Varietal Timelines and Leadership Challenges Affecting the Legacy of Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov - with Dr. Joel Cohen - Podcast

Podcast episode - Nikolai Vavilov was an agronomist and seed collector whose life spanned the regimes of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin. These were years plagued by extreme famine, especially in the Ukraine. Vavilov strove to follow Mendelian science and practices to improve plant breeding programs, seed conservation, and food security. He travelled to and collected seed from over 50 countries in his lifetime and was the founder of one of the world’s oldest seed banks; however, he died defamed and imprisoned, with his name struck from the history books. This episode, in honor of seed week, Dr. Joel Cohen joins us to discuss Vavilov’s work, the ongoing work to restore his reputation, and why his legacy matters today.