Barbara Pickersgill

Barbara Pickersgill (born 1940) is a British botanist with a special interest in the domestication of crops, the genetics, taxonomy, and evolutionary biology of cultivated plants, and the preservation of crop diversity.

Early life and education Pickersgill was born and brought up in Yorkshire. Her doctoral advisor was Charles B. Heiser. , to become an Honorary Research Associate.

When she was awarded the Linnean Medal in 1993 it was noted that she "is well known throughout the world for her distinguished investigations on the genetics, cytology and systematics of the genus Capsicum". As well as investigating the origins of domesticated pepper species she also investigated the origins of other cultivated plants, including Vicia, Psophocarpus, Lens, Cicer, Arachis, Ananas, Gossypium, Ipomoea and Zea. She also carried out collecting expeditions to Peru, Brazil, Belize and Papua New Guinea.

Her research projects include: The molecular systematics and the use of wild species in the improvement of farmed chilis (Capsicum) Research on the domestication of crops, notably the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, working with the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) in Colombia The genetic diversity, conservation and improvement of tropical crops such as: Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), working with the Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) in Peru Banana (Musa species) from the East African Highlands

Her knowledge about Capsicum made her an advisor to Bioversity International about collections of Capsicum held in Brazil and Costa Rica. She advised archaeological work in Peru and Belize about finds of plant materials in the 1970s that led to collaboration about crop origins in later decades.

On 4 August 2006 the Linnean Society of London organised a one-day conference in honour of Pickersgill.