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I Val. 32, No.. 1 . . , AURORk SPOREALIS January-March, 1956

COMINGS AND GOINGS

The gentle breezes, light snows,.and primary purpose of her visit was to accept o$her stimulating variables typical of a an Outstanding Achievement Award from our Minnesota winter,have by no means de- great University, an award which we all terred the vigorous visitors, who thronged thought was well given and well received. to an@ through our halls in gratifying numbers, leaving their footprints on the Dr. John J. McKelvey, Jr., Assistant floors and their imprints on our minds and Director for Agriculture, Rockefeller hearts. Whether they came for intel- Foundation, New York City, was here on lectual refreshment, to share their or our March 1, ostensibly to discuss problems latest discoveries, or just to get in out pertaining to and of 'the colg--one and all they were resistant to same, but probably also to welcome; refresh himself with a view of God's Country. On March 2 and 3 we had as a Fr~mthe University of krisqonsin guest Dr. Jean F. Malcolmson of England's came Dr. Ken Ruchholtz, on January 17, to Agricultural Research Council, where she talk on weed problems. On January 19, Dr. is concerned with potato storage H. C; Murphy, from Iowa, but whose fame in investigations. Tiburcio T. Reyes, work on crown and stem rust of oats .extends Research Fellow in Plant Pathology, eves a large region, skidded in for a short College of Agriculture, Lagunaj P.I., ' but enjoyable visit. On the same day we arrAved on about March 1 for a stay of had or. Theodore W. Sudia, James T. . two weeks, March 7 brought two visitors, Threinen and Wayne Anderson of the Winona James E. Sharon, formerly of Iowa State inn.) State Teacherst College. January College but now on the staff of The 26, Dr. S. El A. ficcallan of the Boyce Farmer, and Bert Schutta, nursery operator Thompson Institute, ~onkek,N.Y. spent in St. Paul who probably has just as many mo9t of the day looking over research in miscellaneous problems as most of us-but progress and telling of his own work. On in addition has a number of problems of January 30, Old Timer H. A. Rodenhiser, his own. Mr, Frank L. Mitahell, Head of the Cereal Crops Section for the President of the Minnesota Crop Improve- U.S.D.B. at Beltsville paid us an all-too- ment Association, who also farms near brief visit, most 'of which he spent Canby, Minnesota, spent most of ivIarch 8 closeted with -Chief JJC; so few of the .going through the Department. Along with rest of us had much chance to try to spring on iYarch 23 arrived Drs. J. *C.* impress him with our individual or Ryker and R. S. Hodgson of the Dupont collective acumen, if any. On February 9, Co., to discuss new and old seed-treating came 0 T ~ormariE. Borlaug, breeder compounds and other fungicides. On March with the Rockefeller Foundation in Mexico, 28, Dr. F. W, Went, Professor of Plant to spend a couple of days, during which he Physiology at the California Institute of visited, talked, listened and discussed old Technology, Pasadena, spent most of the and new tides in Minnesota and Mexico and day with us and spoke on facilities for points north apd south of both. Along WControlled Environmentlb With the seven with him came ~0se'~odriguezV., a not-so- inches of snow that had fallen the evening old but most able Old Timer whom we were before, combined with rain, hail, sleet, most pleased to see again, and who has and high winds, thunder, lightning and gained some weight and much stature,in assasted other meteorological violence's, his work for and with the Dirreccion and with more of the same beating against General de Agricultura, I4exico City. On the windows as Dr. Went spoke, we could February 23 we enjoyed the company of have wished for means to control the out- Mario Oa San Juan, Instructor, U.P+ door environment too. Dr. Went is here College of Agriculture, Laguna, to present one of the invitational, all- Philippine Islands. On the same day University lectures sponsored by Sigma came Dr. Margaret Newton, now of Xi, his subject being ItRole of Bnvironment Victoria, but formerly of the Tottering in Plant Growth". Tower and the Winpipeg Rust Lab. The -L *, Visiting Professor Professes , -

