L. David Kuykendall

David Kuykendall is a Research Horticulturist in the Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory (MPPL), Plant Sciences Institute, USDA, Beltsville, Md, USA. In 2001, Dr. Kuykendall led an international team of experts in revising the taxonomy of important plant-associated Rhizobium bacteria. From 2002 to 2004, Dr. Kuykendall conceived and implemented a strategy to enhance the resistance to Cercospora-induced leafspot diseases. In 2005, by invitation, Dr. Kuykendall authored six chapters on the six genera and four families plant microsymbionts in the new edition of Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. In 2007, Dr. Kuykendall identified a BAC carrying the NPR1 disease-priming gene from Beta vulgaris L. Dr. Kuykendall has authored or coauthored 93 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals and books, and he has had numerous invitations to speak at national and international meetings, institutes, and universities; at least 1000 scientific journal articles have cited his publications. Dr. Kuykendall is best known for improving both soybean yield and seed quality by patenting a unique new bacterial strain of highly beneficial nitrogen-fixing microsymbiont. For their role in decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels to make nitrogen fertilizers, Drs. Kuykendall and Hunter received an Outstanding Technology Award, 2002, from the Federal Laboratories Consortium in Little Rock, AK and were named Tech Laureates, 2004, Intel Environment Award, by the Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, Calif, and Santa Clara University from more than 580 nominations representing 80 countries.

Biography Updated on 8 January 2008

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