Trofim Lysenko

His scientific theories have been subject to much criticism from other scientists and they even termed his research as incorrect. After the death of Stalin, who was one of the biggest support Lysenko had relied on, this horticulturist lost his grip over the Soviet biology.

He was also accused of taking undue advantage of his power as the director of ‘Institute of Genetics’ of the ‘Academy of Sciences’. He, apparently, restrained other scientists from developing and manifesting their research work in order to remain in power.

These allegations made the Soviet press investigate his work and in 1965; Lysenko was finally overthrown from his office of the Director of the ‘Institute of Genetics’.

Born to Denis Lysenko and Oksana Lysenko in the year 1898 in Poltava Oblast, Ukraine (formerly known as Karlivka, Poltava Governorate). His parents belonged to the peasant class.

He attended the ‘Poltava Primary School for Horticulture and Gardening’ and later joined the ‘Uman School for Horticulture’ from which he completed his graduation in 1921. Soon after, he became involved with experimental work at the stations situated in Belaya Tserkov and Kiev Oblast.

He then attended the ‘National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine’ (earlier known as ‘Kiev Agricultural Institute’) during the period 1921-25. While in this university, he brought out two articles on sugar beet grafting and tomato breeding.

After completing his studies, he worked at the experimental station at Azerbaijan and carried on his agricultural research which can be regarded as his first step towards his research paper on vernalization, which was put forward in 1928.

The method of vernalization which he had described in his paper was highly acclaimed as it would help the farming community of the Soviet. The agriculture of the country in winter had suffered a lot as there was scarcity of snow resulting in the destruction of seeds of winter-wheat.

He then moved on to the ‘Gyandzha Experimental Station’ where he remained till 1929.

From 1929-34, he was the Senior Specialist at the Physiology department of ‘Ukrainian All-Union Institute of Selection and Genetics’, Odessa.

During the period 1935-38, he worked at the ‘All-Union Institute of Selection and Genetics’ as the science director and then he was appointed as the director of the institution.

He has defied the ‘Mendelian Inheritance’ phenomenon and supported Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin’s theory on genetics which he later termed as ‘Lysenkoism’ or ‘Lysenko-Michurinism’.

This famous scientist is also renowned for ‘Hybridization’ wherein two plant breeds could be made to amalgamated to reproduce a new breed which is better than the parent species.