AgriLife Research wheat breeder honored for 25 years of service to Texas producers
The Texas Wheat Producers Board honored Jackie Rudd, Ph.D., with its inaugural Texas Wheat Legacy Award at the 2025 Texas Wheat Partners Dinner on Dec. 2 in Amarillo.
Rudd is a Texas A&M AgriLife Research wheat breeder, Regents Fellow and professor in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. He is based at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Amarillo.
The Texas Wheat Legacy Award honors individuals who have made a lasting impact on the Texas wheat industry, according to Texas Wheat. Rudd, recognized for a distinguished career spent developing high-performing wheat varieties that deliver added value with every kernel.
Known statewide for his commitment to advancing TAM varieties, Rudd has created a legacy of genetics that will continue to shape Texas wheat production for generations, his award stated.
“Dr. Rudd’s legacy award underscores a body of work that exemplifies the mission of AgriLife Research,” said G. Cliff Lamb, Ph.D., director of AgriLife Research. “His remarkable career contributions continue to support thriving agriculture, natural resources, and abundant, affordable food and fiber products in Texas and beyond.”
Texas Wheat recognizes varietal work
Rudd’s work has resulted in the development of reliable varieties trusted by farmers across the state and beyond, according to Texas Wheat. He has focused his program on key research priorities including breeding for water-use efficiency, introgression forage and grain yield traits from ancient wheats, employing high-throughput phenotyping for biomass production, utilizing marker-assisted breeding to improve resistance to biotic and abiotic stress and enhancing bread-making quality.
“Dr. Rudd has a good understanding of the kinds of challenges farmers face every day and it shows through the wheat varieties he’s developed,” said Scott Born, a farmer from Ferris and chairman of the board. “His dedication to improving wheat genetics has led to real solutions that will benefit farmers’ bottom lines for years to come.”
In addition to breeding TAM wheat varieties, Rudd has served the Texas Wheat Producers Board as a valued partner for more than 20 years, consistently providing insight on emerging technologies and industry needs.
Steelee Fischbacher, executive director of the Texas Wheat Producers Board and Association, said Rudd’s enthusiasm for sharing knowledge and championing new research opportunities has long been appreciated by the board.
“His passion for wheat, combined with his vision, expertise and steady leadership, has not only advanced our wheat genetics but created meaningful, lasting benefits for Texas farmers,” Fischbacher said.
25 years of wheat breeding for Texas conditions
Rudd is the project leader of the hard winter wheat breeding program at the Center for Excellence for the High Plains and Rolling Plains of Texas. He has led scientific contributions to 16 small-grain varietal releases in Texas since his arrival: nine hard red winter wheats, four oat varieties, and two triticale varieties.
His early AgriLife Research releases were TAM 112 in 2005, TAM 304 and TAM 401 in 2008, TAM 113 in 2010, TAM 114 and TAM 204 in 2014. These rapidly grew in popularity among wheat producers and were predominant varieties grown in Texas and western Kansas.
Genetic characteristics such as drought tolerance, rust resistance, greenbug resistance, wheat curl-mite resistance, wheat streak mosaic virus tolerance, high yield, and excellent bread-making quality are among the reasons for this high rate of variety adoption.
Other new varieties released in the past five years include TAM 115, TAM 205, TAM 116 and TX14V70214. These have been licensed and are showing adoption.
The 2024 NASS survey indicated 6.7 million acres of wheat were planted in Texas and seven of the top 10 cultivars were TAM cultivars. TAM 114, known for excellent bread quality, became the most popular variety in Texas n 2020. TAM 204, primarily a grazing wheat, became the second most popular variety in 2022.
“The success of the TAM wheat improvement program has been possible because of a strong team, support from Texas A&M AgriLife and support from the Texas Wheat Producers,” Rudd said. “I can’t imagine a more rewarding career than serving the wheat producers of Texas.”
A lifetime of breeding wheat
Prior to coming to Texas, Rudd led the breeding program at South Dakota State University. His wheat varieties included “Russ,” which became the most planted spring wheat variety in the U.S. by 2000 and “Briggs,” which was grown on nearly 2 million acres in 2006.
He has continued that success, as his program has proven outstanding in advancing the commercialization of wheat varieties developed by AgriLife Research.
When he was named Texas Wheat Man of the Year in 2010 by the Texas Wheat Producers Board and Association, Rodney Mosier, the association’s executive vice president at the time, said, “Dr. Rudd has changed the landscape of the Texas wheat industry and continues to provide new avenues of wheat advancement through his tireless and coordinated research efforts.”
PHOTO: Jackie Rudd, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research wheat breeder in Amarillo, was honored by the Texas Wheat Producers Board with the inaugural Texas Wheat Legacy Award. (Texas Wheat Producers)