Dr. Carl W. Boothroyd, Associate Dr. C. L. Schneider, u.s.D.A.'expert ' f Professor of Plant Pathology at Cornell on sugar beet diseases end A hanom ces' University, arrived about the middle of cochlioides, and long a denizen+ o February, to stay for some time. He is second floor, has left for presumably on sabbatic leave from Cornell, and is greener sugar beet fields at Beltsville, now an Assistant- Professor in our Md. His job, if not necessarily his Department. His work will involve place, was taken by Howard Bissonnettee mostly ,diseases of cereal crops, We miss Chuck Schneider, and hope that his especially wheat and , and soon work, associations, and physical and after arrival he was deep in the intellectual life and activities will be preparation of massive~:amounts of as happy and productive there as they were inoculum, filling the building with here. %he agreeable odor of autoclaved .:.barleyc He is a mem er in good Hosni &. Mohamed aantrihted a -*thesis, standing of the 3039 Luncheon Club, passed his final oral examination with even if he did find the noon tea flying words, acquired the Ph.D., and lest conkocted there so unpalatable that he soon thereaf f er f OI?'~ak~o had to bring his own tipplo alcang. In addition to other duties, privilege?, .IQ~TRA ;-LEAVXNQ EXT~~A~~~DINARX'-- EXTRA and.respqnsibilities, he has undertaken the task of teaching Ecologyof Plant :, Some two weeks ago we learned, with Pathogens, a course originated and mixed joy, consternation, alann, forehding developed by Dr. HI F. Kernkamp. and pleasure that Dr. f4. F. Kernkamp, Kernkamp, as meqtioned elseq&ere, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology hen resigned rather suddenly to accept a and long a member of our Department, had position as Assistant Director of our been offered, and had accepted, a newly Experiment Station, It was most created position as Assistant Director of f0?3,unate that Dr* Boothro~dgenerously the Experiment Station, University' 0f volunteered to Profess this subject; Minnesqt.? So, while he still' will be on otherwise the course would have b~en the campus, he no longer will be of, and left high and dry, or at least dry. probably seldom in, our revered halls. The consternation, alarm and ,foreboding are Csmings for ourselves, the joy and pleasure for . him. Dr. Kernkamp carried a consiperable New graduate students are John D. load in our Department, having been in' Drbher, of our own College of Agri- charge of soybean and forage crop diseases, now working with Dr* Boothroyd; and a close collaborator with the Departmer B.- P.4 Chskravarti, and Subhi A, Qasem. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics in the ** M* Yousr~El-Sawah, Plant Patholegist, development of new disease resistanti . Plant Disease Section, Ministry of . varieties of these plants. In addition, Agriculture, Cairo, Egypt, is here for he was a member of seven conanittees within a of six months, with; no: time off for the Department, at last count, and was good behavior, a chairman of most of them, ranging from Library to the Besearch Field, duties Leavings I which he discharged effectively and with ? seeming ease, without any of the usual John Kotheimer, gradua'te student snorting, blowlng, and pawing the ground .from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, and the air that so many of us engage in who came last sunmer and was occupied when we are involved in some of these with the fungus flora'of weed seeds, committee activities. In his new job he was taken from us by the Armed Forces tsadp' the fascination of working with a couple of weeks ago& We hope and ' plants for the dubious rewards and many expect to see him return in due time, frustratiop of working with people--and covered with medals slid full of zest . often. individualistic and cantankerous for Plant Pathology.' people, The work probably will at time3 seem frustrating and nomewarding (in a 1 The C. H*,ChristenselliC+Je Eide Lab, figurative sense, that is) but q~eare ;h ere at 12 noon the m~lestaff nabem confiden4 of Kernyfs ability to take it. open their paper sackst (~attMoore's we will miss him sorely, but we wish him ILs* always the 'biggest. ) success, happiness, and a long and produc- tive adminj etrat4vs n&reerr ' FIVE 'LONE OLD-TDIEX?S E. C . STAKiW : A Study of Time and Motion At Raleigh, North Carolina, R. Re (~ick) The Journeys and Jaunts of one ECS, NE~Nhas a new son. limbassador at Large (altho he tries to. diet), involve lots of time and much . "1 was sitting in the Speedbird House, motion, especially if one includes the Karachi, Pakistan, waiting for a plane settling-in process. in planes with none- on February 2 and saw in the paper that too-capacious seats, On January 9 he left you (El C. Stakman) had spoken to an for Pakistan, in behalf of the Department 'editors1 'meeting on ~sbruary1. I did of State, to attend the All Pakistan . my best. to try to contact you to say Science Congress at Dacca. In ~e& hello but was unable to locate you.,." Pakistan, later, he renewed acquaintance --S. J. PI (~oodee)CHILTON, Baton and had his picture taken with Old Timers Route, La. Chilton did not mention SO J, Hasanain, A. A. Anwar, S. F. Hassan, what HE was doing theret and Abdul ~ausar: On the homeward jaunt, and under other auspices, Stak visited the On ~pril7 came evidence that Chuck American University of Beirut in Lebanon SCHNEIDER already is an Old Timer: and various.educationa1 institutions in "The copy of Aurora ~poredisarrived Germany. On February 16 he returned to the other day and it was very nice to St. Paul. It sounds easy* but here is a read about the activities at Minnesota s~ple'dayfrom his itinerary8 and what the Old Tihers are doing all . . over the world. Something l'he that AM -3 Conferences at School of means so very much when a person is .- Agriculture, -a away from the p1ace.l He is now Noon -- Luncheon and speech-on Agricul- initiated into our readers group. tural Education and Research, attended by University Bob HILDRETH is enjoying life in President, Deans, Department !Honduras, enjoying his work on Heads, representatives ?f Sigatoka, has started writing a Ford Foundation, etc., etc, thesis, but has fla very strange 4 PM -- Talk before staff of the School f eelingn when he harvests home of Agriculture vegetables and fruits in ltwhat is to us - 'S'M -- Talk before students and staff the dead of winter". on Scholarship Evening-Supper with Dean -. I ~ecentOT John KOTHEIMER also sings the refrain we love to hear: 11.. .it was a Or do you prefer this one: real thrill re~eivingthe latest copy of 'Aurora? recently--a letter from ? -- Breakfast with Dr. - and Budge1 home, thanks to one and all." Officer of Ministry of ~gri- , il I culture AM -- Conference withiqinister of Agriculture and Staff Noon -- Luncheon with staff and others R3 -- Trip of 25 lan. by car to 'visit Institute Evening-Dinner- with American Agricultural Attache (short period later for rinsing out a few nylons) He did not leave St. Paul again until March 1, to ,confer in New York with J. 0. Dutch Harrar and to attend the Agricultural Board meeting of the National Research Council in Washington, reappearing in St, 6-5) Paul on Harch 7. vJh..st~der yudv The following jauntless period lasted nipe (9) whole days, whereupon the airlines . -tu/l LAC, &bout -tku',, \ took him to Mexico for the International i Rust Conference and subsequent conferences. See him in April, %re h~~el, TUESDAY AT FOUR RUST: SOUTH OF THE BORDER, DOWN MEXICO WAY.

