July 2, 1999

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INAUGURATION OF NEW ORNAMENTAL PLANT CENTER--July 11. A new facility at Ohio State University, the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center, will save plant genetic material so it can be used to improve the beauty, disease resistance and growth habits of ornamental plants and be available for other studies, including medicinal and pharmaceuticals needs. The cooperative partners -- Ohio State, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Florist's Association, and the floriculture and landscape industries -- will hold an event Sunday, July 11 at 1:30 p.m. at the Howlett Hall Greenhouses and Biocontainment Facility, 680 Tharp St., to mark the inauguration of the center. This seed bank at Ohio State is the first horticultural plant center in the USDA's National Plant Germplasm System.
CONTACT: Susan Mantey, Communications & Technology, 292-4912; or Suzanne Steel, director of communications for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, 292-9637.

The person listed as the contact for each item will have the best information about the story. Feel free to call on our news services staff for assistance with these or other Ohio State news stories--Amy Murray, 292-8385; Ruth Gerstner, 292-8424; and Emily Caldwell, 292-8309.
**Compiled by Amy Murray, University Communications, (Murray- Goedde.1@osu.edu).