William Brown (plant pathologist)

He studied Botrytis cinerea, which causes grey mould in a variety of plants, and various Fusarium species that attack apples.

[5]: 172–173, 175 In 1910–12, Brown worked as a lecturer in plant physiology at Edinburgh's department of botany,[1][2] and during this period he may also have taught at Heriot-Watt College.

Brown retired from Imperial in 1953, becoming an emeritus professor, and in 1954 held a visiting professorship at Cornell University in the United States.

On his return he largely gave up scientific work but served as the assistant editor of the Journal of Horticultural Science until 1969.

[1][5]: 149  Notable students include Geoff Baylis, John Colhoun, Denis Garrett, Philip H. Gregory, Lilian E. Hawker, Michael F. Madelin and Ronald K. S.

[1][2] He used Botrytis cinerea as a model system, which causes grey mould, a type of fungal soft rot, in many different plants; he chose lettuce and broad bean for hosts.

[1][2] In experiments with various species of mould that spoil stored apples, he studied the effect on fungal germination and growth of factors including oxygen and carbon dioxide levels and temperature.

He showed that high carbon dioxide and low temperature each separately inhibit germination and growth, but the greatest effect is achieved using both measures together.

[1][3][4] In the 1930s his research focus shifted to field studies of plant diseases, particularly those afflicting local market-garden produce, mainly lettuce but also potatoes, sea kale and carnations.

[1] In 1921, Brown married Lucy Doris Allen (1895–1966), a botanist, biochemist and chemist with a degree from Bedford College, London, who was the daughter of a shipping agent.