The National Association of Plant Growers (NAPB) has announced awards for its outstanding achievements in five categories: Early Career Scientist, Lifetime Achievement, Public Sector Plant Impact, Private Sector Plant Influence and Plant Friends.
The 2021 NAPB winners exemplify the best in plant research, education, accessibility and leadership. They show unwavering commitment and deep love to implement their plant breeding skills and technical standards to promote food security, quality of life and sustainable development. They are committed to supporting the next generation of horticultural practices. These elites inspire florists and scientists everywhere. The winners are as follows.
NAPB 2021 Former Professional Scientist Award
Dr. Patricio R. Munoz, University of Florida
The National Association of Plant Growers (NAPB) recognizes a scientist who has demonstrated strong research foundations, interacted with a large number of disciplinary groups, and is able to participate appropriately in the early stages of his or her work. Professional unions. The 2021 winner is Dr. Patricio Munoz, associate professor of the Florida Department of Horticultural Sciences, who leads the Blueberry Breeding and Genomics Program in research and education.
One colleague said at the beginning of his work, “Dr. Munoz is a specialized and applied scientist with extensive international research in his field of research and academic leadership, as well as in the field of genetic and genetic approaches to seed improvement and applied plant production. Another colleague commented: “Since joining Florida as a faculty member, Patricio has developed an impressive research program that contributes to the development of the plantation process.
Munoz’s research focuses on the development of polyploid species by developing and implementing geometric tools to accelerate and implement the breeding process by increasing environmental impact and global impact. To increase the consumption of blueberries, it is currently working to produce low-fat blueberries with better taste, sensory and digestive traits, and is still working on traditional crop characteristics to help producers remain competitive.
Munoz, who has previously made significant contributions to molecular breeding, said: “It is a big challenge to have enough reading depth markers to accurately determine the amount of allen in autoploids. Patricio has done extensive research using target recording technologies to develop the necessary indicators for applications, including binary mapping, GWAS, and genomic selection.
2021 Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Don Blackburn, Corteva Agricultural (Reck)
The 2021 National Association of Botanic Breeders (NAPB) Lifetime Achievement Award is Dr. Don Blackburn, Corteva Agricultural. This award provides a unique long-term service for plant breeding through research, teaching, dissemination and leadership. Dr. Blackburn retired from Dow AgroSciences (DAS) and Corteva Agrisciences (Corteva) in February 2020 for more than 30 years. “Don’s contribution to the seed industry has led to the development of improved products, improved systems, improved teams, and our plant breeding community,” said one colleague.
Blackburn began his career as a successful corn farmer and site manager in Arlington W, moving to DAS headquarters in Indianapolis in 2001 for a number of science and management roles – Germplasm IP & Elite Genetics Licensing Leader, North American Breeding, Seed Technology Center Director, and Director of All Crop and Geographic Field and Laboratory Farms. Don was actively involved in integration activities between DAS and DuPont Pioneer, particularly in Coteva’s new plant subgroup.
“First and foremost, Don is a botanist, but his involvement and influence goes beyond that. It has directly influenced successful behavioral interventions and technology development and the implementation of new crop integration, seed quality, and more. This work, combined with his participatory and heartfelt personality, has enabled him to be successful in leadership, work and influence in a wide range of areas.
2021 Population Plant Reproductive Impact Award
Dr. Gina Brown-Gudira, USDA-ARS Raleigh
The National Association of Plant Growers (NPP) recognizes a person who has made outstanding achievements in the field of horticulture in areas such as research, technology innovation, germ development, and grain development. Release, education and leadership. The 2021 recipient is Dr. Gina Brown-Gudira, a research genetics researcher from USAA-Agricultural Research Service and a USAID professor at North Carolina State University.
For the past 17 years, Brown-Gudira has led the Eastern Regional Small Grain Genocide Laboratory in Raleigh, NC, working with seed and genetic teams to develop genetically modified crops. In this role, Brown-Gudira worked to facilitate the use of new DNA technologies by the small-scale community. According to one co-worker, “Gina has taken on the responsibility of bringing small-scale breeders into the 21st century with regard to the use of molecular markers and the recent genetic selection.
