Lumen Winter 2013 - Flipbook - Page 9
story by Genevieve Sanchez
A
fter studying and working at the
University for more than 40 years,
Professor Rathjen ‘retired’ in 2012
– although he is still active in a number
of areas.
Professor Rathjen grew up on a
property near Birdwood, and studied
Agricultural Science at the University
of Adelaide before completing a PhD
at Cambridge.
In 1965 he returned to Adelaide to
begin his academic career as a lecturer
in plant breeding. But it was hardly the
career of an academic who sat in their
office or in the laboratory all day.
“I think I was very fortunate to be on the
scene when there was a huge change in
agriculture technology, particularly from
the 1970s onwards,” he said.
“It was obviously good in lots of ways:
farmers could grow their crops more
efficiently with better yields. But there
was a downside, too: because it was
more efficient it meant fewer farmers were
needed and it led to a kind of breakdown
of the community structure which revolves
around farming in Australia.”
Professor Rathjen places enormous
value on the role the farmers themselves
played in driving his agricultural research.
“At a personal level, because I grew up
on a farm, farming is what I know and I
consider a lot of the farmers I’ve worked
with mates,” he said.
“By developing those personal
relationships, I think that helped my
science and my research. I was able to
talk to the farmers and gain an insight
from them about what was happening
on the land.
“They were in the best position to
understand the environment that they
were working in, and many of them were
very astute observers about practices and
processes, about what worked and what
didn’t work, and about unusual things
they’d noticed.
“It’s one thing to be in the lab all day,
but it’s another thing to be on the land
with these people and learning about
agriculture where it actually happens,
and then applying that knowledge to
your research.”
Dr Rathjen’s career achievements
are many:
> Co-founding the Crop Science
Society of South Australia, an active
organisation of farmers, consultants
and scientists which provides a
forum for the exchange of information
and research into crops and crop
production;
> Developing and releasing numerous
varieties of bread and cereal wheats,
including the widely grown bread
wheat resistant to the pest cereal
cyst nematode. His Yitpi bread wheat
variety has been widely used across
Southern Australia (at its peak, the
variety accounted for 35% of all wheat
grown in South Australia and 70%
of Victoria’s);
> Initiating critical research into plant
breeding including investigation of
crown rot disease in durum, and the
impact of high levels of soil boron on
cereal growth;
> Applying his ‘hands-on’ research
philosophy to his teaching, with many
agricultural science students describing
his field trips as highlights of their
undergraduate studies; and
> Being patriarch of a high-achieving and
academic family, with all five children
receiving PhDs (with one, Peter, now
Vice-Chancellor at the University
of Tasmania).
Quietly, Professor Rathjen has given
back to the education system which
launched his career.
With the royalties from the
commercialisation of the Yitpi grain, he
has also set up the Yitpi Foundation. The
foundation encourages and promotes
research and education in the fields of
crop science, particularly in relation to the
wheat industry in southern Australia.
The foundation’s other focus is close
to Professor Rathjen’s heart, as it formed
the basis for the career of his late
wife, Cynthia: linguistics of Australian
languages, and studies of the cultures
of Aborigines, particularly in relation to
land usage.
“It’s been gratifying to see my research
end up having real application on the land,
but also that I’m able to put the proceeds
from that towards things I’m passionate
about,” he said.
Waite
Arboretum
– for Science
and Solace
Peter Waite’s far-sighted gift of
his Urrbrae estate speci昀椀ed that
the western half was to be held in
perpetuity as a park or garden for
the enjoyment of the public.
The Arboretum, established in 1928, is more
than a beautiful, tranquil green space: it is a
30-hectare experimental collection of plant
species from around the world being trialled for
suitability to our soils and climate and providing
a valuable resource for scientific research
and teaching.
The collection of more than 2300 labelled trees
includes many species endangered in the wild
and a heritage-listed Elm Avenue. Special
collections include oaks, ornamental pears
and dragon trees.
The trees are grown without watering after
establishment, demonstrating which species
perform well under rainfall alone and informing
better species selection for our urban forests
of the future.
Interpretive signs, koalas, birds, stunning
sculptures, a labyrinth, a watercourse and
shady seats enrich the visitors’ experiences.
The Arboretum is open and free, dawn til dusk,
every day of the year and free guided walks
are held on the first Sunday of every month.
It is supported by the Friends of the Waite
Arboretum and a group of dedicated volunteers.
For more information visit www.waite.adelaide.edu.au
or contact the Director, Dr Jennifer Gardner
on +61 8 8313 7405.
Left: Professor Rathjen
harvesting durum wheat
in 2010.
Picture by Paula
Thompson, courtesy of
the Stock Journal.
The University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 7
