Estimates given in 1987-88 place sugar as the fourteenth most important crop in developing countries with a gross value of production of over US$7 billion. In Australia it is the third most important crop, valued in 1994-95 at about $1.7 billion. The importance of germplasm exchange in the development of sugar industries world wide and the recent findings of new virus diseases in germplasm centres and exchanged germplasm has naturally raised concerns. These proceedings present the results of a workshop held near Brisbane, Australia to examine safe management and international exchange of sugarcane germplasm. Topics covered relate to the collection, characterisation, conservation, cleanup and exchange of sugarcane germplasm