A highlight of the Winter series of Ninety plant potholdgists, breeders, ~uesdayafternoon seminars was the first- geneticists and agronomists from all over hand account by Old Timer Norm Borlaug the world converged onMexico City for the of the theory and practice of producing Third International Wheat Rust Conference "Composite back cross wheat varieties in the week of March 18-24, 1956. Delegates Ivlexico. Although Dr. Borlaug emphatical- arriving from Argentina, Australia, Bolivi ly imposed a 10-minute deadline for his Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, talk he bowed to the wishes of the Guatemala, Italy, Mexico, Peru, ~ru&ay, group, avid fur information, and waxed and the United States were in capable . eloquent for several such time, intervals. hands from the moment they cleared cugtome and were met by the committeeban*local Ls'usual a decidedly cosmopolitan arrangements, headed by Old-'Birner Nomn {array of speakers with a global outlook Borlaug, until they left for home by on phytopathology spouted forth in assorted means of transportation. diverse and sundry ways during the bleak winter afternoons. K. R. Walker, At times it seemed like a convention Jamaica; Be R. Stefansson and Hugh of Old-Timers. Minnesota graduates were McKenzie, Canada; Juan Orjuela, everywhere. bong present-day Ninnesotans Colombia; R. M. Natour, Jordan: P. No who attended wore Plliss Hart, Drs. Eo C+ Nair, India; and R. A. Frederiksen, Stakman, Don Stewart, Irvine Watson, as W. R. Haglund, R. GI Lambert, and Jim well as Drs. Will Myers and Ehrkusemus Miller, U.S.A. all edified the group from Agronomy and Plant Genetics. Don in one way or another irrespective of Fletcher and Gene Hayden represented the , snow, wind, sub-zero temperatures, and Rust Prevention Association. the loaded questions propounded by such past masters of the art as Drs. Dosdall, The conference was as well-balanced Clyde Christensen, Eide, Kernkamp, and as it was well-organized with meetings and King. - discussions, field trips to laboratories L and greenhouses at Chapingo, and a visit The Seminar was a140 treated to a bo experimental fields at La Piedad. lesson in Spanish idiom when Dr. JoJoCe suddenly interrupted a speaker dissertat- At the close of the conference about ing on Pasmo of Flax with What does , third of the delegates journeyed to pasmof mean?--Hands l G-jinybody b- Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, in the fertile Bird, you tell us t ifi As each of the irrigated Yaqui Valley on the west coast Spanish speaking students was polled of Mexico. After touring the Internationa: ih tlirn, it .developed that the word Grain Plots at Obregon and seeing ' could connote almost anything from magnificentdfields of wheat, everyone ' Ifcatching coldn to %putting a wet was tremendously impressed with the blanket on a partyt1 depending on the progress made in the wheat improvement country of origin pf the student. program in Mexico. There was unanimous"agreenent on one point, however, ' If flax had it that was bad. KUDOS: Miss Newton and G, R. Bisby

