Warren Kronstad, Corvallis

As important a staple to the world’s food supply wheat is, so was the importance of Dr. Warren Kronstad to wheat itself. As a distinguished Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics at Oregon State University’s Department of Crop and Soil Science and Co-Director of OSU’s Genetics Program, Warren Kronstad made some of the most significant research contributions ever made to agriculture. His work has led to improved yield and quality of wheat– research that has been shared around the world. Over the years, several awards stacked up for Kronstad in his nearly five-decade career as researcher, professor, and agricultural leader.

In the late 1950s, a young Warren Kronstad was ready to tackle the world of wheat breeding. His work always relied on a solid team of associates, many of whom helped Warren develop highly successful wheat programs in other countries such as Turkey, India, and China. In 1976, back when few Americans ever traveled to China, he was selected by the National Academy of Sciences to be on the second scientific delegation to ever visit that country. His knowledge and techniques on the subject of wheat were well known around the world. In addition to traveling to other countries, Warren brought representatives to Oregon for a first-hand look at successful varieties that he has helped develop.

Kronstad received numerous research grants that resulted in successful measures to provide the world and the wheat industry a better crop. Grants from the Rockefeller Foundation,  the US Agency for International Development, National Institute of Health, Quaker Oats, the Oregon Wheat Commission, even NASA, the space agency. His efforts and that of his team led to many awards including the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Prize given for professional leadership in sharing elite germplasm of wheat with plant breeders the world over in order to make science work for the benefit of mankind.

Warren Kronstad, for all of his international renown, was also a teacher and delivered many lessons to anxious students at Oregon State University until he died in 2002. What he enjoyed the most was visiting with Oregon wheat growers themselves– learning more, teaching more. Warren Kronstad was certainly a scientist outstanding in his field.

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