Dr. Milton C. Rush

Eat Purple For Your Health!
Blanca Isabel
Dr. Milton Rush

“My dad worked at the Rice Research Station in Crowley for 39 years, and developing such a high-quality, healthy rice was his dream,” Claudia says. “He made us promise that if the business takes off that we will keep the rice production in Louisiana. He was a big supporter of Louisiana rice farmers.”

Claudia Rush

A portion of our profit goes to LSU "M. C. “Chuck” Rush Plant Pathology Teaching Laboratory Fund"

Dr. Milton Rush

2003 "Sedberry Award – Outstanding Graduate Teacher in the College of Agriculture” from the Louisiana State University College of Agriculture.

2002 “Diversity in the Workplace Award” from the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station and the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.

2002 “Distinguished Rice Research and Education Team Award” from the Rice Technical Working Group.

1998 "Outstanding Plant Pathologist in the Southern Division of the American Phytopathology Society - 1997” from the American Phytopathological Society.

1995 "Doyle Chambers Research Award" from the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station and the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.

1994 "Distinguished Rice Research and Education Award" from the Rice Technical Working Group.

1989-1990 “Award for "Outstanding Contributions to Graduate Education" from the Department of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology Graduate Student Association.

1989 “Distinguished Academy Scientist Award" from the Louisiana Academy of Sciences.

Book Chapter and Refereed Journal Articles
Shahjahan, A. K. M., M. C. Rush, and D. E. Groth. 2001. Phylloplane yeasts as potential biocontrol agents for rice sheath blight disease. Pp. 235-252. In: S. Sreenivasaprasad and R. Johnson, (Ed.), Major Fungal Diseases of Rice Recent Advances. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands. 365pp.

Rodrigues F. A., L. E. Datnoff, G. H. Korndorfer, K. W. Seebold, and M. C. Rush. 2001. Effect of silicon and host resistance on sheath blight development in rice. Plant Dis. 85:827-832.

Rush, M. C., A. K. M. Shahjahan, and J. P. Jones. 2000. Outbreak of false smut of rice in Louisiana. Plant Dis. 84: 100.

Pan, X. B., J. H. Zou, Z. X. Chen, J. F. Lu, H. X. Yu, H. T. Li, Z. B. Wang, X. Y. Pan, M. C. Rush, L. H. Zhu. 1999. Tagging major quantitative trait loci for sheath blight resistance in a rice variety, Jasmine 85. Chinese Science Bulletin 44: 1783-1789.

Pan, X. B., M. C. Rush, X. Y. Sha, S. D. Linscombe, S. R. Stetina, and J. Oard. 1999. Major gene, nonallelic sheath blight resistance from the rice varieties Jasmine 85 and Teqing. Crop Sci. 39:338-346.

Rush, M. C., Q. J. Xie, S. S. Croughan, S. D. Linscombe, J. Narvaez, and S. R. Stetina. 1998. Clonal variation in cereals and forage grasses. Pp. 39-64 In: S. M. Jain, B. S. Ahloowalia, and D. S. Brar (Eds.), Somaclonal Variation and Induced Mutation in Crop Improvement. Kluwer Academic.

Pan, X. B. and M. C. Rush. 1997. Studies in the U.S. on genetics and breeding of resistance to rice sheath blight. J. Jiangsu Agric. Coll. 18:57-63.

Prabhu, A. S. and M. C. Rush. 1997. Differential sensitivity of callus derived from immature panicles of rice cultivars to the non-specific toxin of Pyricularia grisea. Plant Cell Tiss. Org. Cult. 50:13-18.

Xie, Q. J., M. C. Rush, and S.D. Linscomb. 1996. Inheritance of homozygous somaclonal variation in rice. Crop Sci. 36: 1491-1495.

Xie, Q. J., M. C. Rush, and J. H. Oard. 1995. Homozygous variation in rice somaclones: Nonrandom variation instead of mitotic recombination. Crop Sci. 35: 954-957.

Xie, Q. J., J. H. Oard, and M. C. Rush. 1995. Genetic analysis of an unstable, colored-hull rice mutation derived for rice tissue culture. J. Heredity 86: 154-156.

Rush, M. C. 1992. Seedling diseases, pp. 12-14. In: Compendium of Rice Diseases. Ed. Webster, R. K. and Gunnell, P.S., APS Press; St. Paul, MN. 62p.

Rush, M. C. and Lee, F. N. 1992. Sheath blight, pp. 22-23. In: Compendium of Rice Diseases. Ed. Webster, R. K. and Gunnell, P.S., APS Press; St. Paul, MN. 62p.

