Professor Andrés Contreras. An enthusiastic life for potatoes. (1943-2014)

Abstract

In November 30th 2014, left this world this passionate man, who devoted all his academic life to collect, preserve and study plant genetic resources, particularly potatoes originated from Chile. From humble origins he was born in central Chile (Algarrobo) the 5th day of January of 1943. He attended the Algarrobo Basic School No. 19 and later the San Antonio Secondary School. Then, in 1964 he applied and was accepted to the Agronomy School at the Austral University, Valdivia, in those years a branch of the University of Chile.
I remember very well a day in 1969 at the Vista Alegre Experimental Station when this young, skinny, highly energetic and full of passion man said to me: this is "cielo", this is "mojona", this is "mantequilla", and so on. He already knew the local name of his "papas chilotas"...