This volume contains the presentations of all the invited speakers at the meeting entitled 'The Genetic Manipulation of Plants and its Application to Agriculture' held at Birbeck and University Colleges, London in December 1983. This meeting was the first on the subject to be held in Europe, and was designed to draw together the leading workers in the field of plant molecular biology. Emphasis has been placed on results that should ultimately lead to the production of agriculturally important plants with increased productivity.