Dominique Wenzler-Steves

Intro to Genetics
Sally Irwin
October 4,2015

Dr. Norman Borlaug

Norman Borlaug was born March 25, 1914 on his grandfather, Neal Olson
Borlaugs, small farm near Cresco, Iowa. He began working the farm when he was
seven and his interest in agriculture grew from this. Between working on the family farm
Norman went to school and took part in several sports. He played football, baseball and
competitive wrestling. He became a state wide champ at wrestling and even had his
coach start the sport in his college. Encouraged by his grandfather, Norman left to get a
higher education than he could get on the countryside. He found himself attending
University of Minnesota where he continued his wrestling with his coach Dave Bartelma
who he credited with with inspiring him to excel at whatever he attempted (Academy of
Achievement). In college he worked waiting tables as well as several other jobs to
support himself. Norman soon joined the forestry program of the university's College of
Agriculture to pursue his love for agriculture.
After college Norman worked for the United States Forestry Service and had
planned to continue his work there until he heard a lecture by the plant pathologist Elvin
Stakman. The lecture was about crossbreeding efforts to improve grains. This inspired
him to further his education in plant pathology with Dr. Stakman and return to the
University of Minnesota. Norman married Margaret Borlaug whom he met threw waiting
tables and a local coffee shop and they moved to Minneapolis as he completed his

doctorate in plant pathology and genetics in 1942. Was hired by Du Pont de Nemours a
chemical firm in Wilmington, Delaware. He attempted to enlist in world war II, but was
refused due to his work at Du Pont de Nemours being deemed as more important to
war efforts.
After his war work he joined his mentor Dr. Starkman in his work in mexico. A
majority of the wheat there was imported due to several failed crop attempts that
suffered from rust the parasitic fungus. Borlaug and starkman began work on
introducing a rust resistant crop. In 1944 Borlaug headed for Mexico to lead the
International Wheat Improvement Program. When Borlaug arrived in Mexico, its
farmers raised less than half of the wheat necessary to meet the demands of the
population. Rust perennially ruined or diminished the harvest. . . . Borlaug labored for
13 years before he and his team of agricultural scientists developed a disease resistant
wheat(Quinn, Kennith M.). His work took place in El Battan, Texcoco, outside of
Mexico City.
Borlaug worked with trying to crossbreed for a stronger stem in the rust resistant
wheat to help it withstand wind and rain. By crossing his rust resistant wheat with
japanese dwarf he was able to accomplish this. Borlaug continued to cross other genes
in hopes to help with the heat and lack of water in mexico.
Borlaug developed a technique called shuttle breeding which speed up the
process by taking advantage of two growing seasons. The team would bring seeds
down to a different altitude and grow crops in these two locations simultaneously
doubling the variables that could be tested each season. He planted crops in there high
land research facility then rushed the seeds down to the Yaqui Valley station

immediately afterward set up the variations. By planting the crops at different altitudes
the seeds were exposed to completly different conditions regarding rainfall, temperature
and the altitude itself. By 1963, more than 95 percent of the wheat harvested in Mexico
was grown from seed developed by Borlaug. The country was now producing more than
enough wheat for its needs and was exporting wheat to the rest of the world(Academy
of Achievement).

Borlaug was the only agriculturalist to have ever received the Nobel Peace Prize
for a life time spent feeding the world. He also established the World Food Prize to
honor others who have made outstanding contributions to improving the world's food
supply. He worked in Mexico, Asia, Pakistan, India as well as had the seeds he
developed grown in nearly every part of the world. His impacted the has helped stop
conflicts and wars over famin and feed entire nations. Today and in the future people
will continue to build on the research he brought to life in throughout the world.

Source List:
"Norman Borlaug - Biographical." Norman Borlaug - Biographical. N.p., 2014. Web. 19
Sept. 2015.
Quinn, Kennith M. "About Dr. Norman Borlaug." The World Food Prize. N.p., 2009.
Web. 20 Sept. 2015.

"Norman Borlaug Biography." -- Academy of Achievement. N.p., 13 Sept. 2009. Web. 05

Oct. 2015.