Agriculture News

October 30, 2017

Tuinstra named fellow of American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Mitch Tuinstra, scientific director of Purdue University’s Institute for Plant Sciences, has been named a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA).

Tuinstra was recognized at ASA and CSSA’s annual joint meeting in Tampa, Fla., on Oct. 25. Fellow is the highest recognition bestowed by both scientific societies, with less than 0.3 percent of their active and emeritus members nominated for the award each year. Fellows are selected based on their outstanding contributions in national and international education, service and research.

Tuinstra, a professor of plant breeding and genetics in Purdue’s agronomy department, also is the Wickersham Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Research at Purdue. His research focuses on identifying genes and genetic resources that improve crop performance in stressful environments. His goal is to develop climate-resilient cultivars of maize and sorghum that can be used to adapt agricultural systems to changing conditions, especially warmer and drier environments.

Tuinstra’s international work includes developing a functional gene discovery platform for sorghum improvement in Africa and developing more resistant maize for Asia through the Heat Tolerant Maize for Asia project.

“The selection of Mitch Tuinstra as fellow in both the Agronomy Society and Crop Science Society is an indication of the far-reaching impact that his program is having,” said Ron Turco, head of Purdue’s agronomy department. “He is clearly a leader in modern agriculture and someone who is making a major difference.” 

Writer: Hannah Tucker, tucker84@purdue.edu 

Source: Ron Turco, rturco@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Shari Finnell, Manager/Media Relations and Public Information, sfinnell@purdue.edu  
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