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AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 
[Vol. 8, 
In a present study of soil-infesting rots of the corn plant, cooperative 
between the Office of Cereal Investigations and the Indiana Agricultural 
Experiment Station, Funk Brothers Seed Company, and other agencies, 
some striking physiologic factors have been found to be involved in what 
was supposed to be purely a pathologic problem. Changes occurring with- 
in the plant result in a deposit of harmful metals and consequent severe 
injury to the plant. Research on the cause of the abnormal metabolism 
emphasizes how little we know of the functioning of the corn plant in 
health. And yet here is a crop worth several billions of dollars annually 
in our own country alone! 
During the last half century there has been no lack of attention to the 
subject of plant physiology. I draw here, however, a clear distinction 
between plant physiology and crop physiology, because plant physiology 
has been restricted very largely to studies of wild species. Physiological 
research in our great state and privately-endowed American universities 
has not lacked equipment and encouragement. Splendid results have 
been obtained in such research, but until recently a scanning of the titles 
of theses submitted in connection with the granting of doctorate degrees 
warrants the statement that rarely has a candidate undertaken research 
on a domesticated plant. 
The importance of fuller knowledge of crop physiology, in relation to 
our national welfare, warrants these universities more and more in devoting 
their magnificent resources of men and equipment to such research. There 
is no reason why this should not be done in cooperation with plant workers 
in state experiment stations or in the research bureaus of the U. S. De- 
partment of Agriculture. I am sure that the universities would be met 
more than half way if such cooperation were proposed. There is a large 
enough field for all, and human need does not warrant the self-imposed 
exclusion of any agency capable of giving effective assistance in the solution 
of the problems involved. 
Genetics 
Some twenty years ago, the rediscovery and interpretation of the re- 
markable work of Gregor Mendel created a new branch of plant physiology 
and ushered in a new epoch in plant improvement. As a result, important 
results are being achieved in two opposite directions. Looking backward, 
new light is being thrown on the origin of existing plant forms. Looking 
forward, our knowledge of somatic behavior is being used in the creation 
of new forms of high intrinsic or potential value. 
Genetic studies hold the greatest possibilities for improvement in crop 
production. The knowledge of the plant sources from which have been 
developed such tremendously variable and important crop plants as corn or 
wheat would greatly aid in our understanding of how to proceed in obtaining 
forms with needed characters. Just as fast as physiologic research can 
show the nature of such desirable characters as resistance to rust, smut, 
