Academician Iakubtsiner remarks that N. Vavilov great attention gave to Transcaucasus in his researches. He traveled many times to Transcaucasus. In Georgia he was 16 times. On the basis of expeditions held by his followers (P. Zukovsky, L. Dekaprelevich, V. Menabde and others the world got acquainted with the fact that Georgia presents the origin hearth of many cultures.
We would like to discuss on the expeditions and researches held by N. Vavilov and his followers on the genetic resources.
As it is well known N. Vavilov discovered 8 independent hearths of the most important cultural plants origin, among them Georgia comes into the fourth hearth, Front Asia hearth of cultural plant origin. The whole Transcaucasus, north-west Iran, mountainous Turkmenistan, Asia Minor, Arabia, Syria, Yemen. This hearth is one of the oldest regions of mankind’s cultural development and its spreading to other countries form here. It even nowadays presents the region of spreading of wild ancestors of the cultural plants. The estuary form the Front Asia hearth is the origin place of many cultural plants, which afterwards were spread throughout the world.
N. Vavilov remarked that there were needed two conditions for the historic development of big hearth of cultural flora:

Vavilov’s formulation is completely true concerning Georgia. It is well known that Georgia presents the country of oldest agriculture. The first monuments of farming civilization discovered here are dated back to Mesolithic period.
In Eneolithic and early bronze period, in Georgia there was sown wheat, barley, millet, drying oil and there were developed fruit-growing, vine growing and grass sowing.
N. Vavilov began to get acquainted with Georgia with wheat culture. His followers and colleagues inspirited by Vavilov’s ideas –P. Zukovski, N. Ketsel. V. Menadbde, E. Erudin, L. Dekaprelevich organized expeditions and collected wheat models in different corners of Georgia and investigated them. From this material they single out the following species: T. boeticum, T. monococcum, T.durum, T. dicoccum, T. paleocolchicum, T. timopheevi, T. turgidum, T. carthlicum, T. polonicum, T. aestivum, T.macha, T. zhukovsky.
From the mentioned species 5 were Georgian endemic. At other places theses species are not fixed. These are: T. monococcum-late zanduri, T. timpoheevi-chelta zanduri, T. zhukovskyi-zanduri, T. paleo-colchicum, T. macha.
E. Sinskaia remarks that Front Asia is the native place of 12 wheat endemic species, 8 of them originate form Transcaucasus, 1- from Syria, 1- from Palestine, 1-from Iran. From 8 endemic species of Transcaucasus 5 species originate from Georgia. Georgia occupies the first place with richness in wheat species and forms on the earth (E. N. Sinskaia - historic geography of cultural flora – edit. (“KOLOS” Leningrad 1969).
It is remarkable that Georgian endemic forms are valuable selective material for the modern selection. Particularly, tetraploid wheat – T. timopheevi zhuk and hexaploid wheat T. zhukovski men et. ez. are characterized by high resistance to diseases.
The first works by N. Vavilov in immunity systematics is connected with wheat species T. persicum . This species is discovered by N. Vavilov. This species is characterized by immunity to diseases, is of short vegetation and winter resistant. We should remark that this species was widely spread in Georgia – Javakheti. It is well known as Javakhuri Dika. At present this species is mentioned as T. carthlicum
N. Vavilov investigated the origin place of Georgian wheat endemic species – Racha –Lechkhumi. This region is situated in the west Georgia. By Vavilov’s conclusion Georgia is the first hearth of wheat endemic species in the world. The founder of the Georgian selection school –N. Vavilov’s contemporary and his friend - L. Dekaprelevich wrote: our joint expedition in the native place of zanduri and macha (Racha-Lechkhumi) was carried out at the beginning of 30-years by the route: Kutaisi - Orbeli - Tsageri - Orbeli – Alpana - Shovi. Vavilov visited many plots of zanduri and macha plots. He picked from these plantings plants and collected them in the sack wearing on his back. From one of the peasant he obtained  seeds of zanduri. upper place from Orbeli we saw other species - “macha” accessions. And at last we found “Shnakvi” by which self dusting wheat ears are collected. Later Vavilov visited the mentioned places 4 times.
Afterwards Vavilov investigated the whole Georgia. He was in newly founded Natakhtari Selection Station, where at the selection department there worked well-known wheat specialists afterwards, triticologists, systematics, selection scientists - V Menabde and L. Dekaprelevich. Vavilov got acquainted with the activity of the selection station. He spoke with Menabde and L. Dekaprelevich for a long time. In 1938 in July he got acquainted with the Akhalkalaki district village – Kotelia – and collected the accessions of wheat "Dika".

Wheat (Triticum L.)
By 40-50 years of the last century in Georgia there was registered 14 species of local origin, 144 varieties and 150–sort populations. At present the situation is radically changed. In 2001 “ICARDA” organized expedition as a result of which there was revealed that local varieties occupy very small areas. As we have mentioned from endemic species the spreading areal of 4 is Racha - Lechkhumi. At present here wheat is not sown at all. In Samtskhe –Javakheti there still are maintained T. carthlicum (dika) sowing places. In upper Svaneti there still are maintained soft wheat landraces which are diminished annually.Fortunately, the part of wheat genetic resources are kept at different scientific research institutes - Scientific Institute of farming, Mtskheta Selection Station, institute of Botany, Agrarian university ( at Agrarian university there leads his activity well-known wheat specialist, triticologist P . Naskhidashvili. Also they are kept in some genbanks ( Russia, Germany) . Though main part of them are lost.

Barley (Hordeum L.)
Front Asia, particularly Transcaucasus, by E. Sinskaia’s definition presents the important if not the primary hearth of the cultural barley development. In Georgia there is spread species Hordeum euriassiaticum Vav. Et Bacht. At present in Georgia wide areas are occupied by local spring variety H. distichum L. Another widely spread species is winter barley H. vulgare.

