Dr. L. W. “Pete” Timmer Receives CREC Distinguished Professorship Award

Dr. and Mrs. Pete Timmer
photo by Jan Syvertsen

Kathy Snyder

LAKE ALFRED - The CREC is fortunate in having a program to recognize members of our faculty who have achieved significant accomplishment during their careers. Recently, Dr. Pete Timmer, Professor of Plant Pathology, was selected as the second recipient of the Citrus Research and Education Center Distinguished Professorship. This endowed award is offered to a
CREC faculty member in ecognition of sustained outstanding performance and contribution. Dr. Timmer was nominated by peers and was selected
for his career-long contributions to citrus pathology in research as well as his leadership role in providing timely information on citrus diseases and their
management through extension to citrus growers in Florida and throughout the world.

Pete has been an exceptionally innovative and effective researcher of numerous pathogens of citrus. He has published on and made major contributions to our knowledge for no less than 9 disease systems, some of which include systemic diseases such as citrus psorosis virus and citrus blight; Phytophthora a soil-borne
disease; foliage and fruit diseases that include postbloom fruit drop, Alternaria, greasy spot, scab-melanose, and canker. “Very soon after my arrival at CREC, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Pete in research on Blight, Phytophthora, and Mycorrhizas. I am privileged to be a very small part of Pete’s mountain of contributions in citrus pathology,” stated Dr. James Graham, Professor of Soil
Microbiology at CREC.

In recent years, Pete accepted increased responsibility for extension. He assumed a major role in the improvement and publication of the Citrus Pest Management Guide over the last several years. For years, he has presented many talks at extension meetings, maintained a webpage of useful information for the industry, and had a hotline with frequent updates of disease situations. Recently, he has been active in development and delivery of information on canker and greening disease.

Peres (left) and Timmer (right) discuss
examine citrus for diseases

Pete’s knowledge of citrus diseases is widely sought after by international colleagues and students through research collaborations, training programs, and research program evaluations. One former student and now Assistant Professor at Gulf Coast REC - Balm, Dr. Natalia Peres, expressed, “In a few words, I would say that Pete is the example that I’ve set for my career but I will be already happy if I accomplish 1/10 of what he has accomplished. He is not only an extraordinary professional but a wonderful person, truly an example to be followed.”

For the Florida citrus industry, Pete’s research and extension programs are strategically interwoven. His career is an excellent example of how a plant pathologist with a research/extension appointment should function. His research is oriented toward problem-solving and development of practical information that is immediately useful to the citrus industry. Pete has authored over 300 reports in scientific journals, extension fact sheets, trade magazines, and book chapters. He is editor of the Citrus Pest Management Guide, and is lead editor for American Phytopathology Society publications on citrus diseases and their management. Pete has been active
on the editorial board of Phytopathology and Plant Disease. He has served on international boards dealing with tropical plant pathology and exotic pathogen regulation. He has actively served the profession of plant pathology at CREC and department in Gainesville serving as President of the Florida Phytopathological
Society. In recognition of his excellence in research and extension and service to Plant Pathology, Dr. Timmer was honored as an APS Fellow in 2000. Pete also has demonstrated administrative prowess by serving as Assistant Director of CREC from 1991-93 and has been instrumental in oversight responsibility for the CREC
grove operations.

For his innovative research contributions, his leadership in citrus pathology extension, and his service to CREC and Florida citrus industry, we recognize Pete Timmer as a Citrus Research and Education Center Distinguished Professor.