South Padre Island, Texas
August 12, 2005
Dr.
Leonard Pike was honored today with the President's Award from
the Texas Vegetable Association.
Pike, Texas Agricultural
Experiment Station vegetable breeder, was recognized at the
2005 Texas Produce Convention and Expo here.
The Arkansas native became known internationally for developing
the 1015 Supersweet onion in 1983. That variety is grown in the
United States, New Zealand, Chile, Australia and Mexico.
"The economic impact of this onion is about $320 billion," said
Dr. Bhimu Patil, current director of the Texas A&M University
Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center in College Station.
Pike also has developed many varieties of cucumbers, sweet
potatoes and carrots, including the popular maroon Beta Sweet
which is known for its high level of healthy beta carotene. He
has obtained more than $3.2 million in commodity and industry
grants for breeding programs and has been project leader for
U.S. Department of Agriculture grants totaling $2 million from
2002-2004.
He joined the Texas A&M University soil and crop sciences
department in 1968 as an assistant professor and vegetable
breeder. Pike was instrumental in the formation of the
horticultural sciences department in 1976.
He has traveled throughout the world conducting vegetable
research and was the first director of Texas A&M's Vegetable and
Fruit Improvement Center.
The Texas Produce Association, formed in 1942, includes
growers, domestic shippers, import shippers, specialty shippers,
distributors, and material and service providers.
Photo by Kathleen Phillips |