Donald W. Roberts

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Donald W. Roberts
Born(1933-01-20)January 20, 1933
Phoenix, Arizona, US
DiedMay 2, 2021(2021-05-02) (aged 88)
Alma materBrigham Young University, Iowa State University, University of California, Berkeley
Known forMetarhizium anisopliae, now M. robertsii, see § Patronymic taxa
Scientific career
Fieldsentomopathogenic fungi, biological pest control, entomology, mycology
InstitutionsBiology Department, Utah State University
Theses
  • Toxins from the entomogenous fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae: I. Production in submerged and surface cultures, and in inorganic and organic nitrogen media[1]
  • Toxins from the entomogenous fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae: II. Symptoms and detection in moribund hosts[2]
Doctoral advisorsEdward Arthur Steinhaus[3][4] and Mauro M.E. Martignoni[3]
Websitebiology.usu.edu/about/emeriti/roberts-donald

Donald W. Roberts (January 20, 1933 – May 2, 2021) was an American insect pathologist and one of the originators of that field. He was especially known for research into biological pest control of Lepidoptera by Metarhizium but also Beauveria bassiana.[3][5][6] He was a Research Professor Emeritus in the Biology Department of Utah State University.[5]

Early life and education[edit]

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, US, in 1933.[6][3] He earned his bachelor's degree in Zoology, minoring in Botany, from Brigham Young University in 1957.[5] He received his master's degree in Entomology, minor in Mycology, from Iowa State University in 1959.[5] He earned his PhD in 1964 from University of California, Berkeley[5] on the then-named Metarhizium anisopliae (now M. robertsii, see § Patronymic taxa below) and its application as a biological control of Lepidoptera.[1][2]

Postdoctoral career[edit]

In 1965, Roberts was hired as an Assistant Rank Insect Pathologist by the Boyce Thompson Plant Research Institute.[6]

Helicoverpa armigera was spreading and invading several countries around the world in 1976, when he was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to test a nuclear polyhedrosis virus in India.[7]

When that was completed in 1978 he then traveled to work for the Brazilian government on fungal controls of pasture spittlebugs. That lasted until 1981.[7]

In 1980 Roberts founded the Insect Pathology Resources Center at Cornell University. Roberts then went back to work for Boyce when the IPRC became part of Boyce.[8]

Roberts collected fungal pathogens of Nilaparvata lugens in Sri Lanka in 1984.[9]

Roberts was a frequent collaborator of Raymond J. St. Leger, who was also chosen to give the Society for Invertebrate Pathology's Founders' Lecture in his honor in 2009.[3]

Awards and honors[edit]

1978 — US National Science Foundation – US/India Exchange Scientist[5]

1985 — Fulbright Senior Research Scholarship to the University of Sydney, Australia[10][11][5][9]

— University of Sydney – Thomas Lawrence Pawlett Scholarship[5]

1986–1988 — The Society for Invertebrate Pathology – Vice President[5]

— Entomological Society of America, Eastern Branch – CIBA-GEICY Recognition Award[12]

1988–1990 — The Society for Invertebrate Pathology – President[5][11]

1989 — ESA-EB – L.O. Howard Distinguished Achievement Award[13][5][11][14]

1996 — Boyce Thompson Institute – made Roy A. Young Scientist Emeritus[3][15]

— Entomological Society of Brazil (Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia) – honorary membership and recognition award[5]

1996 — Society for Invertebrate Pathology – Founders' Lecturer – on Agostino Bassi who had been retired for some time[6]

2009 — Society for Invertebrate Pathology – Founders' Honoree award, and Founders' Lecture on his career[8][5] – given by his friend and longtime collaborator R. St. Leger[3]

Patronymic taxa[edit]

The species he has become associated with more than any other – the former M. anisopliae – was renamed Metarhizium robertsii in recognition of his vast contributions.[16]

Personal life and death[edit]

Roberts and his wife, Mae, had two children. He died on May 2, 2021, at the age of 88.[17]

Selected bibliography[edit]

