Kansas State graduate student, Rodrigo Pedrozo, received the American Seed Trade Association Roger Krueger Memorial Scholarship during last week’s convention. He’s seen here (right) with Jim Tobin, Monsanto, who presented the award.
The scholarship endowment, established in 2008 by the American Seed Research Foundation, is in honor of Roger Krueger who devoted his professional career to seeds and advocating the role of science in feeding the world.
The native Brazilian is working to complete his doctorate in seed pathology and seed borne pathogens. His research project is titled “Etiology mechanisms of infection and transmission of Fusarium Spp.”
“Pathogens associated with seed can cause decreased germination and this can result in lower yields,” Pedrozo said. “Seeds carrying disease propagules have the potential to introduce devastating diseases to U.S. crop fields.” Pedrozo studies eight Fusarium species. He hopes to learn which species should Kansas farmers be concerned about and which one is most detrimental. Another aspect of his research is trying to identify if the pathogen isolates can reach the seeds through internal or external transmission and if so at what percentage. Pedrozo is in the second year of his PhD and will continue this project for another three.
I visited with Jim Tobin right after the award presentation to learn more about it. He says that you can support the scholarship with a donation by contacting the ASTA office.
Listen to my interview with Jim here: Interview with Jim Tobin