eCONTI by N.L Vavilov Finally published in English, this book contains descriptions by Academician NI. Vavilov ofthe expeditions he made between 1916 and 1940 to jive continents, in search ofnew agricultural plants and conjil1nation ofhis theories on plant genetic divmity. Vavilov is ironic, mischievolls, perceptive, hilariolls and above all scholarly. This book is a readable testament to his tenacity and beliefin his work, in the foee ofthe greatest adversity. 11 This book is dedicated fa the memory of Nicolay Ivanovich Vavilov (1887-1943) on the IIOth anniversary of his birth 11 N.!. Vavilov Research Institure of Plant Industry • International Plant Genetic Resources Institute United States Agency for International Development • American Association for the Advancement of Science United States Depanment ofAgriculture • Agricultural Research Service • National Agricultural Library • THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF N/COLAY IVANOVICH VAVILOV (1887-1943) ON THE 11 Oth ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH • • FIVE CONTINENTS NICOLAY IVANOVICH VAVILOV Academy ofSciences, USSR Chemical Technological and Biological Sciences Editor-in-chief L.E. ROOIN Tramkzted ft-om the Russian by OORIS LOVE Edited by SEMYON REZNIK and PAUL STAPLETON 1997 • The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) is an autonomous international scientific organization operating under the aegis of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The international status of IPGRI is conferred under an Establishment Agreement signed by the Governments ofAustralia, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, China, Congo, COSta Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritania. Morocco, Pa!cisran, Panama, Peru, Poland, Porrugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Sloval, Republic, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda and the Ukraine. IPGRI's mandate is to advance the conservation and use ofplant genetic resources for the benefit of presenr and future generations. IPGRI works in partnership with other organizations, underraking re­ search, training and the provision of scientific and technical advice and information, and has a particularly strong programme link with the Food and Agriculrure Organization of the United Nations. Financial suppOrt for the agteed research agenda of IPGRI is provided by the Governments of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Getmany, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, me Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the USA. the Asian Development Bank. the International Development Research Center. the United Nations Development Progranune, and the World Bank. The designations employed and me presentation of material in this publication, and in its maps, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part ofIPGru or the CGIAR concerning the legal Status of any country. territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The text of this publicarion is set in Garamond, a type&ce originally designed in the 16th century, but revived in 1917, JUSt when Vavilov was starting his series of expeditions. Headings and titles are set in Futura, which was first drawn in 1929, and quickly became a benchmark design for modern, clear. display faces. The publication was laid Out in Windows NT and 95 operating systems using Adobe PageMaker 6.0. The maps were derived ftom Mountain High Map images, processed through MicrografX Picture Publisher 6.0a and Designer 6.0, and Adobe Photoshop 3.0. This publication is printed on 'environmentally friendly' paper. This means that the wood pulp used to make the paper was produced from susrainably grown plantations. and that no damaging chemicals were released into the environment as a result of the production process. The paper was bleached using oxygen rather than chlorine. As well as eliminating any potential damage to the aanosphere, this means that the paper itself is chlorine free, so that it will not deteriorate or discolour with time. Citation: Vavilov, NJ. (1997) Five Continents. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Iraly. ISBN 92-9043-302-7. IPGRI, Via delle Sette Chiese 142,00145 Rome, Italy. Cover illustration: Vavilov in 1927 after returning from a collecting mission in Ethiopia. Published by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, with the financial assistance of United States Agency for International Development, in close collaboration with the N. I. Vavilov All Russian Research Institute of Plant Industry and the United States Deparanent of Agricultute's Agricultural Re­ search Service and National Agricultural Library, the International Network for the Improvement of Ba­ nana and Plantain, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and especially the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. ©1997 IPGRI, RomeMR, St Petersberg N.I. VAVILOV - ii- FIVE CONTINENTS • N.!. VAVILOV N.I. VAVILOV -iii- FIVE CONTINENTS • CONTENTS Preliminary matter Edirorial Committee of rhe Nauka Publishing House, Leningrad, 1987 ............................................ iv Editorial fOfe\vord ......................................................................................................................... vii Fore\vord to the second edition ..................................................................................................... xvi The Russian scientist Nicolay Vavilov, by Semyon Reznik and Yttri Vavilov ........................................ xvii About the translation ................................................................................................................... xxx Translator's acknowledgements .......................................................................................... xxx Notes on the text of the translation of me 1987 version as published in English in 1996 ................. xxxi Acknowledgements in me preparation of the 1996 edition ........................................................... xxxii Maps ........................................................................................................................................ xxxiii Expedition roAfghanistan (1924) .................................................................................. xxxiii Expeditions in the Mediterranean countries (1926-1927) ............................................... xxxiv Expedition in Abyssinia and Erirrea (1927) ...................................................................... xxxv Expedirions in NorrhAmerica (1930,1932) and SourhAmerica (1932-1933) ................ xxxvi Expedirions in Europe and Asia (1916-1940) ............................................................... xxxviii Main centres of origin of cultivated plants ........................................................................... xl Introduction ................................................................................................................................. xli The text of the book The basic principle behind the expeditions .................................... :.................................................. 1 In rhe Pamirs .................................................................................................................................. 5 Darvaz, Rushan and Shugnan (Expedirions Made in 19 I 6) ................................................... 5 Expedirion in Iran ......................................................................................................................... 17 Expeditions in Afghanistan ............................................................................................................ 22 Expedition in Nuristan .................................................................................................................. 34 Sourhern Afghanistan .................................................................................................................... 43 Along rhe lower Amu-Darya .......................................................................................................... 48 Western China .............................................................................................................................. 5 I Expedirion in Japan ....................................................................................................................... 58 Science in Japan ................................................................................................................ 63 Expedition to Tai\van .................................................................................................................... 66 Expedition in Korea ...................................................................................................................... 69 The Mediterranean countries ......................................................................................................... 73 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 73 Expedirion in Syria ....................................................................................................................... 77 Expeditions in Palestine and Trans-Jordania ........................................................................ 82 Algeria .............................................................................................................................