  • Ph.D. dissertation, 1964:
  • Roberts, Donald W. (1966). "Toxins from the entomogenous fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae: I. Production in submerged and surface cultures, and in inorganic and organic nitrogen media". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 8 (2). Society for Invertebrate Pathology (AP): 212–221. doi:10.1016/0022-2011(66)90131-5. ISSN 0022-2011. PMID 5949415. S2CID 38321891.
  • Roberts, Donald W. (1966). "Toxins from the entomogenous fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae: II. Symptoms and detection in moribund hosts". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 8 (2). Society for Invertebrate Pathology (AP): 222–227. doi:10.1016/0022-2011(66)90132-7. ISSN 0022-2011. PMID 5949416. S2CID 30149754.
—Cited by[18]
—Cited by[18]
—Cited by[18]
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—Cited by[18]
—Cited by[18]
—Cited by[18]
—Cited by[18]
—Cited by[18]
—Cited as "Myco-and entomotoxigenic properties of the efrapeptins: toxins of the fungus Tolypocladium niveum" by[18][19] among others
—Cited by[18]
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—Cited by[18]
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—Cited by[18]
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See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Roberts, Donald W. (1966). "Toxins from the entomogenous fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae: I. Production in submerged and surface cultures, and in inorganic and organic nitrogen media". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 8 (2). Society for Invertebrate Pathology (AP): 212–221. doi:10.1016/0022-2011(66)90131-5. ISSN 0022-2011. PMID 5949415. S2CID 38321891.
  2. ^ a b Roberts, Donald W. (1966). "Toxins from the entomogenous fungus Metarrhizium anisopliae: II. Symptoms and detection in moribund hosts". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 8 (2). Society for Invertebrate Pathology (AP): 222–227. doi:10.1016/0022-2011(66)90132-7. ISSN 0022-2011. PMID 5949416. S2CID 30149754.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g St. Leger, Raymond J. (2010). "Society for Invertebrate Pathology 2009 Founders' Lecture". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 105 (3). Society for Invertebrate Pathology (Academic Press): 211–219. doi:10.1016/j.jip.2010.09.021. ISSN 0022-2011. PMID 20970532. S2CID 29215470. S2CID 116030568
  4. ^ Davidson, Elizabeth W.; Burges, H. Denis (2005). "History of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 89 (1). Society for Invertebrate Pathology (AP): 2–11. doi:10.1016/j.jip.2005.06.001. ISSN 0022-2011. PMID 16039300.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Donald Roberts | Biology | USU". Department of Biology – Utah State University.
  6. ^ a b c d "SIP Newsletter". 28 (2). Society for Invertebrate Pathology. July 1996. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ a b "SIP Newsletter". 42 (2). Society for Invertebrate Pathology. June 2009. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ^ a b Utah State University (August 20, 2009). "Great Jumpin' Jehosaphat -- USU's Don Roberts Receives Career Honor". Utah State Today. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Mycological Society of America NEWSLETTER". Vol. 35, no. 2. Mycological Society of America. December 1984. ISSN 0541-4938. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  10. ^ "Donald Roberts". Fulbright Scholar Program. June 18, 1985. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "SIP Newsletter". 21 (3). Society for Invertebrate Pathology. July 1996. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. ^ "SIP Newsletter". 18 (2). Society for Invertebrate Pathology. May 1986. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. ^ "Winners of the L.O. Howard Distinguished Achievement Award". Entomological Society of America, Eastern Branch. July 17, 2023.
  14. ^ Cornell University (Spring 1990). "Faculty News". Cornell University Agriculture & Life Sciences News. p. 3.
  15. ^ Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (2000). "BTI Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research - The 77th Annual Report" (PDF).
  16. ^ "Home - Metarhizium robertsii ARSEF 23". MycoCosm, JGI, US DOE.
  17. ^ "Dr. Donald W. Roberts 1933 – 2021". Utah State University. 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Hajek, Ann E.; St. Leger, Raymond J. (1994). "Interactions Between Fungal Pathogens and Insect Hosts". Annual Review of Entomology. 39 (1). Annual Reviews: 293–322. doi:10.1146/annurev.en.39.010194.001453. ISSN 0066-4170.
  19. ^ Leatham, Gary (1992). Frontiers in Industrial Mycology. Boston, MA, USA: Springer. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-4684-7114-4. OCLC 840289466. ISBN 978-1-4684-7112-0.
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