"Vavilov Commission" wounds: results of the semicentennial activities

On the 9th of December a ceremonial meeting of the Commission for preservation and development of scientific heritage of academician Nikolay Ivanovich Vavilov at the Vavilov Institute of General genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. The meeting was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the creation of "Vavilov Commission."

Among the permanent members of the Commission are N. I. Kuznetsov, Rector of Saratov State Agrarian University, Doctor of economial sciences, professor and V. I. Stukov, Honorary professor of Saratov State Agrarian University, candidate of biological sciences, associate professor, founder of the Memorial Study-Museum of N. I. Vavilov in our University. The activity of N. I. Kuznetsov and V. I. Stukov was noted with gratitude in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the Commission.

At the meeting Saratov State Agrarian University named after N. I. Vavilov was represented by the Vice-rector for research and innovations, doctor of economical sciences, professor Igor Leonidovich Vorotnikov and the Head of the Memorial Study-Museum of N. I. Vavilov Nikita Valerievich Ryazantsev. Before the meeting the guests from Saratov were kindly welcomed and Tatiana Borisovna Avrutskaya, the guardian of Memorial Study-Museum of N. I. Vavilov, researcher of Institute of General genetics RAS made a familiarization tour.

The meeting was opened by the Chairman of the Commission, doctor of biological sciences, professor, adviser of RAS corresponding member of the RAS Ilya Artemievich Zakharov-Gezekhus. Ilya Artemievich congratulated all the participants on the 50th anniversary of Vavilov Commission and presented his new work – a collection of articles "In defense of Genetics". In this book I. A. Zakharov-Gezekhus gathered his reviews and feedbacks on the latest publications designed to discredit Genetics, N. I. Vavilov and glorifying the "People's academician" T.D. Lysenko.

The meeting was continued by Tatiana Borisovna Avrutskaya – Academic Secretary of the Commission for the preservation and development of scientific heritage of academician N.I. Vavilov of the RAS, Head of the Memorial Study-Museum of academician N. I. Vavilov at the Institute of General Genetics, researcher of Institute of General Genetics RAS. Tatyana Borisovna devoted her report to the history of creation and the work of the Vavilov Commission for 50 years. A great report was accompanied by a presentation that included rare photographs.

Then a report on the preservation of the scientific heritage of N. I. Vavilov in St. Petersburg was made by the Head of the Department of genetic resources of oat, rye and barley of All-Russian Institute of Crop Production (VIR) named after N. I. Vavilov, the Head of Vavilov Memorial Study-Museum in VIR Igor Gradislavovich Loskutov. Igor Gradislavovich focused on the issues of storage and use of Vavilov seed collections, and recalled the faithful disciples and associates of N. I. Vavilov who worked in this legendary institution.

The final word was given to the guests from Saratov – the city where the star of N. I. Vavilov rose and the city in which his life tragically closed. Vice-rector for science and innovations, Saratov State Agrarian University named after N. I. Vavilov, Igor Leonidovich Vorotnikov summed the results of outgoing 2016 and spoke about the work done on preservation and popularization of the scientific heritage of N. I. Vavilov in Saratov: activities of the Memorial Study-Museum of N. I. Vavilov and Museum of the history of SSAU, held Vavilov Olympiad and the International scientific-practical conference Vavilov Scientific Conference-2016. It was also noted that the following 2017 was announced in our University the year of academician N. I. Vavilov.

The Head of the Memorial Study-Museum of N. I. Vavilov in Saratov SAU named after N. I. Vavilov Nikita Valerievich Ryazantsev devoted his report to the history of the Vavilov movement in Saratov, at the origins of which there were such prominent scholars as S. S. Khokhlov, N. G. Voronin, N.A. Tyumyakov, M. I., Golubev, V. A. Krupnov, V. I. Stukov and public figures: V. S. Chekrygina, N. M. Panteeva, A. B. Beloglazova, A. B. Amusin and others. Separately the movie of V. Keler "Man for mankind", filmed at the Saratov television Studio (1973) was highlighted, in which the personages are the outstanding scholars, disciples and associates of N.I. Vavilov – F. Kh. Bakhteyev and N. P. Dubinin.

At the end of the official part of the meeting in a solemn ceremony the anniversary celebrants of 2016 – T. B. Avrutskaya and I. G. Loskutov were honored. The meeting ended with a friendly tea party, during which participants could exchange views on current issues and make plans for the upcoming year of the 130th anniversary from the birth of Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov and the 100th anniversary of the beginning of his teaching at Saratov Higher Agricultural Courses.