Notes of SGEC 16 Jan 2006, 730 PM

In attendance: Sandy Clifton, Alan Gingle, Jura Magalhaes, Jo Messing, Tom Hash, John Mullet, Lomas Tulsieram, Cleve Franks, Andrew Paterson (scribe)

Sandy raised possibility of following MaizeGDB election and membership policies –except …

(1) Have annual meeting at PAG? If so, then need to have election earlier – Nov?

(2) substitute presentation at maize genomics meeting for sorghum workshop at PAG

(3) 3 yr instead of 5 yr terms; committee appointees would have only max. 2 year instead of 4

(4) Jo suggested limiting number of members per ‘location’ (i.e, university plus associated ARS) for future elections.

Nominations

Chair – Andrew Paterson

- John Mullet (declined)

- Sandy Clifton (declined)

Sec/Treas - Alan Gingle (accepted)

- Jeff Dahlberg (absent, need to confirm)

Duration of appointment for SGEC members (decided by lottery)

2007: Tom, Jo, Gebisa Ejeta, Industry slot (open), Intl slot (open)

2008: Jura, Sandy, Alan, Cleve, John

2009: Lomas, Andrew, Jeff Dahlberg, David Jordan, Ian Godwin

Possible nominations for open slots

Yilma Kebede – industry

Hoisington or Varshney – Intl

Someone from CIRAD -- Jean-Christof Glaszmann; may delegate someone (Claire Billot?)

Suggestions from Jeff Bennetzen

Circumstances may occur under which industry members need/want to recuse themselves? Committee recognized this possible need, and left to the discretion of the individual.

Emails among SGEC remain within SGEC? Committee saw no particular need to circulate most of its deliberations, but several had concerns about formally creating a closed-door policy.

Publication of the sequence

Andrew gave brief update of sequencing progress – about 30% of raw sequencing complete.

Genome Research has offered to conduct a coordinated review and publication of adjunct papers accompanying the publication of the sorghum sequence and has requested a list of (worldwide) parties that may be interested … committee will only involve itself to the degree of assembling and providing such a list, but not be involved in coordinating papers

Andrew asked about whether alternate journals should be considered – Jo mentioned COPB review anticipating the maize genome

Other topics

John Mullet made comment that Gramene would like to encourage more sorghum data – maps, sequences, etc …

Tom Hash reminded us of the need to get information to Africa, and that web is undependable – suggested mailing CDs along with Sorghum Improvement newsletter … we send one CD to Jeff D., he adds to their CD

Need more details of what they (African scientists) want? Marker sequences, primer sequences a first priority

Adjourned about 9 PM.