PREFACE

Thanks to the organizers, the symposium was a joint meeting with the 5. Colloque of Medicinal Plants, thus enabling participants to get a deeper insight into several aspects of medicinal plant research.

The 26 research papers represent a vast spectrum of research in this domain. In order to secure the logical structure of this volume, editor has had to change the sequence of papers to some extent. In connection with the scientific programme it is appropriate to mention the very great activity of the Round Table discussion on the Quality of Medicinal Plants, which -no doubt- enriched the knowledge of participants.

Finally, it should also be mentioned that the nice, historic town Angers, with its up-to-date Congress Centre provided an ideal environment for the symposium, which together with the hospitality of organizers has become a success.

Dr. Á. Máthé


ADDRESS PRESENTED BY PROF. DR. D. FRITZ, PAST PRESIDENT OF
ISHS AT THE IVTH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM "MEDICINAL AND
AROMATIC PLANTS AND SPICES", ANGERS/FRANCE, MAY 27–29, 1983

I have the honour of conveying kindest regards and wishes of the International Society for Horticultural Science to the audience of the IVth International Symposium "Medicinal, Aromatic and Spice Plants", simultaneously being the 5th Colloquium on medicinal plants convened by our French colleagues. My special thanks goes to Prof. Dr. Maghami for having done the organisational work, and to all of the French organisations and individual people who have provided their support.

This 4th ISHS symposium is the first opportunity of meeting as a conference of the newly established Section for Medicinal, Aromatic and Spice plants of the ISHS. May this meeting initiate active work within this Section. I wish Prof. Tétényi the very best of good fortune for setting-up the new Section.

It has become good tradition of such symposia that the ISHS be introduced by a member of the Executive Committee to those among the participants who so far are not members, or even do not know this Society:

The International Society for Horticultural Science has to deepen international collaboration not only at congresses but also during the time in between the congresses. So Still today our Society's general objective is to advance horticulture by improving international collaboration of science and technology.

46 country members, 250 different oranisations, and more than 2200 individual persons from 88 different countries at present are members of the ISHS. This very extensive organisation is guided by the Executive Committee and the Council. The Executive Committee - next to the President, the Vice president and the Secretary general - consists of the 13 chairmen of the four Sections and nice Commisions of the ISHS, one of them Prof. Tétényi. The four Sections are: for Fruit, for Vegetables, for Ornamental plants, and for Medicinal, Aromatic and Spice plants. The Council is composed of the official representatives of the country members, one member of each country being entitled to vote. The place of business of the Secretariat general is Wageningen. We count ourselves happy that we have an excellent Secretary general in the person of Mr. van der Borg. The President of the Society is Prof. H.B. Tukey, Jr.

One of the principal means to achieve the objectives of the Society is the periodical arrangement of international horticultural congresses, that take place every four years. The next one will be held in Davis, California in 1986, the next but one in Italy in 1990.

During the periods in between two congresses, 10–20 international symposia a year are arranged by ISHS working groups. Such special meetings provide excellent occasions for advanced training of young scientists, and for maintaining contacts between different branches of horticultural sciences.

International collaboration between scientists of different branches of horticulture is also promoted by different publications issued by the ISHS: The Society's bulletin CHRONICA HORTICULTURAE: ACTA HORTICULTURAE publishing papers delivered at symposia; a directory HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL containing information on horticultural research in more than 60 countries; the scientific journal SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE appears under the auspices and with countribution of the ISHS; and last but not least the PROCEEDINGS of International Horticultural Congresses and the LIST OF MEMBERS OF ISHS.

It is an essential factor of ISHS activities that they promote personal initiative of individuals and supplies the basis for international collaboration to all horticultural scientists. So every horticulturist is given the chance of receiving information of high scientific standard and of presenting his own research results for subject of discussion. I believe that the ISHS so provides an essential contribution to the advancement of horticultural sciences.

Already now I would like to take this opportunity of inviting yourselves to attend the 22nd International Horticultural Congress in Davis, Callifornia in 1986. But to come back to the time being, I wish the IVth International Symposium on Medicinal, Aromatic and Spice Plants to become a success.

May 27, 1983

D. FRITZ