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International plant scientist George MacKay recognised for contributions to potato crops


United Kingdom
November 27, 2014

Source: Potato Council

This year’s British Potato Industry Award (BPIA) winner has undoubtedly made a major contribution to plant breeding, leading to improvements in science, crop production and variety development.

Fiona Fell, Chair of Potato Council, paid tribute to George MacKay, MBE during the presentation of his award at the biennial Seed Industry Event at Crieff on 25th November. “It is an honour to present this award to George. He has made a remarkable long-term contribution to the science underpinning the potato industry, leading European potato genetics and breeding teams over more than 25 years.

“During his career, he has overseen the introduction of new forms of scientific research and, despite sometimes challenging times, has maintained a constant, strong industry focus. He has collaborated with a wide range of eminent international scientists in the public and private sector whilst supervising many research students.

“His published articles are testament to his contribution to the advances of our industry’s scientific understanding not only of breeding but across many key factors affecting the crop.”

Beginning with a BSc from Newcastle University in Agricultural Botany and Plant Science and an MSc in Applied Genetics from Birmingham University, George was appointed to the research staff of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station (SPBS) at Pentlandfield near Edinburgh in 1967, a research station with a prominent and proud history in new variety production including the Pentland varieties and the Roslin series in Africa. George became head of the potato breeding research unit in the early ‘80’s, also carrying out pioneering research on forage brassicas and interspecific hybrids

George applied his already wide knowledge of crop plants and genetics to the potato breeding research at SPBS and from the ‘70’s onwards built a breeding research team. This work did much to change the path of potato breeding away from the inefficient practices of examining hundreds of thousands of seedlings to a genetically-sound approach assessing families from pair-crosses rather than individuals and reducing seedling numbers to tens of thousands. Importantly this gave breeders robust genetic data on which to assess both families and parental material – all significant milestones in potato breeding efficiencies and successes.

The breadth of George’s screening trials on clones was enormous, encompassing a wide range of viral, bacterial and fungal diseases as well as resistance and tolerance of cyst nematode types, processing quality and chemical composition. This massive-scale screening required highly organised national and international trials in both the public and private sectors.

During his period at SPBS as Head of the Commercial Breeding Department and after the merger of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station and the Scottish Horticultural Institute into SCRI at Dundee (now the James Hutton Institute), where he was involved in the selection and submission of over 40 potato varieties to the National List, notably Lady Balfour, Stirling and Mayan Gold. All this while also serving as Officer in Charge at Pentlandfield responsible for the farm at The Murrays and seed potato operations at Blythbank.

The institutional merger and transfer of SCRI staff to Invergowrie coincided with Government’s withdrawal of funding from all near-market research. With public sector funding directed towards more basic research, George was involved in forming interactions with a new set of commercial partners through the newly-created commercial subsidiary, Mylnefield Research Services Ltd.

Throughout his career, George oversaw the transition between conventional and molecular genetics, a challenge not only in dealing with the exceptionally complex genome of one of the world’s crucial food crops, but also had to adapt to waves of reorganisation from institutional mergers and relocation, and ever-changing governmental priorities that rarely appreciate the long-term nature of crop research.

He sustained a constant stream of publications, co-authoring over fifty published scientific papers and presentations. He co-edited the book “Potato Genetics” in 1994 bringing together much of the genetics, pathology, agronomy and nutritional science of the crop, reflecting the breadth of his knowledge and research on potatoes.

In overseeing the regeneration and expansion of the valuable virus-free Commonwealth Potato Collection he ensured that valuable germplasm essential for breeding programmes would be available for science, and was responsible for the UK’s contribution to the inventories of European potato collections.

In addition to a substantial research publication record, he melded several disciplines to address in a practical way the complexities of the potato genome, influencing parallel programmes around the world, including that of the International Potato Centre in Peru.

George’s supplementary roles included Hon. Lecturer at the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee, and he was a member of the British Association of Plant Breeders, the EU Workshop on the Conservation of Old Potato Varieties, and of the editorial board of Heredity. In 1998, George was elected President of the Potato Section of Eucarpia (European Association of Plant Breeding), and organised their 16th annual Congress in Edinburgh in 2001.

George was awarded an MBE for his contribution to plant breeding.