The Brown-Gudira Laboratory has developed a collection of genetic markers that affect wheat growth and development, end-use and pest resistance. Her laboratory regularly uses these markers to evaluate the presence of related genes and makes this important information available to wheat growers and other collaborators. She has been involved in sustainable rust resistance in the wheat project Resisting new rust damage to provide genetic information in East Africa and Asia.
Brown-Gudira Research Public wheat breeding programs have been able to identify signaling behaviors in binary populations and association map panels with new geninging technologies. Recently, she worked with a colleague to integrate geomic selection strategies into practical breeding. Her program continues to explore the next generation of traditional mapping and cost-effective genotyping technologies for plant development.
2021 Private Section Plants Reproductive Impact Award
Dr. Mario Carlon, Corteva Agricultural
Launched in 2020, the NAPB Private Sector Breeding Award recognizes a person who has made a significant contribution to the field of horticulture in areas such as gerplasm development and agriculture. Release, technology innovation and leadership. The recipient of 2021 is Dr. Mario Carlon, of Corteva Agricultural. Carlon began his career in the Gars / ICE Seeds in Salater, IA, from 1987 to 1995 by studying the ropes of private maize. From those early years, it was divided into two basic principles: 1) General knowledge of Jerplasma; And, 2) Conduct special quality product testing and nursery locations. He continued to focus on those principles during his most productive career. One coworker summed up the situation this way: “He knows the agricultural needs of the customers and the styles of the jars that best suit those needs.
A.D. In 1995, Carlon was selected for the role of a corn-ion corn farmer in Princeton Ell, where he led a very successful program and had a significant impact on other corn growers and breeding leaders in the organization. Recognizing his unique maize achievements. In 2003, he was promoted to a senior ion researcher. Today, Corteva, a highly regarded scientific institution, remains the Laurent. Explaining this success, one co-worker said, “Mario combines the characteristics of identifying safe and in-depth research questions, and then transforms life and society through agriculture to develop improved jurisprudence by implementing practical strategies.
Another significant professional achievement was Carlon’s role for 105-115 CRM as the “Global Breeding Zone Leader”, who led a team of international maize breeders in all sectors to advance the development and development of the corn germination strategy. He further elaborated on the details and general knowledge of the International Maize Jarplas. In 2019, he was named the “Global Maize Zone Leader” for all maize matures around the world.
One Coteva colleague said: “Perhaps the simplest measure to measure is Mario’s contribution to our business, a remarkable achievement. The seeds and hybrids he developed resulted in sales of more than 13 million units. To put it in context, Mario is responsible for 40% of all 90 million hectares of corn in the United States alone.
2021 Plant Breeding Award
Andrew (Andy) Lavigen, American Seed Trade Association
The National Association of Plant Breeders (NPPs) pays homage to those who have or have not been involved in horticulture, but who have made significant contributions to the development of plant breeding through their professional activities and interests. . The 2021 recipient is Andrew Lavigen, CEO of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).
Throughout his career, Lavig was involved in plant and agricultural advocacy, first as a Legal Assistant in Florida, and later as Secretary of State for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, CEO of the Florida Fertilizer and Agricultural Association, and co-executive of Citrus Florida. A.D. As of 2006, ASTA, one of the oldest businesses in the United States, operates more than 650 companies in North America involved in seed production and distribution, horticulture and related industries. As an authority on plant germination and breeding, ASTA supports science and policy issues for industrial use.
Professor Kent Bradford, Director of the Center for Seed Biotechnology in the UK Davis, recalls the rapid and efficient participation of stakeholders in the seed and plant industry in 2008 to jointly support the Seed Conference to advance strategic goals for the seed industry. Falconer, Andy’s CEO, appreciates Andy’s ability to bring people, associations and stakeholders in the crop and agricultural and food sectors into action. Andy has in many ways encouraged ASTA collaboration with SPA. He regularly attends NAPB meetings and is actively involved with the NAPB Executive Committee in expanding the organization’s footprint, particularly on regulatory issues, policy and agricultural trade. Andy NAPB has been involved in regional, national and international engagement with various government and stakeholders. In Washington DC, he provided critical guidance on events with the NAPB, such as the 2019 Advanced Botanical Symposium from Major Agencies (USAA / EPA / FDA / US Business) and related series of workshops scheduled for September 2021.