Norman E. Borlaug and Plant Hybridization:
A New Strain of Grain
Dr. Norman E. Borlaug was born on March 5, 1914, in Cresco
Iowa, where he worked on the family farm. In the fall of 1933, he left
the farm for Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota, where he
was shocked to see hungry men and families out on the streets, begging
for food. Borlaug wrestled on the U of M team and studied forestry and
plant pathology. He had to drop out every once in a while, however, to
work to earn money for his tuition and living expenses. One job he took
was leader of the Civilian Conservation Corps, where he worked with unemployed
men. Many, he observed, were malnourished. Borlaug went to graduate school
at the U of M, and received a doctorate in plant pathology in 1942.
In 1944, Borlaug joined the Rockefeller Foundation’s
new Cooperative Mexican Agricultural Program as a research scientist. This
was a program created to assist poor farmers in Mexico. He worked at the
International Maize and Wheat Center outside of Mexico City until 1960.
While there, he developed new disease resistant and more adaptable strains
of wheat.
"Dwarf" wheat is Borlaug’s leading achievement. It is
commonly assumed that a tall, impressive-looking harvest is the best, but
actually, shrinking wheat has proved beneficial. In nature, the tall stalks
have been more successful because plants must compete for sunlight, But
equally short stalks will receive equal and adequate amounts of sunlight.
With a short stalk, the wheat uses less energy to grow the inedible part,
and more on the actual kernels of wheat. Furthermore, a short stalk is
more easily able to support it’s kernels, while a tall stalk often bends,
creating problems with harvesting.
Borlaug began producing high yield "dwarf" wheat for
Mexico. During the time he was there working with the Mexican government,
the wheat production in Mexico tripled. He began looking for other places
where he could start programs like the one in Mexico, and combat hunger.
In the mid 1960s, India and Pakistan were at war, and
facing huge food shortages. People were predicting the loss of millions
of lives due to starvation. By the late 60s, most experts were saying global
famines were imminent.
Borlaug began to argue that India and Pakistan should
switch to cereal crops. He began a campaign, the Green Revolution, to ship
some of the dwarf wheat there. This was and remains a controversial proposition,
as environmentalists assert that indigenous crops should be grown. There
were a few clashes with beauracracy and traditional farming methods, but
as famine began to grow, these protests were overlooked, and the first
crop was planted. Double the normal yield was achieved, and famine was
held off. The dire predictions of a few years ago did not come to pass,
and by 1974, India was self-sufficient in its production of cereals.
In 1970, Dr. Norman Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize for saving millions of lives. Yet controversy remains regarding his
methods.
Borlaug's wheat, no longer an entirely natural plant,
cannot prosper without proper fertilizer and irrigation. While Borlaug
agrees with environmentalists that organic fertilizers are best, there
is not enough livestock in underdeveloped countries to provide enough manure.
The faster and stronger the plants grow, the more moisture and soil nutrients
they need. So inorganic fertilizers must be used to nurture his cereals.
Wheat production is still increasing, however, in India
and Pakistan. In India it was up 11% from 1998 to 1999. And after his fall
from favor, Borlaug is at work again trying to high-yield agriculture in
Africa, and teaching at Texas A & M at the age of 86.
Sources:
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/0/0,5716,82930+1+80761,00.html?query=borlaug%20norman
http://www.dallasnews.com/highprofile/267339_borlaug_21liv..html
http://www.reason.com/0004/fe.rb.billions.html
http://www.crescoia.com/normanborlaug.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97jan/borlaug/borlaug.htm
Back