Death Note

OBITUARY MESSAGE TO IAS MEMBERS PROFESSIONAL LIFE ALLELOPATHY PUBLICATIONS BIOGRAPHIC NOTES PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT DAILY OKLAHOMAN REPORT IMAGES FROM PROF. RICE'S LIFE  TRIBUTE FROM PROF. M.A. BARI MALLIK SEND YOUR CONDOLENCES VIEW BOOK OF CONDOLENCES

Professor Elroy L. Rice David Ross Boyd Professor Emeritus University of Oklahoma IAS Life Member # 1

The word allelopathy was introduced in biological sciences in a 1937 monograph in German. Allelopathy remained unknown for three decades. In the early sixties, Dr. Elroy L. Rice, a young ecologist, became interested in plant succession in abandoned agricultural fields. With single minded devotion, he firmly established that chemical interactions between plants, allelopathy, is a major factor in old field succession in the prairies. His book "Allelopathy", a monograph published by Academic Press in 1974, is based largely on his research. It was the first book published in English dedicated to allelopathy. This volume was translated into Russian in 1978. The revised and enlarged edition of this book, published in 1984, was translated into Japanese. These two books have been cited numerous times. Thanks to his enthusiasm, extensive research program, key note addresses at different national and international symposia, and invitational lectures delivered at various universities that inspired young biologists, allelopathy is now a distinct discipline in biological science.

Over 40 years, his teaching and research at the University of Oklahoma brought prestige to the university and earned him several prestigious awards and honors. In 1984 he was awarded "Oklahoma Scientist of the Year Merit Award" by the Oklahoma Academy of Science. In 1995 the Alumni Association of the University of Chicago awarded him "Professional Achievement Citation as one of the World’s Top Authorities in Allelopathy" and the Medical and Biological Science Alumni Association of the University of Chicago presented him the "Distinguished Service Award for a Life Time of Teaching and for more than 40 years of Pioneering Work in Allelopathy Research. " Dr. Elroy L. Rice received the "Molisch Award" from the International Allelopathy Society in 1996 for "Outstanding academic achievement and/or service relating to the field of allelopathy". It was the first award to be given in the field of allelopathy.

Born on a farm near Edmond, Oklahoma, and living there until his graduation from a nearby college ( now the University of Central Oklahoma ) young Elroy L. Rice developed keen interest in plants. He earned his M. S. in Botany in 1942 from Oklahoma University. After a brief service with U. S. Army Signal Corps and Air Force in World War II he enrolled in the University of Chicago and earned his Ph. D. in 1947. Upon completion of his degree he joined Botany and Microbiology Department at the University of Oklahoma where he served for more than three decades until his retirement in 1981. He became a professor in 1962, and in 1967 was promoted to "David Ross Boyd Professor", a highly prestigious position at the University of Oklahoma. His devotion to teaching earned him an "Alumni Teaching Award" in 1955 and a "Regent’s Award for Superior Teaching" in 1966. He was an inspiring teacher, well admired by his students, 32 of whom earned a Ph. D. degree and many others earned an M. S. degree under his supervision. Many of his students considered Dr. Rice their mentor.

Dr. Rice contributed nearly a 100 publications to the literature including journal articles, several book chapters, and a few popular articles on allelopathy. His research received almost continuous funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation. His interest in allelopathy was not confined in research alone. He also made an effort to make allellopathy a household word. His book " Pest Control with Nature’s Chemicals" published in 1983, and translated into Russian in 1986, was a brilliant success in that respect.

During a meeting in New Delhi, India, the International Allelopathy Society was formed on September 5, 1994. Although Dr. Rice was not present at that meeting, he was instrumental in assisting scientists from India and other countries in establishing the International Allelopathy Society. His strength and influence were prominent in the creation of the society, and his counsel and advice were often sought as the fledgling society grew. The International Allelopathy Society established the "Rice Award" given for the "Best single paper or article presented by a student at a symposium sponsored by the International Allelopathy Society".

Dr. Rice did not overlook science in Oklahoma. He was an ardent supporter and active participant of the Oklahoma Academy of Science and held numerous positions with the academy including the elective office of President in 1981. He also served as the President of the "University of Oklahoma Chapter of Sigma Xi" in 1955 and "Southern Association of Naturalists" in 1970.

Dr. Rice was an active member of the Editorial Boards of the "Journal of Chemical Ecology", "Allelopathy"( the official Journal of the International Allelopathy Society), and "Allelopathy Journal".

