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Regular Session, 2012
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 37
BY SENATOR DORSEY-COLOMB
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Professor Emeritus Dr. Milton C. "Chuck" Rush on his
distinguished career and accomplishments in the field of plant pathology.
A RESOLUTION1
To commend and congratulate Louisiana State University Professor Emeritus Dr. Milton C.2
"Chuck" Rush on his distinguished career and accomplishments in the field of plant3
pathology.4
WHEREAS, Dr. Milton C. "Chuck" Rush has dedicated over thirty-seven years in5
education, research, and service to the United States rice industry as a research plant6
pathologist with the LSU AgCenter; and7
WHEREAS, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Pathology from the8
University of Arizona in 1964, his Master of Science degree in Plant Pathology from the9
University of Arizona in 1966, and his PhD in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State10
University in 1970; and11
WHEREAS, Dr. Rush's areas of specialization and research include the12
epidemiology, etiology, and control of rice diseases; breeding for disease resistance in rice;13
and rice tissue culture and transformation; and14
WHEREAS, his efforts are directed toward improving rice variety resistence to major15
rice diseases and improvement of rice tissue culture and transformation techniques; and16
WHEREAS, Dr. Rush's programs pioneered the development of rating scales for rice17
diseases in the southern United States; and18 SR NO. 37
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WHEREAS, he first reported eight new diseases in Louisiana rice and his extensive1
fungicide testing programs were critical for the labeling of new fungicides for the foliar2
application, which included Benlate 50WP, the first foliar fungicide labeled for rice in the3
United States; and4
WHEREAS, Dr. Rush first succeeded in regenerating plants from anthers of a U.S.5
rice cultivar and was instrumental in the establishment of the anther culture laboratory at the6
International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines during his sabbatical leave from 19797
to 1980; and8
WHEREAS, by crossing elite long-grain cultivars with newly identified resistance9
sources, over three hundred lines showing sheath blight resistance and high yield potential10
have been developed and turned over to the various breeding programs; and11
WHEREAS, during Dr. Rush's breeding work, he isolated a rice variety with a purple12
grain that remains slightly purple even after milling; and13
WHEREAS, in addition to the pleasant aesthetic properties of the purple grain rice,14
it is also much higher in antioxidants and healthier than rice found in the store; and15
WHEREAS, this new purple grain rice has a tremendous amount of potential to16
increase Louisiana rice acreage as well as lead to the development of value-added industries17
to process and market this important breakthrough; and18
WHEREAS, during his career, Dr. Rush published over three hundred journal19
articles, book chapters, and research reports and has served the Rice Technical Working20
Group as a member of the Award Committee, Germplasm Advisory Committee, and Local21
Arrangement Committee, and as a panel moderator several times; and22
WHEREAS, he currently holds the position of Professor Emeritus and Florence23
Avalon Daggett Professor in Rice Research; and24
WHEREAS, Dr. Rush has received numerous awards throughout his career including25
the "Distinguished Academy Scientist Award" from the Louisiana Academy of Sciences, the26
"Distinguished Rice Research and Education Award" from the Rice Technical Working27
Group, the "Doyle Chambers Research Award" from the LSU AgCenter, the "Outstanding28
Plant Pathologist" award from the American Phytopathological Society, the "Diversity in the29
Workplace Award" from the LSU AgCenter, and the "Sedberry Award-Outstanding30 SR NO. 37
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Graduate Teacher in the College of Agriculture" from the LSU College of Agriculture; and1
WHEREAS, Dr. Rush is a dedicated family man and husband to Blanca and his2
children Ana, Carrie, Claudia, Michael, and Tomas and his grandson Jacob.3
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana4
does hereby commend and congratulate Louisiana State University Professor Emeritus Dr.5
Milton C. "Chuck" Rush on his distinguished career and accomplishments in the field of6
plant pathology.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Dr.8
Milton C. "Chuck" Rush.9
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Curry Johnson.
DIGEST
Dorsey-Colomb SR No.
Commends LSU Professor Emeritus Dr. Milton C. "Chuck" Rush on his distinguished career
and accomplishments in the field of plant pathology.