Agricultural Scientists

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Agricultural scientists study and provide solutions to various aspects of agricultural activities. Their study and evaluation of agricultural productivity have played a vital role for better production of crops. The responsibilities of agricultural scientists involve formulation of scientific methods and implement those methods successfully to get better result in agricultural productivity. These scientific methods play a key role in developing and maintaining safe standards of food production. An agricultural scientist’s job includes collection and analysis of samples of agricultural produce, fertilizers and soil. Based on the collected data, they conduct experiment and surveys to better understand the farming needs of a particular region. Besides conducting research on food, plants, dairy products and animals, agricultural scientists devote time to educate farmers and other agriculturists on scientific farming methods, disease of crops and livestock, proper usage of pesticides and methods to improve the condition of soil Based on various requirements of agricultural communities, they provide suitable solutions for better agricultural output. The agricultural scientists also study various factors of environment that affect commercial crop production and animal breeding. Supervising proper operation of farm machinery is also one of the duties of agricultural scientists. Listed below are the biographies, including trivia, timelines and personal and professional information, of some of the most famous agricultural scientists who have dedicated their lives to this science.

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George Washington Carver

(American Agricultural Scientist and Inventor Who Promoted Alternative Crops to Cotton and Methods to Prevent Soil Depletion)

Birthdate: 1864

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Diamond, Missouri, United States

Died: January 5, 1943

Agricultural scientist George Washington Carver is best remembered for promoting crops that were alternative to cotton, such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. He invented ways to prevent soil depletion and developed scores of products made from peanuts, including paints and cosmetics. He won numerous honors, such as the Spingarn Medal.

Norman Borlaug

(American Agronomist and Winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970)

Birthdate: March 25, 1914

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Cresco, Iowa, United States

Died: September 12, 2009

Norman Borlaug was an American agronomist who played a key role in the Green Revolution, a set of research technology transfer initiatives that increased agricultural production, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. Nicknamed the Father of the Green Revolution, Borlaug was also honored with the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work.

Eva Ekeblad

(Swedish Agronomist Known for Discovering a Method in 1746 to Make Alcohol and Flour From Potatoes)

Birthdate: July 10, 1724

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden

Died: May 15, 1786

Eva Ekeblad was a Swedish countess, agronomist, salon hostess, and scientist. In 1746, she discovered a method to make flour and alcohol from potatoes which earned her popularity. Her discovery made her the first female inductee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1748.

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M. S. Swaminathan

(Indian Agronomist Who is Known as the Main Architect of the Green Revolution in India)

Birthdate: August 7, 1925

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Kumbakonam, India

Ramon Magsaysay Award-winning geneticist M. S. Swaminathan is best known for his contribution to the Indian Green Revolution. Featured on Time, he introduced high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice seedlings to Indian farmers. He is also known for his administrative work as part of the Indian civil services.

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Robert Bakewell

(Agriculturalist)

Birthdate: May 23, 1725

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Dishley, England

Died: October 1, 1795

Patrick Matthew

(Agriculturalist)

Birthdate: October 20, 1790

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Scotland, United Kingdom

Died: June 8, 1874

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Sanjaya Rajaram

(Indian-born Mexican Scientist Best Known For Developing 480 Wheat Varieties)

Birthdate: August 3, 1943

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India

Died: February 17, 2021

Sanjaya Rajaram was an Indian-born Mexican scientist best remembered for his scientific research that led to the development of 480 wheat varieties, for which he was honored with the prestigious World Food Prize in 2014. In 2022, Sanjaya Rajaram was honored by the government of India with the nation's third-highest civilian award, Padma Bhushan.

Pierre Poivre

(Horticulturist)

Birthdate: August 23, 1719

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Lyon, France

Died: January 6, 1786

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Erich von Tschermak

(Austrian Botanist Who Developed Several New Disease-Resistant Crops)

Birthdate: November 15, 1871

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Vienna, Austria

Died: October 11, 1962

Austrian botanist and agronomist Erich von Tschermak is remembered for his research on seed breeding and his illustrious teaching career at the Academy of Agriculture. He studied the garden pea extensively and developed disease-resistant variants of wheat and oats. He was also part of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture.

Abu Hanifa Dinawari

(Persian Polymath and Founder of Arabic Botany)

Birthdate: 0828 AD

Birthplace: Dinavar District, Iran

Died: 0896 AD

Abu Hanifa Dinawari was a Persian Islamic Golden Age astronomer, agriculturist, geographer, botanist, metallurgist, historian and mathematician. Thanks to his most famous work Book of Plants, Dinawari is regarded as the founder of Arabic botany.

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William Farrer

(Agronomist)

Birthdate: April 3, 1845

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Docker, Westmorland, England

Died: April 16, 1906

Ibn al-ʿAwwām

(Islamic author)

Birthplace: Seville, Spain

Died: 1158 AD

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Agnes Kalibata

(Agricultural Scientist, Policymaker)

Birthplace: Rwanda

John Bennet Lawes

(Entrepreneur)

Birthdate: December 28, 1814

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Rothamsted, England

Died: August 31, 1900

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Franklin Hiram King

(American Agricultural Scientist Who Was the Inventor of the Cylindrical Tower Silo)

Birthdate: June 8, 1848

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Whitewater, Wisconsin, United States

Died: August 4, 1911

Franklin Hiram King was an agricultural scientist best known for his first-hand account of such agricultural practices that are considered today as standard organic farming practices. From 1888 to 1902, he also served as a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison where he taught agricultural physics. During his career, King made significant contributions to agriculture.

Shane Broad

(Politician, Rower)

Birthdate: August 21, 1974

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Burnie, Tasmania, Australia

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Maria Andrade

(worked in Mozambique as a sweet potato researcher since 1996 and was a co-winner of the 2016 World Food Prize)

Birthdate: 1958 AD

Birthplace: São Filipe, Cape Verde

E. T. York

(Professor)

Birthdate: July 4, 1922

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Valley Head, Alabama, United States

Died: April 15, 2011

An American professor, E. T. York was also an agronomist, university administrator, agricultural extension administrator, and U.S. presidential adviser. York not only authored over 100 technical papers, journal articles, and books, but he also lectured at more than forty universities in the US and throughout the world. In 1997, the Museum of Florida History named York as a "Great Floridian."

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Kim Soon-kwon

(Agricultural Scientist)

Birthdate: May 1, 1945

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Ulsan, South Korea

George Stapledon

(Environmentalist)

Birthdate: September 22, 1882

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Northam, England

Died: September 16, 1960

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Colin Spedding

(Biologist, Agronomist)

Birthdate: March 22, 1925

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: United Kingdom

Died: December 17, 2012

John Lorain

(Agriculturalist)

Birthdate: 1753 AD

Birthplace: Maryland, United States

Died: 1823 AD

American farmer, merchant, agricultural writer, John Lorain was the first person to create a hybrid by combining two types of corn. His experiments anticipated the methods employed in the century following his death. In 1825, his book, Nature and Reason Harmonized in the Practice of Husbandry, was published by his widow. The book had descriptions of his experiments with hybrids.

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Claude Hope

(Horticulturalist)

Birthdate: May 10, 1907

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Sweetwater, Texas, United States

Died: July 14, 2000

Claude Hope is best known for his role in turning the impatiens, an African river plant, into the most popular bedding plant in the US. In 1992, a book was written about him titled A Master of Seeds: The Life and Work of Claude Hope by Ricardo Arias Martinez. Hope was also honored for his social, economic contributions to Costa Rica.