LETTER TO SCIENISTS AND THE FEEDBACK
Dear Fellow,
At the very beginning of 70-ties Brian Snoad in UK and me in Poland independently came up to an idea of reconstruction of pea plant architecture. In later years it appeared to be revolutionary for pea breeding and industry all over the world. This story happened over 40 years ago so new generation of pea breeders might not be familiar with this knowledge because Brian and me did not pay enough attentionto promote our invention in later years and it is solely our fault. Below isa copy of the letter I sent in 2012 to Professor Kevin McPhee who is leading young generation pea breeder in US nowadays. Me and Brian hope you would find interest in reading it and may be send some feedback to old two fellows.
Mitch Kielpinski
______
Dear Kevin,
My name is MieczyslawKielpinski , born in 1950, Polish-American so you can call me Mitch. The reason why I am writing this letter is that I see you becoming a key person in US in a matter of pea breeding. As an old pea breeder I personally met old fellows like Gerard Marx, Fred Muehlbauer, Earl Gritton, Alfred Slinkard and Bert Vandenberg . During my first 12 years of work in Europe I cooperated very close to Brian Snoad and a master on pea genetics StigBlixt. I hope one day I would be able to meet you.
Recently a few guys from Europe made an article: “Genetic Background and Agronomic Value of Leafs Types in Pea “ and they put you as one out of nine coauthors.
I agree with your bottom line conclusion that introduction of afila gene is considered the greatest achievement in pea breeding. What makes me a little upset is historical context of this article and that some very important facts are missing .
That was Brian Snoad at John Innes Institute in Norwich England an me in Poland who came up to an idea of reconstruction of pea plant architecture at the very beginning of 70-ties. We both were inspired at that time by Green Revolution ideas of great Prof. Norman Borlaug (Nobel prize in 1971), so we wanted to implement to pea plant the same idea Borlaug applied in wheat . Please remember that before that time pea plant was not only normally leafed but also 6-8 ft tall and all three historically known original sources of “afila” gene (Kujala 1953, Goldenberg 1965, Jaranowski 1970) were also 6-8 feet tall. First short stem pea cultivars (genotype “le ”) were introduced in late 60-ties in Netherlands and Germany. Both of us Brian and me started our works in 1970 but Brian was more involved in drastic reduction of green bulk of pea plant while I was more practically orientated and I put more efforts on fast development of short stem afila structure with regular stipules. In 1985 he sent me his last a kind of bitter note that John Innes Institute closed his project on afila peas due to poor yield of Filby cv. he tried to introduce in 1978. That was due to reduced stipule gene “st” in genome of Filby cv. which caused reduced assimilation capability. In UK his plant architecture was named “leafless” while mine was named “semileafless”. Anyway I consider Brian as coauthor of afila pea revolution because we came up to this idea independently at the same time. Brian had only bad luck at the end of his project. I guess authorities made hasty jump to decision to close his project and let him go at that time. Fortunately other fellows at John Innes Centre at the same time made great input on physiology and genetics studies of these new forms of pea plant and it appeared to very helpful in assisting our breading projects. As a matter of facts afila revolution was a group project and I was only the luckiest member of the group. Brian and me are still close friends. I am worried about his health problems. Below is a picture of two old fellows made at his home in Norwich in 2012.
John Innes Centre in Norwich isstill the most prestigious and famous scientific institution in Europe in the subject of crop improvement. We both appreciate very much that history of our group efforts and scientific friendship is mentioned at JICofficial page:
The very first short stem semi-leafless plants of genotype “ af le” I obtained in Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute in Radzikow near Warsaw, Poland in 1973 vegetative season . The article about it: NowyKierunek w HodowliGrochu, NoweRolnictwo, 1974, 9, s.1-3 and pictures of those plants you can see: In that article I have assumed only that short stem afila form might be a big progress in pea plant breeding due to improved standing ability, better assimilation and phytosanitary conditions in the canopy, easier harvest and so on. To prove my thesis I created afila near isogenic lines of six European short stem cultivars and compared them with parental normally leafed cultivars. The results of 3 years field trials I published first time on my PhD dissertation in Polish in 1977 and in English in AgriHortiqueGenetica in 1982
My first articles about afila peas were in Polish so might be hard to find but the one in English (1982) is well known as a first fundamental work proving experimentally that afila gene makes an advantage and significant progress in pea breeding. So how come you guys did not referred to it?
The first short stem semileaflescultivar came out naturally as result of my genetic and experimental work. In 1976 I presented this cultivar (R2/73) to official national trials by this document of Polish Ministry of Agriculture, signed and sealed on December 30, 1975 R/73 performed excellent in 3 years of national trials and was officially registered as original cultivar under the name “Sum” in 1979. It was first short stem afila cultivar in Poland and as far as I know it was the first short stem semi-leafless registered cultivar in the world. At the end of 70-ties we had hundreds of acres of Sum cv. and a few other short stem semi-leafless cultivars in Poland. .
