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Pavlovsk mainstay passes away

Leonid Burmistrov, Leading Scientist of the Fruit and Berry Crop Genetic Resources Department of the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) in St Petersburg, has died. From the recent announcement on the VIR website:

Leonid Burmistrov has made a significant contribution to the preservation of the threatened fruit and berry crop collections located at the Pavlovsk Experiment station of VIR. He gave 60 interviews to the Russian and foreign mass media. Thanks to his efforts, the collection continues to exist.

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Herdwick sheep pass viability test

Embryos and sperm collected almost 10 years ago at the height of the Foot and Mouth epidemic in the UK have proved viable, according to a report from the UK’s Channel 4 News. Five ewes are carrying lambs fathered by rams lost to foot and mouth disease, and another three are surrogate mothers to embryos taken from sheep culled during the epidemic.

The threat to Herdwicks, one of several hardy heritage sheep breeds particularly valued for crossbred animals, prompted a rescue mission and resulted in the formation of The Sheep Trust. The report points out that in the end the precautions weren’t necessary — only about a third of the Herdwick flock was culled — but that it was impossible to know that in advance.

The Sheep Trust has taken on 12 heritage breeds, and calculates that 10 of those are geographically very concentrated, with 95% of the animals within 65 km of the centre of the breed’s distribution. This, the Trust warns, makes them vulnerable to future outbreaks of disease.

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Food on a pedestal

tomato statue in Davis, California, USA Inspired by Jeremy’s posts on corn statues and tomato experiments in Davis, California, I offer you the “Portrait of a plump tomato”, by Gerald Heffernon. It stands in front of a Davis shop that sells heirloom tomatoes and other agricultural biodiversity (20 rice varieties!).

Tilapia statue in San Pablo, Philippines I wonder if the tomato is celebrated here for the many (industrial use) tomato fields in the Davis area. Gerald Heffernon is somewhat of a fruit specialist: he also made apricot, pear, plum and cherry statues, but food statues are rare in the USA and elsewhere.

Pineapple statue in Calauan, Laguna, Philippines As far as I know, and do correct me if I am wrong, the Philippines is the only country where food gets due respect, and the statues that come with that.

I believe the highest density to be in a small area, roughly forming a triangle with 10 km edges, in Laguna province. San Pablo — with its many lakes — has a big tilapia. Victoria, known for its sweet pinya, a fierce pineapple.

Duck statue in Bay, Laguna, PhillipinesLaguna de Bay, the place to eat ducklings-in-the-egg known as balut (not for the faint of heart) has duck statues (here is another good one).

There are plenty of (golden and other) cow statues, in Asian temples, and elsewhere. Do you know of other statues that honor the the organisms that feed us?