To Dr. Margaret Newton, formerly of by suffering more than the usual indignitie the Dominion Laboratory of Plant of a Minnesota seminar with a remarkable Pathology, at , and to Dr, Guy amount of poise and graciousness. He R. Bisby, formerly of the Commonwealth instructed us on various aspects of oat Mycological Institute, at Kew, England, diseases and the disease research program was presented the University of of this crop in the United States. SI Minnesota Outstanding Achievement Award McCallan, another distinguished scientist, on February 25, 1956. while discussing some of the fungicidal work done at Boyce Thompson Institute gave Miss Newton received her Ph.Do us an insight into basic research. He was degree in 1922 from the University of suitably chastized for neglecting rust in Minnesota. The award was presented to his work but he hastened to add that he her at a dinner in the Campus Club of was about to initiate a program on rust, ant Cofkan Memorial Union, attended by that s why he was here i members of the department and other friends in the University. Dr. Newton Some recent developments in smut toured the department and campus renewing research were intereskingly covered by friendships, inspecting physical changes two of Fisher and Holtonts colleagues: in the department, and viewing her former Dr* Jack Meiners and Dr. Ed Kendrick; The haunts as member of the now-famous QCF. bunt problem, as evidenced by their photo- Her interest and enthusiasm for the graph of a blackened harvesting machine, current work in the department was in- is a long way from being solved. It ia spiring to those of us who are trying to hoped that if they could establish buff emulate such distinguished persons. races out there, their harvesting machines would at least look better. Dr. Bisby, who was also a member of the QCF, and a recipient of a Ph-D, Dr. Rodriguez (ex-mayor) in charge +f degree, in 1918, from Minnesota was not increase of certified wheat seed in Mexico here and this award was granted to him in cooperation with the Rockefeller at his home in Staines, Middlesex. Foundation very thoroughly acquainted the seminar, with the help of burly Borlaug, This brings o four the members of of the tremendous progress of wheat growing the ariginal QC&4 who have now been in Mexico. They did not neglect to show recipients of the University's the not-so-rosy aspects of the problem, Outstanding Achievement Award0 Previously, Drs, Rodenhiser and Craigie Another Rockefelleran, Dr. McKelvey, were SO honored. gave a short talk on the Rockefeller scholar-fellowship program, which aims to -.1/ Secret Society born on 4th floor help countries advance agriculturally by front of Old Tottering Tower, developmeat of native scientists. In- cidentally we have five students who are sponsored in this way; they are: A. THURSDAY NITE AT EIGHT Campos (Mexico) , M. Flores (~uatemala), Julia Guzman (~olombia), J. Orjuela Me were fortunate to have several (~olombia), and Mo Rojas (~axico). distinguished scientists visit the seminar this last quarter. One of them, Dr. I. A. Watson (~ustralia)"rizes of G. H. Coons, a self-styled phyto- fifth tyne been (races of 1SB) was intro- pathological fossil, discussed his first duced by Stake who was not here when (losses in railroad trans- Irvine arrived about a year ago. The ported produce) and gave advice on how introduction gave E.C.S. an opportunity, to be famous; he modestly used E.C.S. naturally, to discuss Australian science. as an example. Watson proceeded to discuss the results of his recent work on variation of rusts, a H. C. ~vlurphy, described by J.J,C1 subject which he believed at the outset but "as the most congenial man in the not at the end of his work here was over- world, fl subsequently earned the title worked, He presented excellent evidence in a scholarly report for increase in which synthesized at least 2.4 times the ,- pathogenicity by mutation and nuclear amount of amylase enzspnea produced by the exchange, the latter he was able to parent lines. demonstrate with ease--move over bar- barian barberry4 The valuable attributes of John Kotheimer were suddenly recognized Bg- Uncle Sam who Mr. Frank ~Yitchell, President of couldn't resist the temptation to draft the Minnesota Crop Improvement Association him into the Army, Evidently the Amy and a successful farnier, s~okeabout the has realized that grad students under the times he was not so successful--when he direction of Thor Kommm develop that had three successive crop failures. He extra something desirable in. Amy also gave us his highly interesting views personnel. Thus far, Toln Wyllie and John on price supports, His desire to elimi- Kotheimer, both advise- of Thor, have nate sulalpluses wszr viewed with alarm been drafted. by the pathologists working on the de- terioration of stored grain, PI N. Nair and Bob Olien gathered up courage during January aad took their On the eve of the appointment of written and oral prelims for the Ph.D. Kernkamp as assistant director of the degree. Nair and Olien are among a group Experiment Station, Wis suggested that of plant path students who after sampling Kerny say a few yords. Kerny suppressing the academic atmosphere and acrid vapors a long lost desire, announced no more of Tottering Twer have obtained study classes, reports, and seminars, for the space there* Hosni Mohawd (Egypt) and coming quarter. Naturally he was Chuck Schneiaer (sugar beets ) received immediately reminded by Chris that thir their PbD+ degrees, winter quarter. was only the eve of his appointment and would he kindly shut up and sit down. Dr. Ted Sudia, biology instructor from Thor Komedahl reswnding to the demand Winona State Teachers' College was .that an example be set on how a contaoted by Dr. A1 Linck for prospective scientific talk should be presented, did graduate aashstants. Ted reaponded by so with slides, The'results were bringing two excellent mpects. One of hilarious and also educational. By the these young men will join the Department way Thor weloomes any old doggie slides this summer. As a result of Ted*s first s+ that he may compZete his coUecwh visit, arrangements for the Science Club You may be such a person, and remember from Winona State Teacherst CoLlege'te yqutlL be doing yourself a favor by visit the fnerMWte 4f Agriculture were sending them to him and not shwing made by Al -Linck and the club wdup them at the next Phytopath meeting* their visit by getting the rcyal treatment from the staff, along wi?h ice cream and Movies, three of them, research cookies. reports and reviews of the Georgia meetings, literature reviews along with First-born F1: Beatris Eugenia, announcements rounded out the rest of finneapolis, April 8, to Manuel and mame the programs. Rojas, of Monterrey. First daughter to Robert 010en, St. Paul, LOCALS born February 18.

