Dr James Duncan, Plant Pathologist and Dundee Golf Captain

Plant pathologist Dr James Duncan, Jim to those who knew him, has died aged 78.

He spent over 30 years at the James Hutton Institute, formerly the Scottish Crop Research Institute, where he became head of the department of mycology and bacteriology.

In 2003, the year of his retirement, he obtained the MBE for services rendered to agricultural research.

Beginnings

Jim was born in the small mining village of Salsburgh, Lanarkshire, the youngest of five children.

He was educated at Shottskirk Primary School, then Airdrie Academy, after which he was admitted to Glasgow University.

After earning an honors degree in botany, he went on to study a bacterial disease of potato, Erwinia atroseptica, at university, earning his doctorate in 1969.

Canada

Subsequently, he pursued a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the National Research Council of Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Returning to Scotland in 1971, he took up a post as a plant pathologist at SCRI in Invergowrie.

There his research focused on tackling significant threats to the thriving soft fruit industry in Tayside and beyond.

fruit study

He has supported and advised local fruit growers and, through collaborations with scientists around the world, years of field work and careful laboratory analysis, has advanced the study of red pit disease. strawberry and raspberry root rot.

He has published a series of key articles on the biology and spread of Phytophthora pathogens and established detection protocols and management practices to both limit and prevent their impact.

Indeed, the Duncan Bait Test for Strawberry Red Pit has become the standard method in health testing of soft fruits.

Potato blight

Later in his career, he applied his knowledge of Phytophthora pathogens to the study of potato late blight and led many international projects to manage the disease.

One of Jim’s many strengths and a prominent characteristic of his warm, open and collaborative nature was in identifying and creating networks of scholars.

An inspiring and engaging scientist, his career has generated, in his own words, “a skilled body” of pathologists from Britain and abroad. Thus, the building of a European network of potato late blight researchers remains a legacy of his work to this day, some 18 years after his retirement.

Jim was an advocate for all SCRI staff in the 1980s, served as membership secretary of the British Society of Plant Pathology (BSPP) and later enjoyed the activities of the Scotia Club.

sport

Outside of work, he was also busy and pursued and enjoyed many interests. He read, loved his garden, loved sports, especially football, and was a former chairman of the Western Club.

His greatest passion, however, was golf. Over the years, he hit two holes in one and won several trophies much to his delight.

He was chairman of the Caledonian League for a few years, an exceptional junior organizer at Downfield Golf Club and served as captain there from 1998 to 2000.

His role in the Open Qualifying in 1999 helped put Downfield firmly on the golf map.

Wedding

Jim and his wife, Isabel, met in college, married in 1966, and later had two children; a daughter Margaret and a son William, of whom he was most proud.

Isabel said: “He was a wonderful man with a great sense of humour. He was smart, loving, witty, generous, kind and was truly the beacon of the family.

“Jim was an extremely interesting person, his knowledge was encyclopedic and he could always be counted on for a clear and strong opinion on an impressive range of subjects going beyond science, politics, history and music for example.

“Yet he remained modest and unassuming and endeared himself to everyone he knew and met.

“Above all, he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather to our four grandsons. He will be greatly missed and remembered fondly. »

You can read the family’s announcement here.