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CSSA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM

Early History Leading to the Formation of the Crop Science Society of America

International Sports Turf Inst., 1812 Shadowood Dr., College Station, TX 77840

Abbreviations: AES, agriculture experiment station • ASA, American Society of Agronomy • CSSA, Crop Science Society of America • SPAS, Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science

AS THE CROP SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA (CSSA) celebrates the 50th anniversary of its formation, it is appropriate to revisit the earlier history leading to this event. I would like to start 125 yr ago, when the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science (SPAS) was organized. Surely the SPAS was a model from which many scholarly agricultural societies were formed. The SPAS membership list of 1890 was dominated by four scientific specialties: analytical chemistry, botany, entomology, and horticulture. Agronomy and crop science had not yet appeared as titles for the agricultural scholars and researchers in the USA.

A key founder and first president of SPAS was Professor William J. Beal of the State Agricultural College of Michigan. Thus, he also was a key forefather of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and eventually the CSSA. At the time Dr. Beal identified himself as a botanist, but in fact was actively involved in what is now known as agronomic and crops research and teaching. Some of his major innovations included the following: (i) he was the first to use controlled pollination in 1877 to increase the yield of corn that led to practical hybridization practices, (ii) his was the first U.S. seed testing laboratory for viability and purity in 1877, (iii) he was first to conduct turfgrass research in 1880, and (iv) he was a pioneer in reforestation during the 1870s.

Subject-specific national agricultural scientific societies were being formed after the turn of the century. On 31 Dec. 1907, ASA was organized with 43 people attending a meeting held in the Botany Building at the University of Chicago. This was timed in conjunction with the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meetings. The first ASA President elected at that meeting was M.A. Carleton of the USDA Bureau of Plant Industry in Washington, DC. C.G. Williams of the Ohio Agriculture Experiment Station (AES) was appointed the Crops Program Chair for 1908. Subsequently, a subsection or division of ASA that emphasized the crops aspects began to evolve as follows:

1924 First crops program held at the annual meeting that was separated from soils for the second day.

1932 A formal Crops Section was specified in the ASA Constitution, with M.T. Jenkins of the Iowa AES and USDA appointed as the first Chair in 1933.

1936 The Soils Section merged with the American Soil Survey Association to form the Soil Science Society of America in affiliation with ASA.

1937 The Crops Section was renamed the Crops Division within ASA, with O.S. Aamodt of Wisconsin AES serving as Chair. Three subject matter subsections were formed within the Crops Division: (1) Genetics, Cytology and Breeding; (2) Physiology, Morphology and Ecology; and (3) Miscellaneous Topics of Current Interest.

1946 The Crops Division was renamed the Crops Science Division of ASA, with E.O. Hollowell of the USDA Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, MD, serving as Chair. The new Crops Science Division was reorganized from three to five Sections: (1) Breeding, Genetics, and Cytology; (2) Physiology and Ecology; (3) Production and Management; (4) Seed Production and Technology; (5) Special Topics.

1947 Section 5, Special Topics was divided into Section 5, Turf and Section 6, Weed Control.

1949 The Crops Science Division was renamed the Crop Science Divisions of ASA, with D.C. Smith of the University of Wisconsin serving under the new designation of President. The six sections were renamed divisions of ASA. A proposal to form a crop science society was rejected.

1954 The first Bylaws for the Crop Science Divisions of ASA were adopted, with H.R. Albrecht of the Pennsylvania State University Chair of a Special (bylaws) Committee and H.L. Ahlgren of the University of Wisconsin serving as the elected President. The Division designations were (1) Breeding, Genetics and Cytology; (2) Physiology and Ecology; (3) Crop Production and Management; (4) Weeds and Weed Control; (5) Turf Management; and (6) Seed Production and Technology.

1955 The new Crop Science Divisions Bylaws were changed to implement formation of the unincorporated CSSA, with G.H. Stringfield of Ohio AES serving as President. These Bylaws were approved by the ASA Board on 15 Aug. 1955. Initially there were 1043 members, with G.O. Mott of Purdue University serving as President-Elect and then as President in 1956.

1961 The first issue of Crop Science was published by CSSA, with I.J. Johnson of Iowa State University serving as the journal Editor.

1963 The CSSA was formally incorporated in Wisconsin, with R.L. Davis of Purdue University serving as President. There were 2001 members at the 7-yr mark following official formation. The professional interest groups consisted of six divisions: C-1 Crop Breeding, Genetics, and Cytology; C-2 Crop Physiology and Metabolism; C-3 Crop Ecology, Production, and Management; C-4 Seed Production and Technology; C-5 Turfgrass Management; and C-6 Weeds and Weed Control.

This is a brief summary of the events leading to the official organization of the CSSA. Papers presented in this symposium will provide further insight into the activities and contributions of the CSSA during the past 50 yr.

Received for publication January 20, 2006.

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