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Osip BaranetskyBotanist, professor of botany at Kiev University
Date of Birth: 01.01.1843
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Content:
Early Life and Education
Alexander Alexandrovich Baranetsky was born into an Orthodox noble family in Grodno Governorate. In 1866, he graduated from St. Petersburg University with a degree in physics and mathematics. He studied under A. S. Famincyn and was appointed to the university to prepare for a professorship.
Research and Discoveries
In 1870, Baranetsky received his master's degree in botany for his dissertation on osmosis. He was then sent abroad for two years on a scientific mission, working with A. de Bary in Halle and J. Sachs in Würzburg.
Upon his return, Baranetsky defended his doctoral dissertation on the periodicity of flowering in herbaceous plants. He was appointed as an extraordinary professor of botany at St. Vladimir University in Kiev in 1873 and became an ordinary professor in 1877. He taught plant anatomy and physiology.
Baranetsky's research focused on plant anatomy and physiology. He published his findings in notable scientific journals such as "Bot. Ztg." and "Mem. de l'Acad. des sc. de St.-Pet."
One of his significant discoveries was the symbiotic nature of lichens. In 1867, along with Famincyn, he identified the green cells in lichens as unicellular algae. This revelation redefined the understanding of lichens.
Baranetsky also discovered enzymes capable of dissolving starch in plant leaves. He demonstrated that acidic conditions were necessary for the in vitro breakdown of starch grains by diastase.
Later Career and Contributions
From the mid-1880s, Baranetsky's research shifted primarily to plant anatomy. He studied the thickening of parenchyma walls and the formation of permanent tissues in stem growth cones.
Baranetsky developed innovative physiological instruments such as the osmometer and auxanometer. He also published various scientific papers on plant growth, osmosis, and other botanical topics.
Baranetsky was elected a corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences in 1897. His contributions to plant science and the advancement of botany were widely recognized.
