W. Simon and Maria M. Jenderek).

I. Introduction.

II. Garlic Production Trends.

III. Garlic Taxonomy and Genetic Variation.

IV. Garlic Growth and Reproductive Biology.

V. Garlic Seed Production.

VI. Progress in Garlic Breeding and Future Prospects.

VII. Conclusions.

Literature Cited.

6. Cultivar Development of Ornamental Foliage Plants (Richard J. Henny and Jianjun Chen).

I. Introduction.

II. Origin of New Cultivars.

III. Breeding Techniques.

IV. Breeding Objectives.

V. Foliage Examples.

VI. Future Prospects.

Literature Cited.

7. Preservation of Genetic Resources in the National Plant Germplasm Clonal Collections (Gayle M. Volk and Christina Walters).

I. Introduction.

II. Clones as Genetic Resources.

III. Maintenance of Genetic Diversity in Clonal Collections.

IV. Clonal Collections in the NPGS.

V. Cryopreservation Principles.

VI. Cryopreservation: Variables to Consider.

VII. Application of Cryopreservation Technologies to Vegetative Materials.

VIII. Conclusions.

Literature Cited.

Subject Index.

Cumulative Subject Index.

Cumulative Contributor Index.