Rush, M. C. 1992. Sheath spot, pp.23-24 In: Compendium of Rice Diseases. Ed. Webster, R. K. and Gunnell, P.S., APS Press; St. Paul, MN. 62p.

Cao, J., Rush, M. C., Nabors, M., Xie, Q. J., Croughan, T. P., and E. Nowick.1991. Development and inheritance of somaclonal variation in rice. p. 385-419. In: S. K. Dutta and Charles Sloger, (Eds.), Biological Nitrogen Fixation Associated with Rice Production. Oxford and IBH Publishing, New Delhi, India.

Groth, D. E., M. C. Rush, and G. D. Lindberg. 1990. Foliar fungicides for Control of Rice Diseases in the United States. p. 31-52. In: B. T. Grayson, et al. (Eds.). Pest Management in Rice. Elsevier Applied Science, London and New York.

Moriconi, D. N., M. C. Rush, and H. Flores. 1990. Tomatillo: a potential vegetable crop for Louisiana p. 407-413. In: J. Janick and J. E. Simon (Eds.). Advances In New Crops. Timber Press Portland.

Rush, M. C. and R. W. Schneider. 1990. Chemical control of seedling diseases of rice in Louisiana, p. 53-70. In: B. T. Grayson, et al. (Eds.). Pest Management in Rice. Elsevier Applied Science, London and New York.

Xie, Q. J., M. C. Rush, and J. Cao. 1990. Somaclonal variation for disease resistance in rice (Oryzae sativa L.), p. 491-509. In: B. T. Grayson, et al. (Eds.). Pest Management in Rice. Elsevier Applied Science, London and New York.

Annual Reports
Shao, Q. M, S.D. Linscombe, and M. C. Rush.2002. Allelic analysis of transgenic rice plants from ‘ Taipei 309’ and ‘Nipponbare’. Proc. 29th Rice Tech. Working Group. Little Rock , AR. February 24-27, 2002 . P.61.

Oard, S., M. C. Rush, and J. H. Oard. 2002. Changes in membrane and nuclear integrity of the fungus Rhizoctonia solani after in vitro exposure to lytic peptides. Proc. 29th Rice Tech. Working Group. Little Rock , AR. February 24-27, 2002 . P. 90-91.

Abstracts in Proceedings
Cheng, G., A. K. M. Shahjahan, L.Y. Yuan, and M. C. Rush. 2002. Distinguishing among isolates of Burkholderia glumae, B. gladioli, B. plantarii, and B. cepacia from rice. Proc. 29th Rice Tech. Working Group. Little Rock , AR. February 24-27, 2002 . P.94.

Rush, M. C., A. K. M. Shahjahan, and D. E. Groth. 1999. In-vitro and in-vivo evaluation of chemicals for controlling rice panicle blight caused by Burkholderia glumae (Kurita et Tabei). Ann. Res. Rept., Rice Res. Sta., LA State Univ. Agri. Centr. 91: 416-427.

Bulletins
Groth, D. E., Rush, M. C., Giesler, G. G., and Hollier, C.A. 1993. Foliar Fungicides for Use in the Management of Rice Diseases. Bull. No. 840. Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA. 44 p.

Groth, D. E., Rush, M. C., and Hollier, C.A. 1991. Rice Diseases and Disorders in Louisiana. Bull. No. 828. Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 37p.

Abstracts in Proceedings
Shao, Q.M., M.C. Rush, D. Groth, and S. D. Linscombe. 2003. Potential for using Liberty herbicide as a fungicide to control sheath blight rice on transgenic cultivars. Louisiana Plant Protection Association Louisiana Association of Agronomy, Baton Rouge LA. Pp13. Shao, Q.M., S. D. Linscombe, D. E. Groth, Y. Xiao, and M.C. Rush. 2003. Effect of Liberty applications on hyphal growth R. in vitro and on transgenic rice as determined by electron microscopy. Louisiana Plant Protection Association Louisiana Association of Agronomy, Baton Rouge, LA. Pp12. Semi-Technical Articles

Shahjahan, A. K. M., D. E. Groth, C. A. Clark, S. D. Linscombe, and M. C. Rush. 2000. Epidemiological studies on panicle blight of rice: critical stage of infection and the effect of infected seeds on disease development and yield of rice. Proc. Rice Tech. Work. Group 28:77. (Biloxi, MS: Feb. 27 - March 1,2000).