This year’s British Potato Industry Award (BPIA) winner has undoubtedly made a major contribution to plant breeding, leading to improvements in science, crop production and variety development.

Fiona Fell, Chair of Potato Council, paid tribute to George MacKay, MBE during the presentation of his award at the biennial Seed Industry Event at Crieff on 25th November. “It is an honour to present this award to George. He has made a remarkable long-term contribution to the science underpinning the potato industry, leading European potato genetics and breeding teams over more than 25 years.

“During his career, he has overseen the introduction of new forms of scientific research and, despite sometimes challenging times, has maintained a constant, strong industry focus. He has collaborated with a wide range of eminent international scientists in the public and private sector whilst supervising many research students.

“His published articles are testament to his contribution to the advances of our industry’s scientific understanding not only of breeding but across many key factors affecting the crop.”

Beginning with a BSc from Newcastle University in Agricultural Botany and Plant Science and an MSc in Applied Genetics from Birmingham University, George was appointed to the research staff of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station (SPBS) at Pentlandfield near Edinburgh in 1967, a research station with a prominent and proud history in new variety production including the Pentland varieties and the Roslin series in Africa. George became head of the potato breeding research unit in the early ‘80’s, also carrying out pioneering research on forage brassicas and interspecific hybrids

George applied his already wide knowledge of crop plants and genetics to the potato breeding research at SPBS and from the ‘70’s onwards built a breeding research team. This work did much to change the path of potato breeding away from the inefficient practices of examining hundreds of thousands of seedlings to a genetically-sound approach assessing families from pair-crosses rather than individuals and reducing seedling numbers to tens of thousands. Importantly this gave breeders robust genetic data on which to assess both families and parental material – all significant milestones in potato breeding efficiencies and successes.

The breadth of George’s screening trials on clones was enormous, encompassing a wide range of viral, bacterial and fungal diseases as well as resistance and tolerance of cyst nematode types, processing quality and chemical composition. This massive-scale screening required highly organised national and international trials in both the public and private sectors.

During his period at SPBS as Head of the Commercial Breeding Department and after the merger of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station and the Scottish Horticultural Institute into SCRI at Dundee (now the James Hutton Institute), where he was involved in the selection and submission of over 40 potato varieties to the National List, notably Lady Balfour, Stirling and Mayan Gold. All this while also serving as Officer in Charge at Pentlandfield responsible for the farm at The Murrays and seed potato operations at Blythbank.

The institutional merger and transfer of SCRI staff to Invergowrie coincided with Government’s withdrawal of funding from all near-market research. With public sector funding directed towards more basic research, George was involved in forming interactions with a new set of commercial partners through the newly-created commercial subsidiary, Mylnefield Research Services Ltd.

Throughout his career, George oversaw the transition between conventional and molecular genetics, a challenge not only in dealing with the exceptionally complex genome of one of the world’s crucial food crops, but also had to adapt to waves of reorganisation from institutional mergers and relocation, and ever-changing governmental priorities that rarely appreciate the long-term nature of crop research.

He sustained a constant stream of publications, co-authoring over fifty published scientific papers and presentations. He co-edited the book “Potato Genetics” in 1994 bringing together much of the genetics, pathology, agronomy and nutritional science of the crop, reflecting the breadth of his knowledge and research on potatoes.

In overseeing the regeneration and expansion of the valuable virus-free Commonwealth Potato Collection he ensured that valuable germplasm essential for breeding programmes would be available for science, and was responsible for the UK’s contribution to the inventories of European potato collections.

In addition to a substantial research publication record, he melded several disciplines to address in a practical way the complexities of the potato genome, influencing parallel programmes around the world, including that of the International Potato Centre in Peru.

George’s supplementary roles included Hon. Lecturer at the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee, and he was a member of the British Association of Plant Breeders, the EU Workshop on the Conservation of Old Potato Varieties, and of the editorial board of Heredity. In 1998, George was elected President of the Potato Section of Eucarpia (European Association of Plant Breeding), and organised their 16th annual Congress in Edinburgh in 2001.

George was awarded an MBE for his contribution to plant breeding.

- See more at: http://www.potato.org.uk/news/international-plant-scientist-recognised-contributions-potato-crops#sthash.v3W3Vl7V.dpuf


Published: November 30, 2014

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