David Grandison Fairchild: Plant hunter extraordinaire and father of foreign plant introduction

Authors: Bassil, Nahla

Submitted to: Journal of the American Pomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2019
Publication Date: 4/1/2019
Citation: Bassil, N.V. 2019. David Grandison Fairchild: Plant hunter extraordinaire and father of foreign plant introduction. Journal of American Pomological Society. 73:139-144.

Interpretive Summary: David Grandison Fairchild was the famous plant explorer who founded the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction, the predecessor of the current National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), in 1897. By the time he retired in 1933, he and his Plant Explorers had introduced over 80,000 accessions, which included many of the fruits we enjoy today such as mangos, nectarines, pistachios and dates. His legacies are numerous and include the NPGS, many of our food and fruit crops, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, The Kampong, and most of all his philosophy of free exchange of genetic resources worldwide.

Technical Abstract: David Grandison Fairchild was the world renowned plant explorer who founded the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction, the predecessor of the current National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), in 1897. By the time he retired in 1933, he and his Plant Explorers had introduced over 80,000 accessions, which included many of the fruits we enjoy today such as mangos, nectarines, pistachios and dates. His legacies are numerous and include the NPGS, many of our food and fruit crops, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, The Kampong, and most of all his philosophy of free exchange of genetic resources worldwide.