John S. Niederhauser

John Niederhauser is remembered and honored in this memoir as one of the most important agricultural scientists of the last century, notable for his contributions to plant pathology and global agriculture and especially for his work in the 1950s on late blight disease of potato. Winner of the 1990 World Food Prize, Niederhauser participated in a number of amazing historical events, such as the Soviet collectivist experiment, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Mexican Agricultural Program, the Green Revolution, and development of the system of International Agricultural Research Centers (IARCs).


This book was originally conceptualized in 2002 as a biography that would be compiled with Niederhauser’s help and guidance. Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts with the editors and the tragic death of Niederhauser in 2005, the book changed course slightly to become a memoir. Niederhauser’s comments and commentary from earlier versions of the publication were used as the foundation of the book, with a special emphasis on findings taken from his numerous published and unpublished notes and papers.


This book is a great read for history buffs and for those with a passion for plant pathology. The story of Neiderhauser’s life is interlaced with his own commentary as well as tales and photographs of his life and his many contributions to the scientific community.