While Sum cv. was still under national trials, Polish communist authorities and National Security Services sold the license to West Germany which at that time was part of United Europe so the seed material became available to breeders all over Western Europe. Those thieves paid me $ 4 (four US dollars) one time author fee out of probably big money they got. At the same time Soviets, who actually governed my mother country at those times, forced me to split my most advanced seed material with them. I was told to deliver bags of seeds to Soviet Embassy in Warsaw within 24 hours. At that time, with my salary $25 per month I felt like a slave and started making some preparations to escape from communist regime. I had decided to smuggle some of my most advanced seed material to US using fake labels and false documentation for communist authorities and their shipping institutions. In 1980 three guys in US received a separate few pounds samples of seeds from me at the same time: Gerard Marx at Cornell University, Earl Gritton at University of Madison Wisconsin and Fred Muehlbauer at Washington State University. In fact those samples were near isogenic afila lines (93.75% counterparts) of 4 at this time best European short stem cultivars: Porta, Allround (Holland) and Neuga, Neugatersleban (Germany) . Samples of Sum cv. which was only 50% counterpart of Porta cv. were also included.
Only one of these guys appeared to be grateful - that was Fred Muehlbauer who arranged US visa for me at State Department in 1981 and finally I managed to escape from my communist country and ended up in US. Few years later I was granted US citizenship. Now my children are very successful professionals in US and I have 4 grandsons. Thank you, thank you Fred my great friend !!!
Using my very advanced seed material Fred soon developed first short stem afila cultivar at Washington State University in Pullman. Many old fellows passed away so my friend Fred is the only living witness of transferring my advanced seed material to US in 1981 which triggered afila pea revolution in North America. Washington State University is also famous of developing first short stem wheat cultivar “Gaines” in 1956 by using Japanese gene “norin10”. “Gaines” cv. triggered than Borlaug’s Great Green Revolution in later years. It is pure coincidence of course but when they said this to me in that hot summer 1983 at university experimental fields I remember I felt very emotional.
In 1982-1984 I spent time at all three Universities working on my afila peas and giving some seminars and lectures to US students and pea breeders AtCornell UniversityI did some research on crossing-over between genes “af” and “i” on chromosome 1. As a result I obtained one green seed “afila” plant of genotype “af i “ which enabled breeding first semi-leafless cultivars of vegetable green peas in US (Pdf.15). On this picture you see me from my back side and Professor Gerald Marx standing on regular leafed pea plantation at Geneva Experimental Station of Cornell University in 1982 .
In Canada Alfred Slinkard was #1 pea man at University of Saskatoon at those times. I still keep his letters he sent to me to Poland that he was not interested in afila character because “it reduces assimilation capability of pea plant and is useless” and he couldn’t find funds for my trip to Canada. So Canada had to wait 5 more years until young and smart Bert Vandenberg replaced Slinkard in 1985, got samples of my afila material from Gerard Marx and started the most successful program of introducing afila gene in Canada. I met Bert in 2008 and I speak very high about his fast and efficientafila project in Canada. I also visited retired Alfred Slinkard at his place in Saskatoon in 2008 and I said “better late than never”. He admitted that not inviting me to Canada was the biggest mistake of his professional life. Dr Bert Vandenberg said to me that all Canadian afila peas is my germ because he received first seed samples through Gerald Marx from Cornell University . He also told me that traditional cultivars are not grown in Canada any more.
It is very likely that most of afila pea material grown all over the world might be my germ. If you guys find any article or any pictures of short stem semileafless peaarchitecture earlier then mine published in 1974 please let me know. For now I consider short stem semileafless pea as my child so as a good father I made a lot of pictures of my child when I was raising it. These are some of my favorites:
-Institute of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization , Radzikow near Warsaw, 1974 –first time short stem afila peas in regular canopy field conditions during the harvest. I was 24 and very excited seeing improved standing ability:
-Washington State University, Pullman, 1983. I was working on short stem afila pea lines I had smuggled to US
-At the same days in 1983 I made a picture of pea harvest at the nearby farm in Idaho:
-Pea harvest at the same farm in Idaho in 2008. This farmer said to me:“Good job”
You can see more pictures made in Poland, US and Canada and Pdf. documents proving the history of this invention on my Polish page
Also look how easy dry and green pea harvest is since we have made this plant to stand upright for the first time since 8000 years ago when humans started growing peas.
Sincerely
Mitch Kielpinski
July 15, 2017
McPhee, Kevin<>
To
TM Kielpinscy
02/01/12 at 12:54 AM
Dear Dr. Kielpinski,
Thank you for the message and response to the paper that was recently published. I am sorry and a bit embarrassed that we overlooked the information that you provided. I read it with great interest and am glad that you shared the history of this gene and your involvement with its deployment. I downloaded the articles from the embedded links in your letter and if you have additional articles I would appreciate receiving a copy. As Aleksandar indicated, we will do what we can to include the information you have provided.
