Aurora Sporealis
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
AURORA June, 1986 SPOREALIS Department of Plant Pathology University of Minnesota St. Paul, Minnesota LETTER FROM THE DEPARTCQNT HEAD Dear Friends : We again bring greetings to you from a1 1 of us in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Minnesota. Since becoming Department Head, I have become increasingly aware of the importance of Aurora S orealis in bringing together a1 1 who have shared in the success and histwt+--IS Department. It also provides a means of furnishing information to our new friends about the personalities and operation of the Department. For the past several years, the key figure in putting this pub1 ication together has been Dr. Carl Eide. Once again, we thank Carl for the tremendous contribution that he has made in coordinating the publication of the 1986 version of the Aurora Sporealis. We are now well settled into our new facilities in Borlaug Hall. As you may remember, we now a1 so occupy a1 1 of the Plant Sciences Bui 1ding. The additional space and equipment have been marvelous additions to the Department and a1 low us to do many of the things that we previously could not accompl ish in teaching and research. We have a1 so been able to repaint a large portion of the interior of Stakman Hal 1. In the past few weeks, we have retiled and repainted the old Plant Pathology Seminar Room, which will now serve as a lounge and coffee break area for students, faculty, and staff. A1 so, the new teaching greenhouse faci 1ities are nearly completed. We will share these facilities with the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics. These faci 1i ties wi1 1 increase our abi 1i ty to grow and use 1i ve plant materials in our courses. Some high1ights of this year would include the establishment of an endowment to support a collaborative research project between the University of Minnesota and the University of Tel Aviv on disease resistance breeding in cereal crops. We have also formed a 15 member advisory committee to the Department which includes representatives from crop consulting companies, seed companies, grain buyers, a plant biotechnol ogy company, and plant pest regul atory agencies. We wi1 1 be 1ooking to this group to provide us advice on the relevancy of our teaching, research, and extension programs and for help on fund-raising and student recruitment, among other activities. A very recent new venture is the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the crop consulting subsidary of Land O'Lakes, Inc., in the Twin Cities, and a biotechnology company, Agri-Diagnostics Associates, to provide equipment and additional help for expansion of the Plant Disease Clinic. One of the features of the Clinic will be the use of immunological procedures on a routine basis for plant disease diagnosis. We be1 ieve this agreement wi 11 a1 low us to better serve Minnesota agri cul ture with rapid, accurate disease diagnosis. It wi 11 a1 so a1 1ow our undergraduate and graduate students to participate in and learn about disease diagnosis and to test new diagnostic procedures that are developed. We wi 1 1 continue to look to the private sector for support in this endeavor. I hope that you thoroughly enjoy this issue of the Aurora S oreal is. I a1 so hope that you wi1 1 continue to make an effort to keep in touch WI 47-t the Department and to come and visit us whenever you can. Our sincerest best wishes to each of you in the coming year. AURORA SPOREALIS The NEW LIBRARY The cover picture shows Eric Biever, Librarian, at the loan desk of the new Plant Volume 56 June Pathology Library in Boriaug Hall, situated opposite the main entrance on the third floor Number 1 1986 of Borlaug Hall, it is convenient for students of all ages. Carl J. Eide, Editor The library is about 2,400 square feet-about four times the area of the old library in Contributors Stakman Hall (now the herbarium). There is Kira Bowen an annex that can be used for study, classes Howard Bissonnette or meetings. Besides the tables in the reading area, there are individual carrels along to t Clyde Christensen walls, providing freedom from interruption. Sue Grayden At present there are about 7,000 volumes in Kenneth Johnson the library, and about 86 periodicals are Thor Kommedahl received. The seminar Library, which used to Philip Larsen occupy shelves in the old seminar room in Monte Miles Stakman Hall, is also in the new library and Jane OfLaughlin much safer. A security system has been Mary Sortland installed to prevent as much as possible loss Richard Zeyen from theft. Instead of card files, library users now