Donald Duvick Recognized Posthumously for his Contributions to Plant Breeding

MAYDICA Commemorative Edition Lauds Lifelong Achievements in Maize Breeding

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 5, 2006 – Donald Duvick, whose career at Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., spanned nearly 40 years, was posthumously recognized in the international maize scientific journal, MAYDICA. His family will be presented with a special, leather-bound commemorative edition of the journal during the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting this week in Chicago.

"This is one of the largest commemorative editions we’ve published," said MAYDICA Co-editor Peter Peterson, professor of plant genetics at Iowa State University. "Duvick was highly admired for his contributions to maize breeding. This commemorative edition is a tribute to Don’s life and his contributions to agronomy and agriculture worldwide," he said.

There are 25 research papers in the commemorative edition, including authors from the public and private sectors, from Europe and the Americas, with about one-third of the papers submitted by Pioneer authors. Many of the papers focus on research areas that have a connection to the work previously conducted by Duvick, with footnotes from the authors acknowledging his impact on their programs.

The commemorative edition is prefaced by a laudation authored by Stephen Smith, research fellow at Pioneer and by Dr. Arnel Hallauer, Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University. According to Smith, he and Hallauer outline the many significant achievements and contributions Duvick made to Pioneer and the seed industry throughout his career.

"Don Duvick was a major force in our industry, and he has left a lasting legacy," Smith said. "This special publication of MAYDICA will honor Don and also illustrate the impact his work at Pioneer had on global agriculture."

Duvick’s career began in 1951, when he was hired by Pioneer as a corn breeder. He quickly advanced within the company and, in 1984, was named senior vice president of Research, a position he held until his retirement in 1990.

Duvick's contributions to plant breeding laid the groundwork for many of the breeding programs in place today.

His leadership was instrumental in the rise of Pioneer to become the world's premier company for the development, production and distribution of hybrid seed corn. He led the reorganization of Pioneer's global plant breeding activities to increase efficiencies in the development of superior corn hybrids for U.S. and European markets, and superior varieties of soybean, wheat, cotton, sorghum and alfalfa. During his tenure at Pioneer, the industry saw corn yields increase from 40 bushels per acre to 110 bushels per acre, nearly a threefold increase.

Duvick also provided leadership across the industry and academia for the conservation of plant genetic resources. Through a comprehensive survey of all major U.S. plant breeding programs, he found that a large number of active breeding programs with constant, incremental injection of new germplasm coupled with diversity of breeding and selection methods, would contribute to raising genetic diversity.

One of Duvick's greatest legacies is his study of the genetic advances made in the corn varieties and hybrids available to growers in the U.S. Corn Belt. Known as the Era Study, Duvick found that more than 50 percent of the improvement in corn yields was due to the genetic improvement of the hybrids. These studies continue to be a critical component of the breeding program at Pioneer, and are being expanded in other regions of the world and to other crops. Data from these studies are also useful in helping to test, model and design improved breeding programs for the future.

MAYDICA traditionally honors one corn breeder or geneticist a year, placing Duvick among an elite group of agricultural researchers around the world. It’s a two-year process to secure authors, review submitted papers, seek editorial approvals and publish a special commemorative edition.

Among the previous recipients of a MAYDICA commemorative edition are Dr. William L. Brown, Pioneer president from 1975 to 1979; Dr. Barbara McClintock, who received the Nobel Prize in 1983 for her discovery of mobile genetic elements; and Dr. Marcus M. Rhoades, the first custodian of the Maize Genetics Cooperation.

Duvick was elected to membership of the National Academy of Sciences in 2003 and was a charter member of the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), serving as its president in 1987. Prior to his death in May 2006, Duvick was presented with the 2006 CSSA Presidential Award from CSSA President Steve Fales. The Presidential Award is given to individuals who have influenced the science or practice of crop production so greatly that the impact of their efforts will be enduring on future science.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a subsidiary of DuPont , is the world’s leading source of customized solutions for farmers, livestock producers and grain and oilseed processors. With headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides access to advanced plant genetics, crop protection solutions and quality crop systems to customers in nearly 70 countries. DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

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12/05/06

Contact:
Jo Patterson
800-247-6803, ext. 5705