Dr. Allen Knutson Receives 1998 Distinguished Achievement Award

Dr. Allen E. Knutson, agricultural entomologist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service based in Dallas, has received the 1998 Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Knutson was presented with the award at the national meeting of the ESA last month in Las Vegas.

“What sets Dr. Knutson apart is his ability to determine farmers’ needs and design both education and research to neet those needs,” said Ray Frisbie, head of Texas A&M’s entomology department in College Station. “His work is appreciated by the agriculture industry he serves, but he also has earned the respect of the scientific community for his high quality research.”

Dr. Knutson has developed a field guide for cotton, Recognizing the Good Bugs in Cotton, and A Field Guide to the Insects and Mites Associated with Pecans. His work on the pecan nut casebearer is estimated to have helped Alabama growers alone avoid a 40 to 50 percent crop loss. Knutson developed a monitoring tool using the insect’s attraction pheromone to predict the rate of infestation so the farmers knew when to scout their orchards and determine whether or not to apply pesticides.

Knutson helps farmers use advanced knowledge to prevent the “just in case” use of chemicals. He has been a leader in using new technologies to maximize the effect of beneficial insects as a natural pest control method.

“This award goes to the most outstanding extension entomologist of the year,” said Chester Fehlis, deputy director of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. “It’s very rare that a nominee receives it on the very first try but Dr. Knutson’s entomology work both in Extension outreach with the agricultural community and his well-respected applied research are impressive. We are very proud of him.”

Knutson also was a winner of the Clean Texas 2000 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in 1995 and the Extension Superior Service Award and Ag Program Deputy Chancellor’s Award in Excellence.

Close Window