WELL-RESPECTED plant breeder and educator Tony Rathjen passed away on Wednesday last week, aged 74, leaving behind an enormous contribution to SA's agricultural community.
Dr Rathjen was responsible for the development of the durum industry in southern Australia, and was a popular lecturer at the University of Adelaide.
Many of today's leading breeders and researchers studied under him. Among them is CIMMYT Board of Trustees chairman and Mid North farmer Andrew Barr.
"Tony's contribution to the state's agricultural community was massive," he said.
"The value of his wheat varieties was huge of course, but what a lot of people in the rural communities wouldn't have seen was his contribution in terms of teaching under-graduate and post-graduate agriculture students for more than 40 years.
"His enthusiasm was incredible. Two years ago I was in Delhi, India, for a CIMMYT board meeting and I received a phone call from Tony saying he was hosting a group of undergraduate ag students and showing them around India. How many lecturers do you know that would do that?"
Dr Rathjen lectured Dr Barr when he was an undergraduate, and supervised his PhD thesis.
"Tony was such a lateral and creative thinker," Dr Barr said.
"He challenged all his ag science students to not just accept conventional thinking.
"He was one of the most significant individuals from the past two generations of agriculture in SA, and as well as that, he was just a great fella."
University of Adelaide associate professor-weed management Dr Christopher Preston said Dr Rathjen had a major impact on agriculture through his work as a wheat breeder.
"Many of the wheat varieties grown in SA over a prolonged period were bred by Tony," he said.
"His last major variety, Yitpi, is still being grown.
"Tony was a strong mentor of students and will be remembered by generations of graduates from the University of Adelaide. Many former students will remember with fondness Tony's classes and his field trips."
University of Adelaide durum breeder Dr Jason Able said Dr Rathjen was the driving force behind the development of durum production in southern Australia.
"Tony founded the breeding program in the very late 1980s, and since the early 1990s it has involved the Southern Australia Durum Growers Association and San Remo Macaroni Pty Ltd," he said.
"While many will remember Tony principally as a bread wheat breeder, the durum varieties he recently released will be grown for many years ahead. In late 2010 he released Tjilkuri, and two more varieties in 2012 (Yawa and WID802). WID802 is a well suited variety for the lower SE and I am sure the success of this variety will continue."
* Full report in Stock Journal, July 3, 2014 issue.