of the blood corpuscles are formed in the red bone marrow
of long bones. Lymphocytes are formed in thymus, spleen,
lymph nodes, tonsils and Peyer’s patches.- Lymph is a mobile connective tissue comprising lymph plasma
and lymph corpuscles.
Lymph plasma : It is similar to that of blood but has fewer
blood proteins, less calcium and phosphorus and high
glucose concentration. Globulin proteins are present which
are actually antibodies.
Lymph corpuscles : There are mostly lymphocytes. Erythrocytes
and platelets are absent in lymph. - (a) The leucocytes can change their shape which enables
them to squeeze out of blood capillaries into the tissues.
This process is called diapedesis.
(b) Endoneurium is a layer of connective tissue which
surrounds a nerve fibre.
(c) Desmosomes are plaque-like areas which provide
strong mechanical attachment between two adjacent
cells with the help of adhesion molecules and
filaments (tonofibrils). They have intercellular proteins.
Desmosomes occur in areas where strong cohesion is
required.
--N
orman Ernest Borlaug
was an American
agronomist, humanitar-
ian and Nobel laureate who
has been called “The Father
of Green Revolution”. He has
been credited with saving mil-
lions of people from starvation
in developing countries. He was
born on March 25, 1914 on a
farm near Cresco, Iowa, United States. He earned his Bachelor’s
degree in forestry (1937), Master’s degree in plant pathology
(1939) and Ph.D. in plant pathology and genetics (1942) from
the University of Minnesota.
Later, from 1942 to 1944, he was employed as a microbiologist
at DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware. In July 1944, he moved
to Mexico City to head a program as a geneticist and plant
pathologist. For the next sixteen years, he worked on the
problems of wheat production that were limiting wheat
cultivation and developed semi-dwarf, high-yielding, disease-
resistant wheat varieties by crossing Mexican disease resistant
varieties with a wheat strain having Norin-10 gene. He, then
produced successive generations of wheat varieties with
broad and stable disease resistance, broad adaptation to
growing conditions across many degrees of latitude and with
exceedingly high yield potential. These wheat varieties and
improved crop management practices transformed agricultural
production in Mexico during the 1940s and 1950s.
Following Borlaug’s success in Mexico, Indian government
also requested his assistance. Then, he in collaboration
with Indian scientist, M.S. Swaminathan, introduced someNORMAN BORLAUG
high yielding varieties of wheat in India also. This led to an
increase in crop production. This phase is often called “Green
Revolution”.
In 1964, he was appointed as the director of the International
Wheat Improvement Programme at International Maize and
Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT). He retired officially from
the position in 1979, but remained a CIMMYT senior consultant
and continued to be involved in plant research on wheat, triticale,
barley, maize, and high-altitude 6RUJKXP. In 1981, he became
a founding member of the World Cultural Council. In 1984, he
began teaching and conducting research as a distinguished
professor of International Agriculture at Texas A&M University.
From 1994 to 2003, he served as a member of International
Fertiliser Development Centre’s board of directors.
As of January 2004, he had received 49 honorary degrees
from as many universities in 18 countries.
He has been awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize on
December 10, 1970 by the Norwegian Nobel Committee for
his contributions to the green revolution. In addition, he also
received the 1977, U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the
2002 Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of
Sciences and the 2004 National Medal of Science.
He served on two US Presidential Commissions: World
Hunger (1978-79) and Science and Technology (1990-92).
On September 12, 2009, Norman Borlaug died of lymphoma at
the age of 95. In recognition of his contributions, October 16,
is referred to as “Norman Borlaug World Food Prize Day” in
Iowa and Minnesota, and “World Food Prize Day” throughout
the United States.
--