The culmination of Dr. Rice’s long career as a researcher and teacher is his last book "Biological Control of Weeds and Plant Diseases : Advances in Applied Allelopathy", published in 1995. In this book he recommended that agricultural scientists in general develop a holistic approach to address all agricultural problems instead of discipline oriented research. In his message ( his last) to the second congress of International Allelopathy Society in 1999, he said, "To meet the ever growing demand for more food, feed and fiber, agricultural scientists are to pull together to enhance crop productivity and develop an environmentally compatible and sustainable agriculture based on allelopathic research. Sustainable agriculture can be accomplished only by incorporating allelopathy into agricultural management".

THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN / THE NORMAN OKLAHOMAN

He's known around the world for his work in allelopathy, a fancy scientific term for the study of how certain chemical compounds in one plant affect the growth of other plants. But he lives quietly with his wife, Esther, in their Norman home.

Dr. Elroy L. Rice, retired University of Oklahoma professor of botany and microbiology, offers this example of allelopathy: Walnuts have five chemicals that, especially when It rains, leach onto plants under the walnut tree and keep then from growing.

Roman author Pliny observed this as far back as the first century, when he wrote that the "shade" of a walnut tree is "heavy and even causes headache in man and injury to anything planted in its vicinity."

'So you don't want to plant tomatoes and potatoes under a walnut tree," Rice said.

The professor used the Pliny quote in one of the nine books he has written since he retired from OU [Oklahoma University] in 1981 after teaching and doing r& smelt for more than 34 years. He proudly points to and credits the help of his students., 33 of whom went on to, receive doctor of philosophy degrees.

Colleagues here and in other countries have recognized Rice´s contributions to allelopathy. The culmination came last fall at a meeting in Spain when he was given the "Molisch Award for Outstanding Achievement in Allelopathy." He was also asked to present the keynote address.

Unfortunately Rice was unable to attend, and a fellow botanist had to bring the medal to him.

At 81, Rice suffers from poor health, and his doctor advised him not to travel long distances. But, In the past, he and his wife have travelled many places around the world, attending scientific meetings or just vacationing.

The name Molisch is important in Rice's field. Professor Hans Molisch of Vienna coined the term "allelopathy" in 1937. It is now used in all fields of biology, Rice said.

In his long career at OU, Rice taught mainly physiological ecology. Every semester he also presented a course in environmental biology. He was in the forefront of the increasingly popular movement to use natural means to control pests rather than using man-made pesticides.

Born on a farm near Edmond, Rice has long had a deep interest in plants, both native and agricultural. He wrote a book, published in 1983, called "Pest Control with Nature´s Chemicals".

"You can change the genetic makeup of insects to become better at controlling certain types of diseases", Rice said. "People looking for a way of controlling a plant disease can learn what specific organism will control it and try to find that organism in nature, or grow it themseves."

For many years, Rice's teaching and research were directed toward explaining the causes of what he calls old-field succession. He and his students found that fields abandoned from cultivation in the prairie area of central Oklahoma and southeast Kansas go through four stages: pioneer weed; annual grass, perennial bunch grass and true prairie. The stages cover 52 to 62 years or more before the prairie returns.

Their data indicates that the weed-stage plants produce allelochemicals that inhibit growth of the early weeds but not the annual grass.

Rice's work has gained recognition around the world and is often used as a reference by scholars. His 1984 book, "Allelopathy" (Second Edition), has been translated into Japanese and Korean.

The professor said his last book, "Biological Control of Weeds and Plant Diseases," published in 1997, will, Indeed, be his last. Publishing has gotten to be too much of a hassle, he said.

In addition to his books, Rice has had 37 papers published in scientific journals. He has won a number of awards, including one for more than 40 years of pioneering work in allelopathy research and another for professional achievement as one the world´s top authorities in that field. Both came from alumni groups at the University of Chicago, where he earned his doctorate degree in botany.

Rice worked on that degree while serving four years in Chicago in the U.S. Army Signal Corp. and Army Air Corp. He had obtained his master's degree in botany at OU president, telling him he was looking for a job somewhere in Oklahoma.

Cross sent him a telegram saying he should come immediately to OU.

Rice replied he couldn´t come until he completed his doctoral studies. He received the degree in December 1947, and the next month he and Esther were on their way to Oklahoma.

diego.castellano@uca.es