Four Blades of Grass: An Investigation of Plant Breeding, 1900-1970

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The science of plant breeding, 1900 - 1975, has produced new crop varieties capable of remarkably higher yields than were older cultivars. By 1975, it was possible to say that the new varieties, plus other changes in agricultural technology, had been a key ingredient in a massive change in human social life: globally, we became a species that lives primarily in urban areas with only a minority of people left in production agriculture in rural areas. This project involves the preparation of a book-length treatment of the history of plant breeding from a comparative, cross-cultural perspective. The treatment will include the building of the conceptual foundations of the science plus the interactions of the science with its political and economic context. A central thesis of this book is that issues of war and national security shaped the context in which plant breeders worked. Events in World War I set the stage for the growth of plant breeding as a national asset. World War II, the demise of colonial empires, and the cold war provided an enormous boost to plant breeding as nations sought increased security through enhanced food production. In the contemporary world, it is impossible to understand the treatment of plant breeding by political institutions without discussing the strategic implications of the science. Complexities of the agricultural industry make it essential to focus the research and resulting manuscript on a sub-set of plant breeding issues: wheat breeding in Britain, India, Mexico, and the United States provides a case study to advance this thesis. Evidence comes from archival sources supplemented by secondary literature and oral interviews. This research has a unique and timely focus; its results will be useful and accessible to a wide audience. The qualifications and track record of the investigator are excellent; institutional support is adequate; the budget request is modest. This award is highly recommended.