Dr. Harold Wakefield Howard OBE (25 March 1913 - 1 January 1985) was a botanist, best known for breeding the Maris Piper potato variety, which was the first potato variety to be resistant to

potato cyst nematode Potato root nematodes or potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are 1-mm long roundworms belonging to the genus ''Globodera'', which comprises around 12 species. They live on the roots of plants of the family Solanaceae, such as potatoes and tomatoes. PCN c ...

s. Dr. Howard’s research at the

Plant Breeding Institute The Plant Breeding Institute was an agricultural research organisation in Cambridge in the United Kingdom between 1912 and 1987. Founding The institute was established in 1912 as part of the School of Agriculture at the University of Cambridge. ...

, Cambridge to develop a variety of potatoes resistant to the potato cyst nematodes was a significant scientific achievement, as this pest caused losses estimated at £30M annually, for this work he was awarded an

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1976. The Maris Piper potato variety is still the most popular potato variety in the UK. Howard also wrote a book on potato genetics "Genetics of the Potato: Solanum Tuberosum"

References

British agriculturalists British botanists Officers_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire {{UK-scientist-stub