Chronica - Acta Horticulturae

FELLOWSHIP AWARD
Dr. John Palmer has succeeded in bringing
together the applied field research directly
focused on the needs of growers with a mechanistic
understanding of tree physiology. The
New Zealand pipfruit industry of today shows
just how successful he has been in applying his
scientific knowledge to meet the needs of growers.
John Palmer received his first degree (BSc
1st Hons) in 1966 from the University of
Nottingham, School of Agriculture at Sutton
Dr. John Palmer (left), receiving the
Fellowship Award from Dr. John Lancashire,
President of the NZIAHS.
Bonington, specialising in plant physiology and
horticulture. These two specialties, plant
physiology and horticulture, have remained
consistent throughout his career. After leaving
Sutton Bonington, he went to the Institute of
Agricultural Research at Samaru, Zaria,
Northern Nigeria for two years under the UK
Ministry of Overseas Development’s Study and
Serve Scheme. There he was awarded an MSc
by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for the work
undertaken.
His early work at East Malling in 1968 was on
artificial shading trials, studies of within-tree
variation in shade and fruit quality and computer
modelling of light interception by solid
hedgerow canopies.
In 1972 he registered for an external PhD
degree at the University of Nottingham. The
thesis, awarded in 1976, was entitled
“Interception and utilisation of light by apple
orchards”.
In February 1991 he took up a position with
DSIR Fruit and Trees at Riwaka Research Station.
This was the beginning of the second half of his
career. He rapidly applied his expertise to the
needs of the New Zealand pipfruit industry. He
concluded that if the New Zealand pipfruit
industry were to maintain its premium price
position in the world markets, it needed to
further improve fruit quality and introduce new
cultivars as quickly as possible.
Dr. Palmer has also continued his research into
fundamental aspects of crop management
associated with orchard systems and apple tree
productivity and fruit quality. Although he knew
that considerable improvements to fruit quality
could be achieved by major changes to orchard
production systems, he considered that additional
improvements could be made by better
understanding the relationship between fruit
quality and both the environment and the
crop load on the tree. To investigate the interrelationships
between the environment and fruit
quality, large chambers were built to examine
the gas exchange of whole trees.
From 1998 to 2000 he was the programme leader
of the FRST Programme “Exploiting fruit
diversity”, which brought together much of the
pre-harvest physiology research in HortResearch
on kiwifruit, apples, pears, grapes and avocados.
In 2004 he was invited to participate in the
Taste ZESPRI Review, which broadened his
horizons further into kiwifruit. This was
followed by a literature review for ZESPRI on
kiwifruit dry matter.
John has been very active in scientific societies.
He was Convener of the very successful 7th
International Symposium on Orchard and
Plantation Systems, held in Nelson, New
Zealand in early 2000. His efforts can be properly
appreciated only by those who likewise have
organized international meetings or have edited
conference proceedings. He was also
Convener of the Symposium on “Enhancing
economic and environmental sustainability of
fruit production in a global economy” held at
the ISHS International Horticultural Congress in
Seoul, Korea in August 2006.
In 2000, he became a Council member of the
New Zealand Society of Horticultural Science
(NZHS). In 2001, he became Vice-President, and
in 2003, President of NZSHS, and later of
NZIAHS.
Norman Looney Receives Gold Veitch
Memorial Medal
The Society is delighted to report that Dr.
Norman Looney has been awarded the Gold
Veitch Memorial Medal by the Royal
Horticultural Society of the United Kingdom.
This prestigious award has been made in recognition
of his outstanding contributions to horticultural
science and education both internationally
and nationally. It is the only Royal
Horticultural Society award available to non-UK
horticultural scientists and is a great tribute to
his commitment to the ISHS and his dedication
to horticulture worldwide.
Norm Looney
receiving the
Gold Veitch
Memorial
Medal from
Penelope
Keith.
ISHS • 30