SDSU honors wheat pioneer whose Hope variety changed global agriculture
South Dakota State University (SDSU) is preparing to honor the life and achievements of renowned wheat breeder Edgar McFadden with the dedication of a new sculpture celebrating his contributions to agriculture.
The sculpture, titled H.O.P.E. A Helix of Resilience: The Life, Journey and Legacy of Edgar S. McFadden, recognizes a scientist whose work transformed wheat production and improved food security around the world. The public dedication ceremony and reception will welcome university leaders, agricultural industry representatives, and community members.
“We honor Edgar McFadden and give our campus a lasting way to recognize an SDSU pioneer whose vision changed agriculture worldwide,” said Joe Cassady, SD Corn Endowed Dean of the SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. “The sculpture will invite students, faculty, staff and visitors to reflect on how one person’s perseverance and discovery can create an enduring legacy of hope.”
McFadden was a graduate of South Dakota State University and later became the institution's official plant breeder. During the early years of his career, funding for his position was cut, but he remained committed to helping farmers. He even mortgaged his farm to continue research aimed at developing wheat varieties that could resist damaging rust diseases.
His determination led to the development of a new wheat variety called Hope in 1925. Although the variety was not the highest yielding, it showed strong resistance to both stem rust and leaf rust, two diseases that threatened wheat crops. This breakthrough provided farmers with a more reliable crop and laid the foundation for future wheat breeding advancements.
Over the following years, breeders used Hope genetics to create improved wheat varieties with higher yields while maintaining disease resistance. By the late 1930s, Hope's genetic influence had spread widely across wheat-growing regions.
“Edgar McFadden transformed a boyhood determination to defeat the wheat disease known as ‘rust’ into Hope — a rust-resistant wheat that changed the world,” said Cassady, chair of the McFadden Endowment Board. “His legacy reflects the power of persistence, scientific curiosity and an unwavering commitment to serving South Dakota’s farmers.”
Historians have credited the variety with helping support food production during a critical period in world history, while estimates suggest it prevented starvation for millions of people and significantly reduced crop losses.
Today, more than a century after its development, Hope's genetic legacy continues to appear in many modern wheat varieties. Its impact remains an important part of agricultural science and crop improvement.
The newly commissioned sculpture, created by artist Reinaldo Correa, serves as a lasting tribute to McFadden's perseverance, innovation, and dedication to farmers. University officials say the monument will inspire future generations to recognize how scientific research and determination can create solutions that benefit people around the world.
Photo Credit: South Dakota State University