MEMBERSHIP

The members of the network are plant biotechnology laboratories of the Region who wish to participate and agree to fulfill its objectives. The activities of the network consider the priorities and activities jointly defined by plant biotechnology institutions of the Region including national programs and laboratories, regional organizations and binational agreements. The structuring of sub-networks or working groups at the local and sub-regional levels, based on geographical advantages, species or crops of interest and grouping several countries are favored as proposed co-operative mechanisms.

Priorities are assigned to biotechnologies representing comparative advantages for the solution of specific problems of the crops under study, such as micropropagation, conservation and characterization of germplasm, cell arid tissue culture, diagnosis of pathogens, genetic transformation and molecular genome studies. The assignment of priorities will be established regularly by the network considering at local country or Regional level the importance and impact of plant diseases, the need of developing further methods for plant yield and quality genetic improvement, the social-economic considerations of the use of plant biotechnology as a tool for sustainable agriculture, the need of improving the communications, establishing links and coordination among its members, and to provide training opportunities as part of the activities that will be developed by REDBlO.

REDBIO membership has evolved since 1990 to comprise at present (1999) 526 members from public and private laboratories and institutions devoted to plant biotechnology in 27 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. During 1995, the inclusion of laboratories from English-speaking Caribbean countries was promoted. To now, 11 laboratories from four countries of this sub-region have requested to be members. If you want to observe the evolution of REDBIO data bank, click CATBIO.