Education

B.S. in Agronomy University of Minnesota 1952.
M.S. in Plant Breeding and Genetics University of Minnesota 1958.
PhD in Plant Breeding University of Illinois 1964.

Teaching

Laboratory Instructor  in Genetics 110 for several years
Taught  Introduction Plant Breeding, Agronomy 323 for 30+ years. Had a total of about 350 students, undergraduates and graduate with many finding jobs in the seed  industry.
Graduate training: Advised  20 students for the MS degree
                           Advised 10 students for the PH.D degree

Research Interest

1. Determined that upright leaf habit genotypes had a grin yield advantage at high plant densities. In addition there is a yield advantage for smaller tassels at high plant densities.
2. In a joint project selected for high and low nitrate-reductase activity, which is an enzyme involved in nitrogen metabolism. Selection progress was made for higher and lower activity but was not associated with improved performance.
3. Developed germplasm from breeding in high yield environment using reciprocal recurrent selection plus selection for multiple disease resistance.
4. Using pedigree selection inbred lines were developed at three supplemental nitrogen levels (0,60 180#per acre). When hybrids from these lines were grown at three supplemental nitrogen levels, several hybrids reached maximum yields at 125# of supplemental nitrogen. However, performance was not associated with the N-level the inbreds were developed under.
5. Backcrossed the low phytate-1 gene into several normal inbred lines and found that low phytate hybrids yield less than their normal counterpart. Other approaches need to used to lower phytate levels in maize kernels.
6. Selected for high and low ear leaf area in two maize synthetics for eight cycles. Selection progress was made in both directions for ear leaf area in the two synthetics and their crosses. Associated with the change in ear leaf area was a change in leaf area above the ear. Changes in leaf area affected flowering dates and seed size when the materials were grown at high plant densities.

Return to previous page.