Congratulations to Dr. Perry L. Adkisson
Inducted into the Heritage Hall of Honor at the State Fair of Texas.
Dr. Perry L. Adkisson, chancellor emeritus and distinguished professor emeritus of The Texas A&M University System, was among five new members inducted into the Hall of Honor. The others are John Louis Merrill of Crowley, and three Texas legends: Capt. Charles Armand Schreiner, Kerrville; Hallie Crawford Stillwell, Alpine; and T.L.L. "Tom" Temple, Diboll, who were represented by family members. Established by the State Fair of Texas in 1992, the Hall of Honor membership roll now includes 30 names. Any living or deceased person who has made a significant contribution to the agricultural heritage of Texas is eligible for induction. The members represent a time line of accomplishment that links 19th century trail drivers and cattle barons to modern-day ranchers, educators, organizers and preservationists.
"Dr. Adkisson is a true visionary, whose work in insect pest management has made him internationally known," said Dr. Ray Frisbie, head of the department of entomology at Texas A&M University. Adkisson was the chancellor of the Texas A&M System from 1986 until 1990, and during his long career at A&M served as deputy chancellor, vice president for agriculture and renewable resources and head of the department of entomology. His most noted work came in the field of integrated pest management (IPM), which combines a variety of tactics such as cultural, biological and chemical controls, host plant resistance and crop monitoring to keep pests below crop-damaging levels. Because of his IPM work and other accomplishments, Adkisson shared the 1997 World Food Prize with Dr. Ray F. Smith of Lafayette, Calif. The award recognizes individuals whose work has improved the quantity, quality and availability of the world's food supply. IPM has an estimated $340 million annual impact on the Texas economy and is a key to the state's annual agricultural production, according to the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Adkisson also has been the recipient of numerous other prizes, awards and honors, including Outstanding Leader in Agriculture by Alpha Zeta, agriculture's professional fraternity; the Wolf Prize; Alexander von Humboldt award; and the American Agricultural Editors Association award for outstanding contributions to American agriculture.
Adkisson attended the University of Arkansas as an undergraduate and graduate student. He received his doctorate from Kansas State University in 1956. In 1958, he became a professor of entomology at Texas A&M.