Rice Genetics Newsletter 15(1998)
This volume of the Rice Genetics Newsletter is dedicated
to the late Dr. Dharniawansa Senadhira and Dr. Man-emon Takahashi on the
occasion of his 80th birthday.
Dharmawansa Senadhira was born in Sir Lanka, 18 January,
1944. He completed his B Sc (Agriculture) in 1967 at University of Ceylon,
Sri Lanka; and M Sc (Genetics) in 1974 and Ph D (Genetics) in 1976 at the
University of California, Davis, USA. He was a Rice Breeder (1968-1975),
Senior Rice Breeder and Coordinator of the Rice Improvement Program (1976-1979),
and Senior Breeder and Deputy Director for Research (1980-1984) for the
Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka. Improved rice varieties developed
under his leadership are planted on most of the riceland in Sri Lanka and
in several countries of Asia and Africa. His contributions to rice improvement
were recognized by the Sri Lanka President’s Award for Scientific Achievement
(1981) and Ceres Medal from FAO (1982).
Dr. Senadhira joined IRRI as Rice Breeder in 1984 and was
appointed the Leader of the Institute’s Flood-prone Rice Research Program
in 1996. Dr. Senadhira developed and refined screening techniques for determining
the inheritance of tolerances for soil- related stresses, low temperature,
and submergence in rice. Working in close collaboration with national agricultural
research systems (NARS), he developed improved germplasm for flood-prone
ricelands and for irrigated ricelands affected by low temperature and salinity.
His latest research emphasis was on developing improved germplasm with
higher concentration of micronutrients such as iron and zinc in rice grains.
He was selected to receive the prestigious Fukui International Koshihikari
Rice Prize for 1998 in recognition of his outstanding achievements in developing
improved rice varieties.
Dr. Senadhira will be sorely missed by high colleagues at
IRRI and his collaborators in the NARS, not only for his excellent scientific
achievements and leadership, but also for
his open, warm, and ever-friendly personality; his irrepressible
sense of humor, and his willingness to take on new tasks and responsibilities
whenever asked. He was a founding member of Rice Genetics Cooperative and
served as its treasurer from 1985 till his death.
Dr. Senadhira, Sena to his friends, died in vehicular accident
on 7 July 1998 in Bangladesh. He was unmarried and leaves behind three
brothers, Irvin, Walter, and Stanley and a sister, Sandaseeli, in Sri Lanka.
(G.S. Khush)
Dr. Man-emon Takahashi (1918 - )
Dr. Man-emon Takahashi was born in 1918 in Mizusawa-shi,
Iwate Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture,
Hokkaido Imperial University in 1940, he was appointed as Instructor there.
He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1947 and to Professor of Plant
Breeding in 1965 at the Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University. He
has devoted himself to education and research work in plant breeding and
genetics over more than 40 years. He was awarded the Doctoral Degree of
Agricultural Science by Hokkaido University in 1957 for his genetic studies
of rice. He was also elected as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture during
1977-198 1. In the Japanese Society of Breeding he served as president
during 1978-1982. After his retirement from the University he was elected
Professor Emeritus of Hokkaido University in 1981. Following this, he also
served as President of Hokkaido Musashi Women’s College. After that, he
served as the Director general of the newly established Hokkaido Green-Bio
Institute during 1987-1995 and developed new plant breeding methods using
biotechnology.
Dr. Takahashi is an outstanding scientist in plant breeding
and genetics. He initiated the long-term research entitled “Genetical Studies
on Rice Plant” from 1945, assisting Professor Dr. Nagao. Extensive research
work in both genetics and breeding of rice was achieved under his guidance
together with his students and research fellows. In 1991, ‘The One Hundredth
Report of Genetical Studies on Rice Plant-Linkage studies and future prospects’
was published in co-authorship with his successor, Professor Kinoshita.
He also organized a research project on the development of molecular and
cellular plant breeding during 1985-1988 with the aid of the Ministry of
Education of Japan and contributed to the development of new breeding science.
In recognition of his brilliant achievements, he has been
awarded Medal from the Japan Academy in 1965 together with Dr. S. Nagao,
and was elected as a life member of the Japan Academy in 1987. He has also
received the following honors in various fields. Award of Breeding Science
in 1962; Hokkaido Cultural Award in 1982; Honorary Fellow of the Japanese
Society for Chemical Regulation of Plants in 1987; The Order of the Rising
Sun, Second Class in 1989; Honorary Fellow of the Japanese Society of Breeding
in 1991; Award for Contribution to the Hokkaido Development in 1992; Person
of Cultural Merit (Bunka Koro-sha) in 1995.
In connection with the Rice Genetics Cooperative, he has
continued his special efforts to establish the standardized gene symbols
together with Dr. N. E. Jodon, Dr. R. Seetharaman and Dr. T. T. Chang.
Resulting from their efforts, the report of the International Committee
on Gene Symbols and Nomenclature became a foundation for the present rules
in the Rice Genetics Cooperative. He served as Chairman of the Rice Genetics
Cooperative during 1990-1995.
He is respected and beloved by everyone who has been associated
with him for his excellent personality and warm-hearted guidance and assistance.
His hobbies, photography and painting are highly admired.
(T. Kinoshita)
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