Robert D. Davidson received his two BS degrees (Microbiology and Botany) and his MS degree (Plant Pathology) from Montana State University in 1975, 1979, and 1982, respectively, and his PhD degree in Plant Pathology from Colorado State University in 1994. Dr. Davidson was part of the faculty at Montana State University until 1982, at which time he joined the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Colorado State University as the Extension Seed Potato Specialist. From 1982 until 1989, he was Assistant Manager of the Colorado Potato Certification Service. In 1989, he became Manager of the certified seed program in Colorado and served in that capacity until 2003. He currently has statewide responsibilities for the potato industry in Colorado as a Plant Pathologist, is the Manager of the CSU San Luis Valley Research Center in Center, CO, and is the Interim Director of Extension for the six counties in the San Luis Valley. He has a half-time appointment in research through the Ag Experiment Station and focuses his research on potato diseases, production management, and seed potato production. Most of his work has been to develop comprehensive management strategies for the primary disease issues facing the Colorado potato industry and to work with certified seed producers to assist them in production of the highest-quality, lowest-disease-content certified seed possible.