search Photography for books on microfische records using a Gilbert Ahlstrand microfiche reader, with either the Dewey Decimal system for older books and the Linda Treeful Library of congress numbers for newer volumes. A computer system is being Typing planned for location of books not only in the Marguerite Clemens plant Pathology Library but in other Business Manager libraries on campus. Air conditioning makes library use pleasant Conrad Buhr in attractive surroundings. Volume 56, Number 1 AURORA SPOREALIS June, 1986 OLD TIMERS Geno Saari brought us up to date on the careers of Minnesotans in CIMMYT: Jane O'Laughl in encountered Laura Schickli, MS 1984, on the Metro in Bobby Renfro, PhD 1960, has served Washington, D.C. and learned that Laura in India, Thai 1 and and, since January, became mother of a boy in October, 1985. 1985, in Mexico. His principal Laura left Minnesota in August, 1984 and responsibi 1ity is research on diseases 1ived in New York while her husband took of maize. an advanced degree in 1aw at New York University. In 1985 they moved to Jon M. (Mike) Prescott, PhD 1970, Washington where her husband is is head of the seed health program in associated with a law firm. Mexico since about 1981. Karnal bunt of wheat is a recent and destructive pest. Timothy Power is now operating a nursery in Hastings, MN. He left the Bent Skovmand, PhD 1976, has been Department in 1985 and continued in Ankara, Turkey since 1984. Bent is research on his MS thesis but was responsible for a1 1 phases of wheat discouraged when deer ate his plots in research and production under the CIMMYT 1985. program. Before going to Turkey he worked on Triticale in Mexico. Jeffrey Tate transferred to the College of Biological Sciences, U of M Saari says he started his foreign where he completed work for the PhD in career in India in 1962, served in botany in 1985. He is now a post doc in Lebanon, 1973-75; Egypt, 1976-80; the Institute for Advanced Studies in Thailand, 1980-84 and since 1984 in Biological Process Technology, C. B. S. Mexico. In the fa1 1 of 1986 he wi11 go to Turkey. Geno's work covers diseases Cheng-Guo Wang left in August 1985 of wheat, barley and triticale, and now is a candidate for the PhD in especially rusts. biology at the Pennsylvania State Uni versi ty, Cal ifornia, PA. Wang was Visiting Scientist in the Department in 1983-85, working with Dr. Blanchette on Diplodia and gall rust of pine. Mike Grisham, PhD 1978, is now Research Plant Pathologist at the U.S. Sugar Cane Field ~aborator~at Houma, Louis Palmer, PhD 1968, and Louisiana, working on sugar cane currently employed by DuPont, is Farm diseases. He left Texas A & M in Manager of 80 acres at Madera, CA, a November 1985, where he had been position similar to one he had in Brasi 1 Assistant Professor since he left for the same firm. Of the 80 acres, 17 Minnesota. are in fruits and grapes and the remainder in a1 fa1 fa, cotton, wheat, Patti Sebesta a secretary in the rice and vegetable crops. Department, 1982-83, wrote in October, 1985 that she, Steve and daughter Ashley Bil1 Macheel, M. Agr., 1984, (born July 10, 1985) were getting directs Peace Corps activities in Zaire. settled in Fargo, ND where Steve is He formerly served in the Peace Corps in sunflower breeder for Cargi 11, Inc. Swazi 1and and he1 d a post briefly in Patti and Steve lived in Fort Collins, Chad since graduating from Minnesota. Col orado before moving to Fargo. The last regular issue of Aurora Sporealis was Volume 55, Number 1,dated June, 1985 He1 en Boosal is won the Democratic NEWS FROM CORNELL primary May 13, 1986 and wi 11 be a candidate for Governor of Nebraska in John Tyler, PhD 1934, is Chairman the fa1 1 elections. Her Republ ican of a committee of 10 responsible for the opponent is also a woman, Kay Orr, now Cornel 1 Plant Pathol ogy News letter. H.D. state treasurer. He1 en was Mayor of Thurston, PhD 1958 is also on the Lincoln, NE from 1975 to 1983, after committee. From a recent issue of that serving 16 years on the Lincoln City excel 1ent pub1 ication we report the Council. Some of the newspaper accounts fol 1owing concerning Minnesota Old mention that her husband is Michael G. Timers : Boosalis, PhD 1951, and formerly Head of the Department of Plant Pathol ogy, Freeman Weiss died January 27, 1985 University of Nebraska. Boo continues as (See Obituaries, this issue). Professor. Karl Fezer, Assistant Professor Leif Sundheim, PhD 1964, plans to 1956-63, is now teaching biology at spend his sabbatic leave year, 1986-87, Concord Col 1ege, Athens, West Virginia. with A1 El 1ingboe at the University of He also edits a Creation/Evolution Wisconsin.