1910s Timeline - John Innes Centre

valuable information on scab
resistance.
In 1946 five of JIHI’s seedling
cherries (Merton Favourite,
Merton Heart, Merton Premier,
and Merton Bounty) in the
National Fruit Trials at the Kent
Farm Institute are given awards
by the Royal Horticultural
Society. These seedlings were
raised in 1921-3. It has taken
about 25 years to determine
their commercial possibilities.
1940 Outdoor Tomato trials
and breeding begin
In 1940 raising tomatoes out of
doors is a relatively new
practice; traditionally tomatoes
are grown in glasshouses. The
Pomology Department at JIHI
begins a series of experiments
on varieties of tomatoes grown
out of doors to determine yield,
times of maturity, and other
characters. These form part of
an experiment to compare the
best varieties and the best F 1
hybrids with a view to using
hybrid vigour in practical
cultivation. Altogether 45
varieties are grown and the
results of the trials are published
as John Innes Leaflet no. 5
(1942). The breeding
programme aims to bring
forward tomato maturing dates
to make outdoor growing
viable; breeding and selection
with bush and dwarf forms to
produce a new type is also in
progress. In 1947 work begins on
rogue tomatoes (off-type
plants); the aim is to reduce the
percentage of rogues in tomato
crops by determining the
genetic or physiological cause.
One of the successful varieties
raised at Merton is ‘Puck’, a
dwarf tomato released in 1946
and notable for its good pollen
and fruit setting qualities even
in low-temperature conditions.
Puck is later used as a parent,
particularly in Canada, to
introduce these characters into
other tomatoes.
1940-48 Kenneth Mather and
associates develop statistical
approaches to genetic analysis
In 1940 Mather is two years into
his appointment as Head of the
newly formed Department of
Genetics at JIHI. Since
beginning his career he has
gained experience in
chromosomes from C. D.
Darlington, in plant breeding
techniques from J. V.
Rasmusson at Svalöf in Sweden,
in statistics and experimental
design from R. A. Fisher at
University College, London, and
in Drosophila genetics and
evolutionary theory from A. H.
Sturtevant and T. Dobzhansky
in California.
Mather’s consuming interest is
in the genetics of quantitative
characters. Early in his career,
plant breeder Sir Frank
Engledow told him: ‘If you are
interested in genetics and want
to help the plant breeder you
should study the inheritance of
quantitative characters such as
yield and height’ and this
message has been reinforced
through Mather’s association
with Svalöf and with Fisher.
Using Fisher’s statistical
techniques, Mather sets himself
the problem of analysing the
genetics of quantitative
variations. His aim is to answer
questions of economic
importance in plant breeding
and, also, to further
understanding of the role of
quantitative variation in natural
populations and the mechanism
of evolution.
Most existing selection and
biometrical experiments so far
have been done on a oneworker,
one organism basis on
subjects such as chickens, mice,
fruit flies and maize. Mather’s
diverse research background
means he is able to take full
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