Dr. Edward Daniel Donnelly

Edward (Ed) Daniel Donnelly

Ed Donnelly of Auburn died August 19th, 2003 at the age of 83.Funeral services will be Friday, August 22, 2003, at 11:00 AM, at Frederick's Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Robbins Sims officiating.

Visitation will be from 10-11 AM, Friday, August 22, 2003, at Frederick's Funeral Home.

Dr. Donnelly was born December 5, 1919 in Springville, Alabama.He graduated from Alabama Polytechnic Institute August 24, 1946, with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and August 28, 1948 with a Master of Science in Agronomy.He graduated with a Ph.D. from Cornell University June 11, 1951 at Ithaca, New York.He was a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and held a membership in Phi Kappa Phi, Corp Science Society of America, Sigma Xi, Gamma Sigma Delta, and Fraternity of Alpha Zeta.Dr. Donnelly's education was interrupted by his combat service in World War II from 1942 to 1945.

Dr. Donnelly joined the Auburn University Faculty in 1951 in a position of Teaching and Research in Agronomy and Soils.He was a pioneer in the field of sericea and vetch and developed 5 varieties of the former and 6 varieties of the latter.He also was a developer of Regal ladino clover and was an early user of legume mutation breeding techniques.Dr. Donnelly worked closely with plant pathologist and nemotologists in incorporating disease and nematode and resistance in a number of varieties and breeding lines.His research produced a sericea that he named AU Lotan which contained more protein that benefited southeastern cattle production.He developed a variety of sericea called "Interstate" that provides an attractive ground holding cover for highway rights-of-way and other critical areas that require little nitrogen fertilization and mowing.Other Auburn-developed sericeas provide resistance to nematodes and provide nitrogen for crops such as corn.

Dr. Donnelly's distinguished career was brought to a close when he became Professor Emeritus of Agronomy and Soils, January 1, 1984.

Dr. Donnelly was preceded in death by his parents Edward Daniel Donnelly and Gussie Ruth Donnelly of Birmingham, Alabama.