Recently, studies in the genome researches of several agricultural species have been carried out actively. AFFRC/MAFF is developing the DNA Information and Stock Center (tentatively designated as "DISC") at NIAR to assist researches involved in DNA studies. DISC will provide tools to enable researchers to search DNA data and to analyze them under the co·ordination of DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ). DISC will also provide genome maps in future as well as DNA clones such as RFLP markers and cDNA clones.
The development of the DNA information and clones center in the world and our plan to set up DISC will be introduced in this paper.