After nearly 20 years of editing, first the Texas Prickly Pear Council Proceedings and then the Journal of the Professional Association for Cactus Development, Jim Moss and Peter Felker have decided to retire from this most rewarding effort.

As of 1 January 2009, a team of internationally recognized scientists that are based in Mexico will assume the responsibility for all aspects of editing and producing the JPACD.

Dr. Ricardo Valdez will assume the responsibility of Head of the Editorial Board and he will receive new manuscripts then send them to Dr. de la Barrera, Dr. Aranda-Osorio and Dr. Paredes Lopez who will find reviewers for their specialties.

Please send all manuscripts to Dr. Valdez at:

vacrida@hotmail.com

The new editorial board members are:

Dr. Erick de la Barrera, who recently finished his Ph.D. in Dr. Park Nobel’s lab at UCLA, for ecophysiological aspects of Opuntia. http://www.oikos.unam.mx/CIEco/lafea/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=182

Dr. Gilberto Aranda-Osorio, who finished his Ph.D. at the University of Saskatchewan, for animal science aspects of Opuntia.

Dr. Ricardo David Valdez-Cepeda who obtained his Ph.D. at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, México, and is very knowledgeable about practical agronomical issues of Opuntia.

Dr. Octavio Paredes Lopez, a highly respected international scientist who did his Ph.D. at Manitoba and who has published papers on stable Opuntia transformation by Agrobacterium and on cDNA isolation from cactus fruits. http://www.ira.cinvestav.mx/Investigación/DepartamentodeBiotecnologíayBioquímica/PersonalAcadémico/DrParedesLópezOctavio/tabid/132/language/es-MX/Default.aspx

These scientists have formulated a plan to improve the JPACD by inviting important topical reviews that will also increase the citation index rating, to place links to the JPACD in their respective institutions and the Mexican Academy of Sciences, to make a new section for growers and to send out a questionnaire as to how the JPACD can better serve the cactus community.

Jim and Peter appreciate all the hard work by so many people to help improve the lives of people in arid regions who depend on Opuntia and wish to say thank you for your efforts