Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov: commemorating Diversity's Geographer

The accomplishments of Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov continue to be studied almost eighty years after his tragic death. In some ways, it is as if we have not put him to rest, so upsetting is the loss of such an individual. But we must not forget all that Vavilov accomplished in his lifetime, and as “diversity’s geographer,” he ushered in new ways of thinking of genetic resources and their utility in providing plant immunity. This commentary follows recent articles that speak to Vavilov’s worst enemy being agronomic versus political time, and why, given this struggle, that further commemoration at a global scale would be appropriate given his accomplishments. For such an honor, the author asks that Vavilov be considered for a posthumous World Food Prize. While not done so previously, here is an opportunity to honor someone who could not be nominated for the fact that his own adherence to the science of genetics cost him his life.

Author(s): Joel I. Cohen

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