In this update of the 1992 introductory text, Razdan (botany, U. of Delhi, India), who has been a visiting scientist at the USDA Vegetable Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, covers the history, basics, and lab procedures of plant tissue culture at the core of plant biotechnology in plant breeding, horticulture, forestry, and industrial applications. The final chapter discusses germplasm conservation. The US distributor is Enfield. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)