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Stephen O. Duke is the 2022 Sterling B. Hendricks Memorial Lecturer.
Distinguished Scientist Stephen O. Duke Presents the 2022 Sterling B. Hendricks Memorial Lecture at ACS Fall Meeting
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CHICAGO, August 23, 2022—"Natural compounds for the health of plants, humans and the environment" is the title of plant physiologist Stephen O. Duke's presentation as the 2022 ARS Sterling B. Hendricks Memorial Lecture, delivered today at 11 a.m. at the American Chemical Society fall meeting in Chicago.
"Microbes, insects and plants all produce secondary metabolites—natural compounds that are not essential for growth, development or reproduction—which are the result of the producing organisms evolving to better cope with abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors that make up its environment. We understand relatively little about the roles of these molecules in chemical ecology, but the discovery of many pesticides, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals are based on these natural compounds," he said during the lecture.
Duke is internationally renowned for his basic and applied research on natural products as the sources of pesticides as well as for his research on herbicide biochemical and physiological modes of action. His research has significantly influenced companies involved in pesticide discovery, and he is currently a consultant for both large and small herbicide discovery companies. He is especially recognized for his extensive research on the herbicide glyphosate and glyphosate-resistant weeds and crops.
Duke has made extensive contributions to the biochemical management of weeds including his more than 500 refereed journal articles and book chapters and twelve books, and more than 400 invited scientific lectures and presentations. The impact of Duke's research and his publications is highlighted by his nearly 40,000 citations, more than 14,000 of which have come in just the last 5 years.
He was one of the first researchers to discover that protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors, which are primarily contact-type, post-emergence, broadleaf weed herbicides, work by causing the accumulation of peroxidative agents that cause the breakdown of cell membranes. His methods for detecting PPO inhibition in vivo were adopted by the agrochemical industry.
While his earlier research focused on weed physiology and herbicides, his more recent activities have expanded to include all chemicals associated with pest management, with emphasis on naturally occurring compounds. Duke's discoveries have advanced scientific understanding regarding the modes of action of mosquito repellants, antimalarial compounds and natural compounds that control algae, fungi and mollusks. His extensive international efforts include recommendations to South American governments on herbicide use that have been used to reduce illicit drug production.
Today, Duke is a principal scientist at the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. This follows his 54-year career with the U.S. Department's Agricultural Research Service. In 2017, he became one of only two weed scientists to be inducted into the ARS Science Hall of Fame.
Among Duke's many other honors and awards are being elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA). He has served as President of the Southern Weed Science Society, WSSA, the International Weed Science Society (IWSS) and the International Allelopathy Society, as well as Chair of the Agrochemicals Division of ACS. Other honors include the Molisch Award (IAS) and the Outstanding International Achievement award (IWSS).
He has been Editor-in-Chief of the journal Pest Management Science since 2012.
The Sterling B. Hendricks Lecture was established in 1981 by ARS to honor the memory of Sterling B. Hendricks (1902-1981) and to recognize scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the chemical science of agriculture. Hendricks contributed to many diverse scientific disciplines, including plant physiology, soil science, mineralogy, agronomy, geology, and chemistry. He is most frequently remembered for discovering phytochrome, the light-activated molecule that regulates many plant processes. More information about the Sterling B. Hendricks Lecture is available at www.ars.usda.gov/research/lectures/hendricks/.
The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.
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