After 35 years of outstanding service to the Agricultural Research Service, the last 14 years as National Program Leader for Plant Physiology and Cotton, ASPB member John W. Radin officially retires January 3, 2007.

John received his B.S. degree in 1965 in chemistry and his Ph.D. degree in plant physiology in 1970. He began his career with ARS in 1971 as a research plant physiologist at the Western Cotton Research Laboratory in Phoenix, Arizona. His research programs there centered on environmental physiology and plant stress responses, especially nutrient and water stresses, explained Judith St. John, ARS Deputy Administrator, Crops Production and Protection. She said, John is best known for his studies of nutrient stress-water stress interactions on plant growth and water use, and for the transfer of basic physiological knowledge to explain and modify crop behavior in the field. His findings were the basis for improved irrigation practices in the Southwest that increased yield of cotton and promoted better pest management without increasing the consumption of irrigation water.

In 1989, John was selected Research Leader of the Cotton Physiology/Genetics and Host Plant Management Unit in Phoenix, Arizona, where he served until 1993 when he accepted the position of National Program Leader in Beltsville, Maryland. He was promoted to Senior National Program Leader in 2002.

As National Program Leader, John handled nearly all of ARS' plant- and fiber-related cotton research. He championed extending and expanding cotton genetics research, and carried the message to industry decision-makers of the important role public germplasm and genetics research played in variety development. He also responded to public concern about genetically engineered germplasm, and was instrumental in helping ARS to develop and expand a biotechnology risk assessment research program. Furthermore, John acted for several years as the NPL for Weed Science, and made many important contributions to developing ARS' research in this area. John also developed new, more effective means of managing research programs, and was a pioneer in developing and implementing ARS' National Program structure, Judy noted.

During the course of his ARS career, John has received numerous awards for his research in plant physiology benefiting agriculture, especially in the fields of plant water-use efficiency and plant responses to environmental stresses. Most notable of those awards were the D.R. Hoagland Award from the American Society of Plant Physiologists in 1991, and the Outstanding Research Award in Cotton Physiology given at the Beltwide Cotton Production Research Conference in 1998. In 1992, John was selected a Fellow of both the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America. In addition to his research, John has authored or co-authored more than 75 scientific publications, including book chapters and articles, and has co-edited several workshop proceedings.

During his career, John mentored many younger ARS scientists and National Program Leaders, and was pivotal in advancing their careers. He worked continually to reduce discrimination barriers at the workplace. His wisdom and genuine concern for his colleagues earned him the respect and admiration of a wide spectrum of ARS, university, and industry friends, Judy noted.

Long active in ASPB, John was personally responsible for establishing the child care services ASPB has been offering at its annual meeting in recent years. John gave a generous contribution to ASPB to make the child care services available.

To contribute a card, letter, or photo to a memory book that ARS will present to John at an appropriate time, please send your items to Anne Packett, Agricultural Research Service-NPS, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Room 4-2200, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705, or e-mail to anne.packett@ars.usda.gov.