IVAN PETROVICH PETRENKO IS A RECOGNIZED AUTHORITY IN THEORY OF SELECTION AND GENETICS OF ANIMALS
Authors: Polupan Yu. P. , Birukova O. D. 
Published: December 2018

The well-known scientist, the author of fundamental research on the theory of breeding and genetics of animals, the Chief scientific researcher of the laboratory of selection of Red-and-White breeds of the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics nd. a. M.V.Zubets, NAAS Ivan Petrovich Petrenko, turned 80 years on October 20, 2018.
He was born in the village of Berezanka Chernigiv region of Chernihiv oblast in the family of a peasant. After graduation of Chernigiv school № 4 in 1956 year, he works as a freelance worker at the collective farm nd a Chkalov (village Berezanka Chernihiv region of Chernihiv oblast). From 1957 to 1962 he studied at the zootechnical faculty of Ukrainian Agricultural Academy (Kyiv). From 1962 to 1963, Ivan Petrovich worked as a Senior zootechnik of Chernihiv State Regional Agricultural Plant, from 1963 to 1965 – a zootechnician-breeder at Nizhyn Plant of Artificial Insemination of Agricultural Animals. From 1965 to 1968, he studied at the post-graduate school at the Department of Genetics, and from 1968 to 1976 he became an assistant to the Department of Agricultural Animals Development at Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Kyiv).
Since 1976 and till now the work of Ivan Petrovich Petrenko is connected with Ukrainian Research Institute of Breeding and Artificial Insemination of Cattle (now Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics nd. a. M.V.Zubets NAAS), where he works on positions of Senior, Leading (1976–1993) and Chief (1993–2000, 2002 and to date) scientific researcher. From 2000 to 2002 he worked as Chief scientific researcher at Institute of Meat Livestock of Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Kyiv).
Ivan Petrovich was awarded the scientific degree of the Candidate of biological sciences (Ph.D) in the specialty "Genetics" in 1968 under the protective substitute (1968) of the dissertation on the topic "Fractionation and hormone-flax processing of ram sperm in order to regulate the ratio of sex of offspring". Academic rank of Senior scientific researcher was awarded in 1980. He successfully defended his dissertation in 1994 for obtaining a scientific degree of a Doctor of agricultural sciences from the specialty of breeding and animals selection on the theme "Genetic-population processes in the breeding, cross-breeding and regulation of the sexual composition of offspring in animals".
The circle of scientific interests of the jubilator is quite broad. He made a significant contribution to the scientific understanding of the natural variability of offspring at birth at farm animals at the population level. He developed fundamentally new methodological approaches to theoretical analysis and scientific understanding of genetic-population processes in animals at inbreeding, reproductive cross-breeding, the consolidation of heredity of domestic animals, the structure of the gene pool of the breed for the additive genetic productivity potential. He suggested his vision of the problem of manifestation of heterosis in domestic animals at crossing and the reasons for its extinction in subsequent generations for their breeding "in oneself” etc. Together with NAAS academicians M. V. Zubets, V. P. Burkat, Correspondent member of NAAS D. T. Vinnychuk, Doctor of agricultural sciences O. F. Havruk developed a fundamentally new scientific intensive system of genotypic selection of pedigree cubs in dairy cattle breeding, as well as a system of breeding work in Holstein breeding herds of commodity farms. Ivan Petrovich Petrenko is a co-author of factory types and lines of Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breed. In the scientific work of the scientist there are more than 200 scientific works, in particular 5 monographs. Ivan Petrovich – co-author and executor of 2 regional programs, 10 programs and plans of selection and breeding work in breeding and basic farms for breeding dairy cattle.
Ivan Petrovich is twice (1997, 2001 years) laureate of Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences Award "For outstanding achievements in agrarian science".
From 1996 to 2002, Ivan Petrovich Petrenko was a member of the Expert Council of the Higher Attestation Commission of Ukraine. From 1970 to 1990, he was a member of the All-Union Society of Genetics and Breeders nd. a. M. I. Vavilov, and from 1991 to up to date – of Ukrainian Society of Genetics and Breeders nd. a. M. I. Vavilov. Since 1994 he has been a permanent member of the Scientific Council of Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics of Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, since 1996 – a member of a specialized Scientific Council for the defense of the doctorate (candidate) of agricultural sciences, a member of the editorial board of the scientific collection "Breeding and animal genetics". High-level professionalism, comprehensive knowledge made Ivan Petrovich a well-deserved authority in the team and scientific community of Ukraine.
Now Ivan Petrovich Petrenko is the Chief scientific researcher of the laboratory of selection of Red-and-White breeds. The staff of Institute, in which the jubilee works more than 40 years, sincerely congratulates dear Ivan Petrovich and wishes him a solid health, further creative success and longevity.