University Libraries Promotion and Tenure Recognition

During my graduate programs I was educated as a plant geneticist and plant breeder. Naturally I read numerous journal articles and books on the subjects of genetics and plant breeding. My academic and thesis advisors were world-class scientists. I also was fortunate to enroll in courses taught by several world renowned geneticists and breeders. During the past nine years I have been teaching and conducting research in the area of plant genetics and breeding, and I have reviewed many contemporary books on this topic. I believe that traditional plant breeding protocols were best portrayed by R.W. Allard, Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Davis in his text "Principles of Plant Breeding" published in 1960. Unfortunately, Dr. Allard retired during the early years of my PhD program at UC Davis, and I did not have an opportunity to enroll in any of his classes. However, his book was a reference in almost all of the plant breeding courses during my undergraduate and graduate studies. In fact, this book established the foundation of my understanding of the science of plant breeding. Currently I am writing a textbook in plant breeding for students in horticulture. In many sections of this book when I am discussing an important concept, I find Allard to be an excellent reference. It is an encyclopedia of plant breeding. I believe that Professor Allard demonstrated the power of plant genetics and breeding for crop improvement extremely well. His ability was enhanced by his practical understanding of the science of plant breeding. I strongly recommend this book to all students of this important discipline.