Scientist Daniel Debouck of CIAT received the 2010 Frank N. Meyer Memorial Medal for Plant Genetic Resources, which is granted by the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), for his untiring work to collect and conserve crop plant diversity.

The work of this researcher, who has lived in Colombia for more than 30 years and manages one of the world's largest germplasm banks, was highly commended at the award ceremony held on 3 November in California, USA, during the annual meeting of the CSSA.

This award is named after agricultural explorer Frank Nicholas Meyer, who worked for the US Department of Agriculture in the early 1900s and who lost his life in the waters of the Yangtze River in China while on a collection mission. The award recognizes dedication and service to humanity through collecting, evaluating, or conserving plant genetic material.

"It's an honor to receive this award and I hope it sends a positive signal to younger generations that there are still a lot of crop variants and relatives to be studied in the field," said Debouck.

The scientist, who joined CIAT in 1977, now heads the Center's Genetic Resources Program, which harbors the world's largest collections of bean, cassava, and tropical forages, with more than 65,000 samples. Since joining the research center headquartered in Palmira, Colombia, Debouck has undertaken no fewer than 29 expeditions to 14 Latin American countries to collect and conserve wild, undocumented bean varieties, and he's responsible for introducing over 3,000 new samples to the Center's gene bank. He also led the successful legal battle to overturn the patent that the North American government had granted to a US citizen, who alleged "to have invented the Enola bean".

As well as a passion for scientific discovery, Debouck continues to be driven by the need to conserve. "Many people think that if we can collect a particular variety today, we can also collect it tomorrow," said Debouck, "but this is not always the case due to the advance of agriculture and urbanization. Some species have taken one million years or more to evolve, but could disappear in a single generation or less."

"It's not just the physical increase of the plant collections that's important," warned the germplasm specialist, "but also what comes with it―new knowledge and a new understanding. As you're filling the gaps in the gene bank and gaps in our knowledge, the pieces of the puzzle come together to help you see the bigger picture. If we want to cope with climate change and feeding ourselves, it's better to understand that picture sooner rather than later. This means that there is still a lot to be done, but I'm thrilled with the prospect," continued the scientist.

 Contact: Dr. Daniel Debouck (d.debouck@cgiar.org)