Dedication

     This volume of the Rice Genetics Newsletter is dedicated to the late Dr.
Isaburo Nagai and Dr. M. F. Chandraratna.



          








         

         The late Dr. Isaburo Nagai
Isaburo Nagai was born in 1887 in Tokyo. He studied at Junior College of Agriculture, Tokyo Imperial University (graduation 1908), Massachusetts State University of Agriculture at Amherst (B.S., 1910) and College of Agriculture, Cornell University at Ithaca (M.S., 1912). After one more year of overseas study at Heidelberg, Germany, he returned to Japan in 1913 and started on his scientific career. He was awarded a doctoral degree by Tokyo Imperial University in 1917 for his genetic studies of rice.

Dr. Nagai served as agronomist in the agricultural experiment station of the Rikuh Branch Station at Ohmagari (northern Japan) and then in the Korean Agricultural Station at Suweon. During this period, he carried out researches in plant genetics and published books on plant genetics and rice culture. On the basis of his research on rice genetics, he published a pioneering paper on the genes for coloration of various organs in 1921. He also investigated mutants, including those for dwarfism and sterility.

In 1935, Dr. Nagai shifted to education and research, as professor of Tokyo Agriculture and Technology University, Meiji University, and Nippon University until his final retirement in 1970. He has published a number of leading articles on rice genetics and several books on rice breeding and culture. His book, "Japonica Rice" ('1959, Yokendo, Tokyo) has been used as an excellent reference by rice workers of the world. He also contributed much to international cooperation in agricultural research and development, particularly through the FAO. He lectured at the first international workshop on rice breeding held in 1952 at the Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, India. He passed away in 1971 in Tokyo.

                                                       (H.  I.  Oka)

           Dr. M. F. Chandraratna
Dr. Chandraratna was born in 1910 in Sri Lanka. He graduated from Colombo University College in 1932 with B. Sc (Hon.) in Botany. From 1932 to 1935, he studied in the University of London UK and obtained his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology and Pathology and also the Diploma of the Imperial College of Science and Technology.

After his post graduate studies, Dr. Chandraratna began his career in the Research Division of the Department of Agriculture, based at Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and was actively engaged in rice research, particularly on genetics and breeding. Dr. Chandraratna initiated rice varietal improvement research in Sri Lanka beginning with pureline selection of local varieties followed by a systematic hybridization program. Concurrently, he pioneered genetic studies on photoperiod sensitivity in rice. He was also an active participant of the research and training program of the FAO sponsored International Rice Commission. Dr. Chandraratna's most creative contributions in the field of rice genetics and breeding were made during the period 1951 to 1956 when he was holding the position of Botanist and Senior Research Officer with the Department of Agriculture.

From 1956 to 1960, Dr. Chandraratna was the Director of Agriculture, Sri Lanka and was responsible for formulation and execution of agricultural research, extension, education and development programs. During this period he established an islandwide breeding program, where environmental variations were considered in developing rice varieties to suit different growing conditions. In view of his special standing and recognition in the country he was the first national to be appointed to the newly created chair of Professor and Head, Department of Agriculture of the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya.

Dr. Chandraratna has published over 60 papers that cover fields of breeding, genetics, agronomy, physiology, and pathology. His book "Genetics and Breeding of Rice" published in 1964 provided the most exhaustive account of rice improvement techniques and their underlying genetical theory and a survey of genetical studies on cultivated rice.

After his retirement in 1963 from his University position Dr. Chandraratnahas been associated with the FAO, the World Bank and several other donor agencies in various rice research and development projects in the Philippines, Iraq, Malaysia, Guiana, Surinam and Sri Lanka.

In recognition of Dr. Chandraratna's eminence in the field of agricultural research, the British Government awarded him the Membership of the British Empire and the British Empire Medal in 1952. (D. Senadhira)