Dr. H. S. Kim, Head of the Department In a large depa~tmentsuch as ours, com- of AgricuLtural Chemistry at the Seoul munication need8 to be established quickly National University, left for Korea sometimes, At present, Mef JJQ needs after spading six months under the only to push button 8, and all ttaff members j.oint guidance of. the Departments of can be summoned quickly for emrgency spore Plant Pathology and Agridtural counts. In keep- with this advance in Biochemi-atq. Dr. d2m studied the codcation the phones in the Tottering cultural conditions which influence Tower have from 4 to 6 buttons, so that call the production of anylase by can- be switched nearly everywheret one butte As er illus o ae and isolated is an intercommunication button. This meanr hi'niducedwith polonium210) the cornittee meetings canbe held by phone, with everyone talking on the phrae simul- taneously, all together, and at the same tp , STAFF PUBLICATIONS DURING hlNTER

Campbell, R. N. and D. W. French. 1955. Moisture content of oaks and mat formation by the oak wilt fungus. Forest Science 1: 265-2 70.

Culbertson, J. 0. and T. Kommedahl. 1956. The effect of seed coat color upon agronomic and chemical characters and seed injury in flax. Agronomy Journal 48; 25-28

Jensen, E, H,, J. W. Lambcrt, A. C. Caldwell, and M. F. Kemkamp. 1956. Soybeans for Minnesota. Ninn. Ext. Bul. 134.

Komrnedahl, T. and H. C. Young, 1956. Effect cf host and soil substrate on the persistence of Fusarium and Rhizoctonia in soil. P1. Dis. Reptr. 40: 28-29.

Editorial Carnrnittee

Louise Dosdall Laura Hamilton Jarnes DeVay Ken Walker Thor Kommedahl, Chm.

Two ways to write ca?crs:

the easy way (administrators)

it mu-s t be s?>ring.. .