Aims

At the Vegetal Genetic Resources Lab "N. I. Vavilov", taxanomic studies are conducted on indigenous crop (Zea mays ssp. mays) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) types in the Argentine Republic. This information helps to improve species.

The laboratory is equipped with a cold chamber (12 m3) to preserve (in the medium term) the collection of works obtained in the expeditions carried out by the lab team in the northwestern and northeastern provinces of the country.

Archeological corn remnants are also studied in order to establish the agriculture development level in ancient populations, to compare them with existing types and to determine their evolution and possible relationships. This helps to understand their relevance and avoid their disappearance.

Structure

Direction

• Agr. Eng. Julián Cámara Hernández.

Investigators

• Agr. Eng. Pedro Melchiorre
• Agr. Eng. María del Carmen Menéndez Sevillano
• Agr. Eng. Ana María Miante Alzogaray
• Agr. Eng. Silvana Gambino.

Assistance

• SECYT

Human Resources

• 5 professors and 3 studentsLabor científica

Scientific Activity

Morphological Studies

• Corn races (Zea mays ssp. mays) for the Argentine Northwestern and Northeastern Regions.
• Bean native forms (Phaseolus vulgaris) in the Argentine Northwestern Region

 Related Institutions

The Lab is related to the following scientific institutions:

• Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)
• Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGPYA)
• Instituto Fitotécnico Santa Catalina de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata
• Facultad de Ciencias Exactas de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA)
• Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Sección Arqueología de la UBA
• Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad de Mar del Plata
• Instituto de Investigaciones Fundamentales en Agricultura Tropical - INIFAT (Cuba)
• Instituto Vavilov (San Petersburgo)
• Ministerio de Agricultura, Forestación y Pesca (MAFF), Japón
• Programa de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación (FAO)
• Instituto Internacional de Recursos Fitogenéticos (IPGRI)
• Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD)
• Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (CIMMYT), México

Background

The Lab was created in 1967. The activity performed in Argentina by Agr. Eng. Lorenzo R. Parodi needs to be highlighted. Until his passing away in 1966, he was head professor of Agrarian Botany. Over 60 years ago, Agr. Eng. Parodi gathered important collections of original corn and other plant species and he expressed his concern about the need to preserve them as a source of germplasm in order to improve commercial types. Examples are found in his work on Pre-Hispanic Agriculture (1935) and his book "La agricultura aborigen argentina" (1966). The Lab keeps his corn collections as documentation.

Considering the importance of keeping the traditional use of corn as a factor influencing the survival of the plant primitive forms and that this subject is a major element of the School of Agronomy teaching activity, the Lab has published the work on "Corn and its uses in the Quebrada de Humahuaca" and produced the audiovisual "Native Corn Species in the Argentine Northwest", highlighting the need to preserve their germplasm.

Services

• Exchange of information and material with public institutions.
• Attention of inquiries, as an extension activity.

Teaching and Academic Activity

• Supplementary graduate cycle in Agrarian Botany Course.
• Post-graduate cycle: course on Vegetal Genetic Resources, Master in Vegetal Production, FAUBA Graduates School.

Information

Laboratorio de Recursos Genéticos Vegetales "N. I. Vavilov" - Botanical Garden - School of Agriculture
Tel: (011) 5287-0072