Top 10 Agricultural Scientists in the World

There are many people whose contribution and hard work cannot be ignored. So today, we will talk about a few scientists/researchers who have made tremendous contributions to the agricultural sector.

Roles & responsibilities of an Agricultural Scientist?

• Do experiments to develop new or latest varieties of crops.

• Focus on characteristics like yield, quality, nutritional value, disease resistance, or adaptation to specific soils/climates. 

• Develop improved ways or products to control or eliminate weeds, crop diseases, or insect pests etc.

Famous agriculture scientist in the world

Below we have mentioned some of the famous agriculture scientists in the world;

Mankumbo Sambasivan Swaminathan

MS Swaminathan [07.08.1925] is an expert scientist and supervisor, known for his part in India's Green Revolution, a program under which he planted various high-quality wheat and rice varieties. Swaminathan called as Father of the Green Revolution in India because he introduced and developed high-yield wheat varieties in India.His suggestions make the agricultural world stronger and vanish the problem of hunger and poverty. He is the founder of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation. He brings moving India to sustainable development by using sustainable techniques, sustainable food security, and the preservation of biodiversity, and this movement is called an “evergreen revolution” by him.

He achieved many awards, like Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in1991, Padma Bhushan in 1972, the World Food Prize in 1987, Padma Vibhushan in 1989, and much more.

Norman Ernest Borlaug

Norman Ernest Borlaug [25.03.1914 – 12.10.2009] was an American agronomist who promoted an extensive increase in agricultural production worldwide, called the Green Revolution. He started agricultural research with CIMMYT in Mexico, where he developed high yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties. He introduced high-yield varieties with modern agricultural production techniques to Mexico, Pakistan, and India. As a result, Mexico became a net exporter of wheat by 1963.

He was awarded multiple honors for his contribution, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal.

George Washing Carver

George Washing Carver [1864 – 05.01.1943] was an American Agricultural scientist who encourages alternative crops to cotton and methods to avert soil depletion. He developed techniques to improve soil used up by repeated planting of cotton. He educated the poor farmers to grow other crops like peanuts and potatoes to enhance their quality of life. Carver was a leader in promoting environmentalism. He received many awards for his work, including the Spingarn Medal of the NAACP. He has been praised for his vision and achievements by the white community.

Benjamin Peary Pal

Benjamin Peary Pal [26.05.1906 – 14.06.1989] was an Indian plant breeder and an expert in the science of soil management and crop production. He was appointed as a director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Delhi and as the first director-general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He worked on wheat genetics and breeding,and he was also known for the love of rose varieties.

He was a bachelor and donated his whole property to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

He received many awards, including Padma Shri in 1959 and Padma Bhushan in 1968.

Subrahmaniam Nagarajan

Subrahmaniam Nagarajan [07.11.1945 – 12.12.2016] was an Indian Wheat pathologist. He was the project director of all India wheat programs and author of more than 120 research papers, 50 book chapters, and 2 textbooks.

He joined the IARI/ICAR as a wheat pathologist in 1974. Nagarajan was internationally respected and received the Borlaug award for his achievements in the advancement of the wheat program, pathology of wheat rusts, and its elimination. Because of his work and advice, for the last 12 years, there has been no crop damage due to rust epidemics.

Hem Singh Pruthi

Hem Singh Pruthi [23.02.1897-23.12.1969] was an Indian expert in zoology, concerned with insects that served as imperial Entomologist, being the first native Indian in that position.

He was appointed as an assistant superintendent at the Zoological Survey of India at Calcutta and worked mainly on the Hemiptera. He then connected with the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and became the imperial Entomologist.

In 1938 he formed the Entomologist Society of India. He was a plant conservation advisor to India’s Government and helped set up a locust warning system. He published a book on Agricultural Entomology in 1963.

Several genera of hemipterans have named after him, including Pruthiana, Pruthiorosius, and Pruthius.

Eva Ekeblad

Eva Ekeblad [10.07.1724 – 15.05.1786] was a Swedish agronomist and scientist. She was the first female member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. She was known for inventing a method to make alcohol and flour from potatoes, allowing greater use of short grain for food production. Ekeblad's work transformed potatoes into a staple food in Sweden and increased the supply of wheat, rye, and barley available for making bread and alcohol. Potato widely improved the country’s eating habits and controlled the hunger problem.

She also used bleaching cotton textile and yarn with soap in 1751 and replaced the unfavorable ingredients for skin in cosmetics with Potato flour. She advertised the plants by using a flower as hair ornaments.

Erich Tschermak

Erich Tschermak [15.11.1871 – 11.10.1962] was an Austrian agronomist who developed many new disease-resistant crops, including wheat, rye, and oat hybrids.

Tschermak joined as a teacher at the university of agricultural sciences Vienna in 1901 and became a professor after five years. His brother Armin von Tschemark influenced him that he achieved in genetics.

He has honored many awards for his work, including the Ring of Honour of Vienna and Austrian decoration for science and art.

Dr. Rajendra Singh Paroda

Dr. Rajendra Singh Paroda [1942 in Ajmer] is an Indian agricultural scientist. He was former director-general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Government of India.

In 1996, he arranged the second International crop science congress in New Delhi. In 2001, Shri Atal Bihari Bajpai inaugurated the Indian Science Congress at the IAR Institute, New Delhi, which he conducted.

In 2012, the President of India, Mrs. Pratibha Patil, has attended the first Global Conference on Women in Agriculture [GCWA] in New Delhi arranged by him.

He received several awards for his work, including Borlaug and Padma Bhushan.

Scott Angle

Scott Angle [06.01.1953] vice president Florida University for Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

The Angle is a national leader in developing the science that helps food production and management of natural resources.

In 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Angle to a six-year term as the third director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.