Soviet's tragic genetics story shows folly of political meddling in science

Western scientists embraced genetics but Russian scientists who thought the same were sent to gulag

A few years ago, one of us (Ian) was lucky enough to be invited to visit the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry in St Petersburg, Russia. Every plant breeder or geneticist knows of Nikolai Vavilov and his ceaseless energy in collecting important food crop varieties from all over the globe, and his application of genetics to plant improvement.

 

Nikolai Vavilov was pilloried because he wasn’t a political favourite in Soviet Russia. Library of Congress. New York World-Telegram & Sun Collection

Vavilov championed