Having worked in Pullman with Fred for many years and having trials at Spillman Research Farm, I recognize the field that you are standing in – P-25 is its designation. I had many trials in that field during my time in Pullman. I also know the field and area near Farmington that you mentioned.
I look forward to meeting you at a meeting in the near future.
Best regards,
Kevin
Kevin McPhee
Professor
Pulse Crop Breeding
North Dakota State University
NDSU Plant Sciencesdodał(a)nowezdjęcia (10).
21 grudnia 2016·
Dr. Kevin McPhee will be leaving his position as pulse crop breeder at NDSU at the end of December. He has accepted a faculty position at Montana State University, where he will establish a pulse crop breeding program. Dr. McPhee came to NDSU in 2008 and began the NDSU pulse crop breeding program from scratch, continuing to develop the program over the last eight years. His research focused on genetic enhancement and development of improved cultivars of pea, lentil and chickpea for the Northern Plains region. He earned the rank of Professor in 2013. The Department of Plant Sciences thanks Dr. McPhee for his service and wishes him the best in his new position!
(Photos are from a farewell coffee held by the department for Dr. McPhee.)
Aleksandar Mikich<>
To
TM Kielpinscy
CC
d 2 more...
01/31/12 at 3:54 AM
Dear Mitch,
I have to admit that I myself am responsible for the structure of the published paper and do apologise for being unaware of all the resources you mentioned and you yourself personally were involved in. It is a great honour and privilege you informed us all and particularly me on all this related to afila pea.
Being one of the editors of the journal 'Field and Vegetable Crops Research' where our paper was published, I would like to invite you most kindly to write a Letter to Editor, containing the essence of what you have just written to us, and we shall gladly publish it in the next issue. That would be great indeed to have one of the pioneer afila pea breeders reacting to our paper and providing the wider audience with very important information. We shall be privileged if you are able to do it and thus make a direct link between today and the very beginnings of afila pea research.
Thank you very, very much for your kind and detailed report and addressing us regarding this most interesting and important issue. I myself apologise for any inconvenience in the paper published.
Kindest regards andCzesc,
Aleksandar
AleksandarMikich
Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops
Forage Crops Department
MaksimaGorkog 30
21000 Novi Sad
TM Kielpinscy, Janine
CC
KadambotSiddique
Today at 2:35PM
Dear Mitch
I read your message with great interest and wish to add my re-collections.
I first heard of afila pea in 1975 in Sri Lanka. At that time I was an academic staff at the University of Papua New Guinea and was conducting a small project trying to induce mutation in winged bean (another trailing plant) that might make it self-supporting. In that context I was invited to a Workshop in Sri Lanka.
Brian Snoad was invited to that workshop to illustrate that how a single gene mutation (naturally occurring) has potential to remove a significant barrier in the management of the pea crop. We heard Brian with great interest. However, I can’t recall Brian mentioning its origin or your connection (it’s a long time and it is possible that I simply don’t remember). In 1980s I became directly involved in breeding peas and met many of the people you mentioned in your message but not once the origin of afila was discussed. I, always, thought it to Brian Snoad’s discovery???
I am thankful to you for bringing it up and I will urge younger generation to take a note of this. I am much older than you Mitch and due to illness in the family not very active any more. It is likely that Janine will write the next Pea Overview and I am sure she will put things right.
Janine, you may like to bring it to the notice of the current pea breeder (I am not sure if Peter Kennedy is still the national pea breeder?). Through a copy of this message I have brought it to the notice Professor Siddique who I hope will disseminate this knowledge amongst the pea/legume fraternity.
Wishing you all good and thanking you for your enormous contribution,
Tanveer
Adjunct Professor Tanveer Khan, M Sc (Ag), Ph D (W Aust)
The UWA Institute of Agriculture
Faculty of Science
The University of Western Australia
M082, 35 Stirling Highway, Nedlands, WA, 6009
Telephone: +61 8 6488 1718 | Email:
CRICOS Provider Code: 00126G
To
TM Kielpinscyjames brown (JIC)simongriffiths (JIC)Steven Penfield (JIC)clairedomoney (JIC)
Nov 20 at 3:03PM
Dear Dr. Mitch Kielpinski
Many thanks for your email and for sharing this remarkable story with us. I’m afraid having arrived at the John Innes Centre 20 years after the departure of Brian Snoad, I did not have the pleasure to meet him and I don’t know where he went or where he is now. We still have a thriving pea programme at JIC, which is run by Dr. Claire Domoney (cc’ed here). She may know more than me. Perhaps you have heard of Prof Noel Ellis, who worked on pea for many years at JIC, but left 7-8 years ago. Part of Noel’s research also centred around pea architecture and development. He now works in Auckland, New Zealand. I don’t have his email address, but I’m sure Claire does.