Preface

 One sweltering summer afternoon in a cotton field near Phoenix, Arizona, Donald W. Roberts noticed caterpillars defoliating the plants. In 1953, Twenty-year old Don was working a summer job to gain experience in applied ento­mology. He had just completed a year of entomology courses at Arizona State College, and this was his second summer working with Arizona Fertilizers, a com­mercial distributor of agricultural chemicals. Thus, Don figured that he knew what the farmer should do, so he commented to his boss, Ben Fuhriman, “I guess this farmer will have to use insecticides.”

Fuhriman replied, “Let’s wait.” Don saw no reason why the farmer should wait, but Fuhriman, as co-owner of the company, had much more experience and training than Don did. They returned the next week to find a field full of dead insects. The caterpillars were hanging limp with their bodies breaking open and oozing brown liquid. The leaves of the cotton plants had almost no damage. Don asked Fuhriman what had killed the insects, because it appeared to work as well as any of the chemical insecticides they were selling. Fuhriman answered, “Oh that was an octahedral disease.” Actually, it was a naturally occurring nucleo­polyhedrosis virus, which had destroyed the insects.

 “What’s known about the virus?” Don asked curiously.

“Almost nothing, this is one of the viral diseases of insects, and there are hundreds of them. But not much information is available on them.”

Don replied, “Well, if I ever get the chance, I’m going to find out about these diseases.” This vivid demonstration of the potential effect of disease on insect populations sparked Don’s desire to know about insect pathogens.[2,3,4]

This boy from a working-class family went on to become an internationally known insect pathologist. His interest in insects and an inspirational mycology teacher steered him towards the field. Then Don was fortunate enough to study under the father of insect pathology, Dr. Edward Steinhaus, at the University of California at Berkeley.

Insect pathology is the study of insect diseases, most commonly diseases caused by microbial pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Don specialized in fungal pathogens of insects such as Metarhizium, Beauveria, Coelomomyces, and Lagenidium. He also helped to discover and to complete early research on Amsacta moorei entomopoxvirus.

 Insect pathogens can be used in biological control of insect pests, instead of chemical insecticides. Biological insecticides are safer to the environment and sometimes attack only the desired pest. However, they kill at a slower rate and usually leave some insect pests behind. For these reasons, and the fact the chemical insecticides are more profitable for the politically powerful chemical companies, biological insecticides are not used as frequently as chemical insecticides. Nevertheless, Don made it his mission in life to increase knowledge about and use of biological insecticides throughout the world.

 Due to Don’s hard work and leadership, the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI) became a leading global center for insect pathology research. His dedication and enthusiasm inspired several other scientists at the Institute to switch their major research emphasis to insect pathogens. As a result, from the 1970s through the 1990s, BTI had one of the top research groups world­wide in fungal and viral insect pathogens. He was instrumental in building the ARSEF collection of fungal pathogens. Don also organized many important con­ferences and workshops, which helped highlight both the subject and BTI.

Don was responsible for many breakthroughs in insect pathology in his BTI laboratories in Yonkers and, later, in Ithaca, New York. He trained, supported, and inspired many researchers to investigate insect pathogens and their practical applications. His laissez-faire style of administration allowed those working for him the freedom to explore their hypotheses and really learn how to do science for themselves. Scientists from all over the world came to do research in the Roberts’ lab. Many current and past leaders in the field of insect-pathological fungi worked with Don.

In addition to the basic research conducted in his laboratory, Don worked internationally to increase the use of insect-pathogenic fungi for biological control. He had research projects in the United States, Nigeria, India, the Philippines, and Brazil. He also traveled the world collecting fungal pathogens and giving presentations. Partially due to Don, Brazil ranks first in the world in the use of insect-pathogenic fungi for biological control. [5] Because of his interna­tional work, his reputation abroad may be even stronger than in the United States.

During his extensive travels, mostly in the developing world, Don experienced adventures such as wading barefoot through Chinese rice fields, being robbed at knifepoint twice in Africa, getting pickpocketed in Brazil, and enduring several close calls in airplanes. Don found humor in almost every situa­tion, including those that are frightening. This enabled him to continue with his missions despite setbacks and poor conditions.

At the time in life when most people retire, Don moved his laboratory across the country to Utah State University. There he continued to explore the physi­ology of insect-pathogenic fungi and its use for biological control. He also delved into a completely new subject when he initiated a research program on the parasite that causes Whirling Disease in fish.

Don’s knack for successfully finding grant money enabled him to fund this basic and applied re­search. He received support from dozens of na­tional and inter­national gov­ern­ment and private funding agencies.