Charlotte Elliott (botanist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charlotte Elliott
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| Born | 1883 |
| Died | 1974 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Stanford University; University of Wisconsin, Madison |
| Known for | research on plant disease vectors |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | botany, plant physiology |
| Institutions | USDA |
| Patrons | Erwin Frink Smith |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | C.Elliott |
Charlotte Elliott (1883-1974) was an important American scientist who studied plants. She was a plant physiologist, which means she learned how plants work and grow. Charlotte was especially interested in tiny living things called bacteria that make plants sick.
She wrote a very useful book called Manual of Bacterial Plant Pathogens. This book helped many other scientists understand plant diseases. Charlotte Elliott was also the first woman to earn a Ph.D. (a very high degree) in botany from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Contents
Early Life and School
Charlotte Elliott was born in Berlin, Wisconsin, in 1883. She loved learning about living things.
College Years
In 1907, she finished her first college degree in zoology (the study of animals) at Stanford University. After that, she taught biology for a few years at a school in Spearfish. She also took extra classes during the summers at the University of Chicago.
Charlotte went back to Stanford to study plant physiology even more. She earned her master's degree in 1913. She was offered a job there, but she decided to return to Wisconsin to be with her family.
Advanced Studies
From 1914 to 1916, she taught at South Dakota State College. But Charlotte wanted to learn even more about plant diseases. She became a research assistant at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Then, she went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison to get her Ph.D.
In 1918, Charlotte Elliott made history. She became the first woman to complete the Ph.D. program in botany at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. For her Ph.D. project, she studied a disease called halo blight that affects oats.
Working as a Scientist
After finishing her studies, Charlotte Elliott was asked to join the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). She worked there as a phytobacteriologist. This is a scientist who studies bacteria that harm plants. She wrote many important papers about her discoveries.
Discovering Plant Disease Causes
One of her most important discoveries was about a disease called Stewart's Wilt that affects corn. She found out that tiny insects called flea beetles carry the disease from one corn plant to another. These insects are like vectors because they spread the sickness.
Her research helped scientists predict how bad the corn disease would be each year. They could guess by looking at how many flea beetles survived the winter. If many beetles lived, the disease would likely be worse. Charlotte also found and described several new types of bacteria that cause plant diseases.
Writing a Key Book
Charlotte Elliott wrote a very important book called Manual of Bacterial Plant Pathogens. It was first published in 1930 and updated in 1951. Even today, scientists still use her book to learn about plant diseases.
In 1942, she was chosen to be the president of the Botanical Society of Washington. Charlotte Elliott passed away in 1974, leaving behind a great legacy in plant science.
See also
In Spanish: Charlotte Elliott para niños
