UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #287
MOORE, J. DUAIN

MOORE, J. Duain (1913-1998)
Graduate Student; Professor of Plant Pathology
At UW: 1939; 1940-1980

Interviewed: 1984	
Interviewer: Laura Smail
Length: 2 hours

Background; Research on cherry tree virus; National program for research on stone fruits; Discovery of transmission of viruses from woody to herbaceous plants; Developing virus-free stock; Work on apple scab; Research on effects of fungicides on fruit; Environmental issues; Center for virus-free stock at Prosser, Washington; Research on conserving energy in greenhouses; Decline of interest in applied research and consequences for state farmers; Work in Nigeria; Other programs in third-world countries.

Tape 1/Side 1

00:00:01	The taped department history.  Will use it in 75th anniversary celebration.  Four 	people taped.  Research early department history in archives.  Is used with slides.

00:03:03	How his interest in plants got started.  College 1935, Penn State.  Expected to be 	a florist.  Met Henry Thurston.  Got job in fruit research station.  Suggested he 	do graduate work.  Got WARF fellowship at UW.  Worked with Keitt.  Was 	studying a virus disease of cherries.  JDM knew how to grow perennial plants in 	greenhouse.  Keitt skeptical but agreed.  There had been surveys of cherry trees 	in Door County so had some data.

00:07:11	His project.  Nurseries were interested.  In 1948 Research and Marketing 	Act.  North Central Region's project was on stone fruit virus diseases.  In 1954 	became an interregional project, IR-2.  Prosser, Washington, its home base.  Has 	virus free repository.  JDM has been on committee since it started.  Is emeritus 	chairman.  Later committee got interested in apples also.  127   JDM managed 	to transmit viruses from woody to herbaceous plants.  How he did it.  Was 	working on yellows disease.  Question of temperatures.  Why found in northern 	states.

00:15:33	Next problem was producing virus-free stock.  The handbooks produced.

00:17:37	Keitt tried to talk JDM into thesis project involving genetics but JDM preferred 	raising plants.

00:18:15	Discussing effects of these diseases on yields.  Bob Fulton has worked on the 	viruses.

00:20:36	Growing trees in greenhouses.

00:22:17	Greenhouse space.  In beginning used Pinney's greenhouses in Sturgeon 	Bay.  Propagated virus-free trees.  Most nursery stock was contaminated.  Used 	grafting and budding.

00:24:08	Issue is how to keep trees virus free.  They still don't know how it's 	spread.  Pollen?  Insects?  A lot of work done.  How JDM originally got the 	virus-free stock.  A matter of luck.

00:26:17	Apple scab, another project.  Discovered use of a herbicide spray on 	ground.  Now is controlled by fungicides except if heavy infection, when spray 	still used.

00:28:23	End of side.

Tape 1/Side 2

00:28:29	Nurseries reluctant in beginning to go to expense of producing virus free 	trees.  Eventually did.

00:29:32	Later directions of the research.  Time involved two weeks to three years 	depending on how long it took disease symptoms to appear.  Detective work.

00:32:48	The Illinois Nursery Meetings widely attended.  Keitt and JDM would give slide 	shows.  JDM goes to growers meetings all over country.

00:37:44	Cherry acreage in Door County is one third down from thirty years ago, but due to 	costs of growing rather than disease.  New acreage in apples now, using small 	trees.

00:40:03	Worked with entomologists in beginning but never found an insect factor.  Later 	a joint project involving effects of fungicides on all aspects of fruit growing, 	working with food science people.  American Can Company made a special 	can.  The cannery on the experimental farm.  Discovery of contrast in effects of 	Bordeaux mixture and new fungicides.  The effort to do whole job--picking, 	processing, canning--in one day.

00:43:40	There were significantly different effects on flavor, etc., among fungicides but not 	among insecticides.

00:46:25	Were not concerned about environmental effects.  Remembers Hickey 	complaining about use of DDT.  JDM had pictures of robins nesting in his cherry 	trees.  Use of DDT in Nigeria.

00:49:28	The research and marketing act.  All regions wanted to study stone fruit 	diseases.  Eventually formed an interregional correlating committee, and 	eventually had an interregional study.  IR 1 headquarters were in Sturgeon 	Bay.  IR 2 still in existence (Prosser).  Gets requests from all over world for 	virus-free material.  Research is on developing new indexing procedures.

00:53:42	His project with Champ Tanner on conserving energy in greenhouses.  Supported 	by state energy people.  Tanner involved because knows how to use data 	logger.  The findings.

00:56:37	End of side.

Tape 2/Side 1

00:56:39	Energy project, continued.  How and what they measured.  Ohio State started 	study at same time.  Findings less sophisticated but a larger project.

01:01:09	Teaching in Nigeria.  A piece of research, designed by Richard Corey, soils.

01:06:17	Recent research.  Disease of wild choke cherries.

01:09:09	Plenty of space in greenhouses now.  People don't do time-consuming research 	now due pressure to publish and trend toward biochemical research.  They look at 	viruses but can't work on how a virus disease is spread.  Retiring applied research 	people not being replaced.  Used to be four people (two of them part-time).  All 	retired now.  New person, divided between extension, teaching, and 	research.  Research will have to be done when he can be here to take care of 	it.  Farmers can put on pressure if feel not being serviced.  An example.  

01:15:08	Next issue for state farmers may be effects of new chemicals.  Have to be field 	tested.  Farmers rely on University to do it rather than the chemical 	companies.  Discussing issue of applied research.

01:20:43	Refereed journals for basic research more prestigious.

01:21:31	No one interviewed for new position was interested in viruses.  JDM liked virus 	work because both practical and basic research involved.

01:22:50	Green ring yellows another virus disease in state that needs study.  Disease of 	cherries.

Tape 2/Side 2

01:25:35	The project in Bogor, Indonesia.

01:27:51	Describing program about to start in the Gambia.

01:32:06	End of interview.

END