Hybridizer’s Hand Tool, Magnifying Glass
Object Details
- Description
- This magnifying glass was used by workers at the Mars Center for Cocoa Science in Itajuipe, Bahia, Brazil in their cacao hybridization efforts. While sequencing the cacao genome provided scientists with a road map to understanding cacao and accelerated testing techniques, scientists still bred new cultivars of cacao through traditional techniques of hand pollination.
- Cacao sustainability was recognized as an issue in 1998 when Mars Chief Agricultural Officer, Howard-Yana Shapiro, broached the idea of sequencing the cacao genome to give cacao researchers the necessary tools to help it become a modern crop. In 2008 a collaboration between Mars Inc., the United States Department of Agriculture, IBM, and several universities embarked on an effort to sequence the genome of the cacao to help breed improved hybridized plants to reduce crop loss and increase arable land for farmers. In 2010 the results were published and released to the public without patent restriction.
- Credit Line
- Gift of MARS Inc.
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- ID Number
- 2014.0033.06
- catalog number
- 2014.0033.06
- accession number
- 2014.0033
- Object Name
- pollination magnifying glass
- magnifying glass
- Physical Description
- glass (overall material)
- black (overall color)
- plastic (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 3 5/8 in x 1 3/4 in x 5/16 in; 9.2075 cm x 4.445 cm x .79375 cm
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Agriculture
- Industry & Manufacturing
- American Enterprise
- Agriculture
- Exhibition
- American Enterprise
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_1461891
