Dr. Rulon S. Albrechtsen

Rulon S. Albrechtsen, Professor of Plant Science at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, retired at the end of April 2000 after more than 30 years with Utah State University and more than 36 years total academic plant breeding service.

Rulon was born in the living room of his childhood home in Emery, Utah and grew up on the family farm. He was influenced in his career by a high school vocational agriculture teacher and by many of his professors at the Utah State Agricultural College where he graduated with a B.S. in agronomy in 1956, followed by a Masters degree in plant breeding in 1957. He went to work with the USDA in Logan in the safflower breeding program and it was then that he met Karma Hooper who, in 1959, became his wife. They have been married now for over forty years and have raised 6 children and have 14, going on 16, grandchildren.

Rulon completed his Ph.D. from Purdue University in genetics and plant breeding in 1965. He accepted an assistant professor position as the flax breeder at South Dakota State University and became associate professor in 1966. While at SDSU, Rulon released one flax and two oat cultivars. In 1969, Rulon moved to Utah State University in Logan, as professor of plant science, to head up the spring barley and spring wheat breeding programs. Over his tenure at USU, he has improved germplasm and released superior cultivars as well as mentoring junior faculty and graduate students, and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses.

In addition to the material released from SDSU, Rulon has been author or co-author on over 100 publications and has released four spring wheat varieties, eight spring barley varieties, and has cooperated in the release of five winter wheat varieties. These have included Rick wheat, Promontory and USU Apogee wheat, and Century, Statehood, Brigham, and Millennium barley.

Rulon is an accomplished woodworker and plans to spend more time with his growing family as well as enjoying gardening. His contributions as a geneticist, plant breeder, teacher, and colleague have been, and continue to be, greatly appreciated.

Summit Flax 1965

Ortley Oats 1963

Kota Oats 1969

Powell Spring Wheat 1979

Wynn Spring Wheat 1982

Rick Spring Wheat 1988

Sylvan Spring Wheat 1994

Deawn Spring Barley 1973

Bracken Spring Barley 1980

Rollo Spring Barley 1991

Walker Spring Barley 1991

Century Spring Barley 1996

Statehood Spring Barley 1996

Brigham Spring Barley 1998

Millenium Spring Barley 2000

Cooperative:

Promontory Winter Wheat 1991

Garland Winter Wheat 1993

Utah-100 Winter Wheat 1996

USU Apogee Space Wheat 1997

Golden Spike Winter Wheat 2000