John Charles Walker (July 6, 1893 – November 25, 1994) was an American agricultural scientist noted for his research of plant disease resistance.[1][2][3] The New York Times said that Walker's "pioneering research in disease resistance in plants had a strong impact on world agriculture" and that Walker "was the first scientist to demonstrate the chemical nature of disease resistance in plants".[1] Walker is most known for developing disease-resistant varieties of onions, cabbages, beans, peas, beets and cucumbers.[1][2] The National Academy of Sciences said that he was considered "one of the world's greatest plant pathologists" and that "his fundamental discoveries of plant disease resistance made a lasting impact on world agriculture".[2] Walker was professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[1] He was also president and a fellow of The American Phytopathological Society and received the APS Award of Distinction.[3]
Distinctions
edit- 1945: elected to the National Academy of Sciences[2]
- 1960: an honorary doctor of science, University of Göttingen in Germany
- 1963: the Merit Award, the Botanical Society of America
- 1965: a fellow, the American Phytopathological Society[2]
- 1970: Award of Distinction, the American Phytopathological Society[2]
- 1972: E. C. Stakeman Award, The University of Minnesota[2]
- 1978: the $50,000 Wolf Foundation Prize in Agriculture in Israel[1][2]
Chronology
edit- July 6, 1893: born in Racine, Wisconsin
- 1914: B.S., the University of Wisconsin–Madison[2]
- 1915: M.S., the University of Wisconsin–Madison[2]
- 1918: Ph.D., the University of Wisconsin–Madison[3]
- November 25, 1994: died Boswell Memorial Hospital in Sun City, Arizona
References
edit- ^ a b c d e New York Times:John Walker, Agricultural Wizard, Dies at 101;By LAWRENCE VAN GELDER;pioneering research in disease resistance in plants had a strong impact on world agriculture; December 01, 1994
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Biographical Memoirs V.77 (1999);National Academy of Sciences (NAS);JOHN CHARLES WALKER;BY DONALD J. HAGEDORN
- ^ a b c "The American Phytopathological Society:John Charles Walker". Archived from the original on 2019-02-22. Retrieved 2012-01-12.