Donald Wyse

Donald Wyse was a professor in the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, contributing to Agricultural and Veterinary Science for 50 years. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University. During his tenure, he taught thousands of undergraduate students and advised over 100 graduate students. Wyse's research spanned management of invasive weeds, diversification of cropping systems, renewable energy systems, and the selection and breeding of winter annual and perennial crops, including perennial flax, pennycress, intermediate wheatgrass, sunflower, and hazelnut for oilseed, grain, forage, cut flower, and bioenergy uses.

As co-founder and co-director of the Forever Green Initiative, Wyse advanced the development of alternative crops and cropping systems providing continuous living cover on the landscape, delivering economic and environmental benefits to rural and urban communities. He published over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, authored two book chapters, secured 14 research patents, and obtained six plant variety patents. Key publications include "Soil microbial and plant biomass carbon allocation within perennial and annual grain cropping systems" (2025, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment), "Winter oilseeds show no detectable effect on soybean cyst nematode in Minnesota soybean-corn rotations" (2025, Agronomy Journal), "Field production of purple coneflower for beneficial phytochemicals" (2024, Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology), and "Selection of Perennial Flax (Linum spp.) for Yield and Reproductive Traits for the Oilseed Ideotype" (2024, Agronomy). His visionary contributions were honored with the 2025 Siehl Prize for Excellence in Agriculture in the Knowledge category and the 2019 University of Minnesota Outstanding Community Service Award. Wyse forged partnerships across agriculture, government, industry, and conservation sectors, earning international acclaim, including a feature in The New York Times as a pioneer in sustainable farming.

Professional Email: wysex001@umn.edu