Institute of Plant Genetics
Polish Academy of Sciences

prof. Stefan Barbacki

 

Stefan Barbacki (1903-1979) ? Director of the Department of Plant Breeding PAS (1954-1961) and Department of Plant Genetics PAS (1961-1973)

Profesor Stefan Barbacki, the founder of the Institute, was born September 1, 1903 in Wieliczka. Between 1913 and 1921 he was a student at 5th Junior High School in Cracow. After graduation, he studied at the Faculty of Philosophy and Faculty of Agriculture of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow. In 1925 he graduated from the university with the degree of MSc Eng. During his last year at the university he joined prof. Załęski's team and worked on cereal and sugar beet breeding.

In the years 1925 - 1945 he worked in the State Scientific Institute of the Farm in Puławy in the department of cereal breeding and genetics.

He was awarded PhD degree at the Jagiellonian University in 1929. In 1935 and 1936 prof. Barbacki was on a scientific internship in Galton Laboratory, University College in London, where he worked in  prof. Fisher's group dealing with mathematical statistics and its application in experiments and genetics.

After WWII Professor moved to Poznań. In May 1945 he accomplished the process of habilitation at the University of Poznan (Agri-forest Faculty) - he specialized in plant breeding. Then he became the head of the Department of Agricultural Experiments and Biometry at the University of Poznan. In 1948 he became Assistant Professor, in 1952 a corresponding member of the Polish Academy of Sciences and in 1954 full professor.

Profesor Stefan Barbacki manifested tireless activity of scientific research. Before WWII he published many papers on genetics, breeding and cultivation of cereals, as well as methodology of agricultural experiments. In the postwar period Professor has expanded the scope of his academic interest in legumes focusing on genetics and breeding of lupins.

Scientific activity of Professor Barbacki led to creation two research schools in Poznan: school of biological and genetic basis of plant breeding and school of mathematical statistics and biometry. Both of them are represented today at IPG PAS (Department of Biotechnology, Department of Biometry and Bioinformatics) and Poznan University of Life Sciences (Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods).

Professor Barbacki  published over 180 papers, among them a very famous monography "Combined experiments" - a bible for all researchers dealing with statistical methods in agricultural experiments.

Professor Barbacki supervised over 100 graduates and 52 doctors. To the latter group belong such eminent scientists as prof. Eugeniusz Bilski, prof. Tadeusz Caliński, prof. Regina Eland, prof. Julian Jaranowski, prof. Tadeusz Wolski.

Professor Barbacki was also a talented organizer. In the postwar period he contributed to creation of 18 plant breeding stations. In 1954 he organized in Poznan a new center of the Polish Academy of Sciences - Department of Plant Breeding. This Department together with the Department of Plant Genetics PAS in Skierniewice gave the basis to create the Department of Plant Genetics PAS headed by prof. Barbacki until 1973 when he retired.

Editorial activity of prof. Barbacki should be emphasized - he was the founder of three magazines, one of which is issued until today. In 1960 "Genetica Polonica", the first genetic magazine issued in English, came into life. It is still published under the changed title  ?Journal of Applied Genetics?.

To recognize Prof. Barbacki as a scholar and the IPG PAS founder, in 1994 on the initiative of the Institute, National Research Award on plant genetics names after Stefan Barbacki was established.

Selected papers

(list of all papers by prof.  Barbacki is included in the monography: ?Profesor Stefan Barbacki 1903-1979 ? w setną rocznicę urodzin? (Z. Broda, red.) on pages 57-67.

 

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