Shao, Q. M., S.D. Linscombe, E. C. Achberger, and M. C. Rush. 2000. Inheritance of the Bar and hygromycin genes in transformed Taipei 309 and Nipponbare. Proc. Rice Tech. Work. Group 28:46. (Biloxi, MS: Feb. 27 - March 1,2000).

Shao, Q. M., S.D. Linscombe, X. Y. Sha, and M. C. Rush. 2000. Transfer of the Bar gene from transgenic Taipei 309 and Nipponbare into U. S. commercial rice varieties through repeated backcrosses. Proc. Rice Tech. Work. Group 28:53. (Biloxi, MS: Feb .27 - March 1,2000).

Rush, M. C., A. K. M. Shahjahan, and D. E. Groth. 2000. Potential for management of panicle blight through seed treatment and foliar application of pesticides. Proc. Rice Tech. Work. Group 28:81. (Biloxi , MS : Feb. 27 - March 1, 2000) .

Semi-Technical Articles
Rush, M. C., Q. M. Shao,Shuli Zhang, A. K. M.Shahjahan, Kathy O’Reilly, Ding Shih, Donald Groth and Steven D. Linscombe. 2004. Biotechnology and control of rice diseases. Louisiana Agriculture 46:20-22.

Shahjahan, A. K. M., M. C. Rush, Don Groth and Chris Clark. 2000. Panicle blight. Rice Journ. 103: 26-28.

Professional Society Memberships:

  • American Phytopathological Society
  • Virology Paper Session Chairman, 1975
  • Southern Division, American Phytopathological Society
  • Local Arrangements Committee, 1981
  • Rice Technical Working Group
  • Plant Protection Panel Moderator, 1974, 1984
  • Awards Committee, 1978
  • Germplasm Advisory Committee, 1982, 1984
  • Local Arrangements Committee, 1976, 1984
  • Louisiana Plant Protection Association Constitution Committee
  • Vice-President, 1977-78, 1981-82
  • Program Committee Chairman, 1982
  • President 1982-83
  • President 1990-91

Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University - 1970

M.S. in Plant Pathology, University of Arizona - 1966

B.S. in Plant Pathology, University of Arizona - 1964

Tribute to Dr. Milton Rush

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, today I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the distinguished teacher and agricultural scientist, Dr. Milton C. Rush. Dr. Rush devoted his career to his students, his research, and his tireless efforts to protect and enhance one of our most important sources of nutrition. Dr. Rush began his career in rice pathologies in 1970 as a professor at Louisiana State University after receiving a doctor of philosophy degree in plant pathology from North Carolina State University. For the next 40 years at Louisiana State University, Dr. Rush has provided the agricultural community with invaluable research on rice pathology that has greatly benefited farmers throughout the State of Louisiana and the Nation.

Under his leadership, the LSU rice program experienced its greatest years of agricultural research expansion and development. Through his years of service as an educator and pathologist, Dr. Rush created enduring changes in a wide breadth of research and direction to impact and improve the lives of countless students, rice growers, and consumers within and throughout his community.

Perhaps Dr. Rush’s greatest accomplishment came in his development of a new rice variety, which he named after his beloved wife, Blanca Isabel. This new high-yielding, early harvest, long-grain rice variety was the culmination of decades of research focusing on the epidemiology and control of rice diseases, rice tissue transformation, and the breeding of disease-resistant rice strains. This new purple rice is bred in Louisiana and contains anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. His outstanding development of a more healthful and nutritious variety of rice will continue to provide unparalleled benefits to the citizens and communities of Louisiana and the Nation, delivering an improved alternative for generations to come.

Dr. Rush has been honored frequently during his distinguished career. Among these honors are the Florence Avalon Daggett Professorship in Rice Pathology, the LSU AgCenter’s Distinguished Service Award, the Sedberry Award for outstanding graduate professorship, memberships to the American Phytopathological Society, the Rice Technical Working Group, the Germplasm Advisory Committee, and two terms as president of the Louisiana Plant Protection Association Constitution Committee.

Dr. Rush’s career leaves a legacy of accomplishment and dedication to his family and all those who are a part of the agricultural communities that his tireless work impacted. Dr. Rush has been and continues to be an inspiration to all those who have benefited from his decades of service to the field of rice pathology. It is with my heartfelt and greatest sincerity that I ask my colleagues to join me along with Dr. Rush’s family in recognizing the life and many accomplishments of this incredible mentor, professor, and agricultural scientist, as well as his lasting impact throughout the Nation.