Millet (Panicum miliaceum L)
Existed in Georgia in Neolithic period which indicates to us that millet origin hearth is Georgia. At present millet is brought in upper Svaneti. In ex situ there is one model of this population.

Setaria italica
This culture is brought in Georgia from XV century. V. Menabde singled out as independent species the weed Setaria italica existed in Georgia - S. Ketzkhoveli Menabde et Eritz. and expressed he supposed that Georgian cultural Setaria italica originates from this wild form. That was widely spread in Georgia till 18 th centuries. At present it is sown on a very small area.

Maize (Zea mays)
Brought to Georgia in II half of 17 th century by the Black Sea from Turkey. At present it is widely developed throughout the whole country from sea level at 100-1700 m. At 200 000 hec. There are sown local varieties, according to vegetation period varieties are from 85 days till 140-150 days, characterized by diversity, three varieties are spread – Kbila – Z. mays.indentata, kaza- Z. mays indurata , half kbila or intermediate – Z mays convar. acristae grebense. This half kbila variety originates from Georgia as a result of natural hybridization of kaza and kbila maizes.

Bean (Phaselous L.
Brought to Georgia in II half of XVI century. This culture is widely spread. Annually 10-12 thousand hec is sown. In Georgia there is great diversity of bean. 6 species are spread here : Ph. multiflorus, Ph. lunatus, Ph. acutiflolius , Ph. aureus, Ph. anguearis, Ph. calcaratus, Ph. vulgaris, common bean is mostly spread. 61 varieties of local origin and 406 forms (1964) are defined by S. Tedoradze.

Dactylis
The species D. asherson niana Craebn is spread in Georgia from ancient time, 14 chromosome species. 28 chromosome species is originated from it – D. glomerata. Caucasus is one of the big hearth of this species.

Pea (Pisum)
Georgia presents the primary hearth. There are wildly grown plants possessing the qualities of cultural plants and there are forms possessing wild qualities. 4 species of pea are spread in the Akhalkalaki zone. One of them is called P. transcaucasicum, there is also P. arvense – weed pea

Vetch (Vicia L.) V. pannonica is spread in Georgia locally. This is the oldest form, which is found in Javakheti-Akhalkalaki. At present in this zone there is spread the variety Akhaltsikhe vetch.

Vicia faba
Is the oldest culture. Early it was widely spread. At present it is grown in Svaneti in Mestia district from sea level at 1800 m.

Lucerne (Medicago L.)
The blue lucerne M. coerulea is spread in Georgia, mostly in East Georgia, Javakheti. M. dzhawakhetica-in Akhalkalaki district.

Onobrychis transcaucasusPresents the independent hearth. Here there is one very polymorphic variety O. transcaucasica. In Georgia there is also drought resistant endemic form "meskheturi" - O. meschetica.

Clover (Trifolium L.)
T. apertum, humidity resistant species, is the ancestor of whole groups of xerophyte species.

Flax (Linum L.
In Georgia it is spread mainly in Kolkheti. Kolkhetian relictic cultural drying oil genetically is very close to wildly growing local drying oil - L. angustifolium. Kolkhetian drying oil presents primary source of all forms of all cultural drying oils, which are spread in Transcaucasus and in Front Asia.

Pear (Prunus)
The following pear species are growing in Georgia: P. salicifolia, pear Georgian – P. sachokiana Kuth (central Georgia – Shida Kartli, wild), pear sakhokia – P. sachakiana Kuth (Shida Kartli – central Georgia, wild), P. taochia Woron. (Achara, wild), P. fedorovii Kuth (central Georgia, wild), P. demetrii Kuth (central Georgia, wildly), P. ketZkhovelii  Kuth (central Georgia, wild), P. eldarica Grossh. P. Dzukovski thinks that Caucasus presents the main arena Cauof  wild and cultural pear.

Apple (Malus) Wildly growing apple is presented mainly by one species – M. orientalis Uglitzk. This species took participation in the formation of endemic cultural varieties. The local species are: 1. Georgia Sinapi – Georgian Sinapi; 2. Kekhura.

Quince (Cydonia Mill.)>br> In Georgia it is kept B.C. Sorbus L. Front Asia is one of the origin hearths of these cultures. In Georgia there is described S. colchica Zinserh.

Peach
There are 6 local varieties in Georgia: Khedistauri white, Georgian peach, Wazhuri, Berebis peach, Bestavashvili late, Childistauri yellow

Ficus
This species is spread in Georgia, especially in west Georgia. F. colchica Crossh. is endemic for Kolkheti.

Corylus
Front Asia is the secondary centre. Speceis C. colchica Albov is presented in Georgia, spread in west Georgia and Apkhazeti.

Chestnut (Castanea Mill.) C. sativa is wildly growing species in west Georgia.

Grape (Vitis L.)
The ancestor of the cultural vine Vitis siluestris Gmel. is widely growing. There are 400 local species of vine in Georgia.

From the above mentioned it is clear that the part of Georgia is important in the origin of cultural wheat and its spreading throughout world. It is the region of unique diversity. But nowadays these diversities are at the edge of disappearing. 14 species of wheat, 144 varieties and 150 variety – populations were registered till 50-60 -ies of the last century. At present this number, especially of varieties and variety – populations is catastrophically decreased. Such fate will come many other cultures as the progress of scientific selection gets more active in future, which adequately will be followed by plant diversity decrease. We consider that together with these processes the protection of plant genetic resources, their maintenance, especially in those countries which belong to centers of cultural wheat origin, should get more active. Georgia is such a country.