Save the Seed Bank!

This is really depressing news: the possibility that the Pavlovsk seed bank in Russia, the oldest in the world,  is about to be destroyed. The seed bank was started in 1926 by Nikolai Vavilov the originator of the concept of seed banks. Since it is a field collection it cannot be removed to accommodate the proposed real estate plans. Its varied fruit collection would be extremely helpful in protecting fruit production in places threatened by climate change, pests and disease. Earlier, twelve Russian scientists had starved to death rather than eat the plants in their collection to survive. Sadly, it seems likely their honorable sacrifice will go in vain.