Птушенко В.В.
Научно-исследовательский институт физико-химической биологии имени А.Н. Белозерского Московского государственного университета имени М.В. Ломоносова, Москва, Россия;
Институт биохимической физики имени Н.М. Эмануэля РАН, Москва, Россия
Волокитина Л.В.
Дом-музей И.В. Мичурина, Федеральный научный центр имени И.В. Мичурина, Мичуринск, Россия
DOI: 10.24411/2076-8176-2020-12005
В последнее время вновь становятся актуальными вопросы о роли И.В. Мичурина в создании советской «мичуринской биологии» и о его «учительстве» по отношению к её будущему лидеру Т.Д. Лысенко. В статье кратко сказано о месте И.В. Мичурина в современной ему биологии, о его отношении к генетике, его взаимоотношениях с Н.И. Вавиловым и предполагаемых контактах с Т.Д. Лысенко, подчёркивается дефицит документальных сведений о последнем вопросе. Приводится не публиковавшееся ранее устное свидетельство об отношении И.В. Мичурина к работам Т.Д. Лысенко.
Ключевые слова: И.В. Мичурин, Т.Д. Лысенко, Н.И. Вавилов, генетика, мичуринская биология.
Towards the issue of the ‘disciple’ and the ‘master’ (T.D. Lysenko and I.V. Michurin)
Vasily V. Ptushenko
Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology of Lomonosov Moscow State University,
Moscow, Russia;
Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Liudmila V. Volokitina
Memorial House of I.V. Michurin, I.V. Michurin Federal Scientific Center, Michurinsk, Russia
DOI: 10.24411/2076-8176-2020-12005
In recent years, the question of role of I.V. Michurin in the birth of Soviet “Michurinist biology”
and the ‘master/teacher’ of its future leader, T.D. Lysenko, has become relevant again. However,
there is a significant lack of documentary information on this issue. The only available evidence of
one-sided contacts (from Lysenko to Michurin) can be found in I.V. Michurin’s personal fonds
finding aid, including the obituary and posthumous articles about Michurin. The lack of information
concerning the communications between Lysenko and Michurin probably reflects its actual scarcity.
It may also be due to the censoring of information concerning the sacred figure in the Soviet country,
I.V. Michurin, in the era of the Soviet “Michurinist biology”. Thus, the name of N.I. Vavilov who
was known to have extensive contacts and warm personal relationship with I.V. Michurin icannot be
found in Michurin’s personal fonds finding aid.
It is often mentioned that Lysenko was close to Michurin in his rejection of genetics. However, despite
the fact that Michurin has been, indeed, known for his negative attitude towards genetics, this attitude
was typical for many outstanding biologists of the early 20th century, at least in Russia (e.g., Kliment
Timiryazev). For Michurin, the lack of understanding of genetics was even more excusable than for
his contemporaries since he never considered himself a scientist and never tried to create a scientific
doctrine.
In this article, we briefly discuss the value of I.V.Michurin’s works for the contemporary biology,
his attitude towards genetics, his relationship with N.I. Vavilov and his alleged contacts with T.D.
Lysenko with the emphasis on the lack of documents concerning the latter. The oral evidence of I.V.
Michurin’s attitude towards the works of T.D. Lysenko is published for the first time.
Keywords: I.V. Michurin, T.D. Lysenko, N.I. Vavilov, genetics, Michurinist biology