Catherine Hayes Bailey (May 9, 1921 – March 29, 2014) was an American

plant geneticist A plant geneticist is a scientist involved with the study of genetics in botany. Typical work is done with genes in order to isolate and then develop certain plant traits. Once a certain trait, such as plant height, fruit sweetness, or tolerance to ...

known for developing new varieties of fruit. She was honored by the National Peach Council for her contributions to the US peach industry.

Early life and education

Bailey was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey; her father was superintendent for the Rutgers Vegetable Farm. She received her

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

from

Douglass College Douglass Residential College, is an undergraduate, non degree granting higher education program of Rutgers University-New Brunswick for women. It succeeded the liberal arts degree-granting Douglass College after it was merged with the other und ...

in 1942. She worked with Rutgers horticulturist Maurice Blake, and ran his stone-fruit growing program until 1948. Encouraged by Blake she entered the Ph. D. program at Rutgers University, and graduated in 1957 with a dissertation on aspects of growing peach cultivars. Bailey was a Baptist, and had also attended

Prairie Bible Institute Prairie College is an interdenominational Christian College located in the town of Three Hills, Alberta. Founded as Prairie Bible Institute, classes began on October 9, 1922, on the property of the McElheran family farm. History A local Bible St ...

in Canada.

Research

After finishing her doctorate, Bailey stayed on at Rutgers as a professor, a position she held until her retirement in 1980. She continued her work in the Rutgers program with Fred Hough, expanding it from growing just peaches and apples and developing nectarine and apricot cultivars; during her career she introduced more than 39 new fruit varieties, including many new (patented) apples. She was particularly known for her work on the genetic inheritance of ripening times.

Honors and awards

Bailey was honored by the National Peach Council for her contributions to the US peach industry. She was listed in ''

American Men and Women of Science ''American Men and Women of Science'' (the 40th edition was published in 2022) is a biographical reference work on leading scientists in the United States and Canada, published as a series of books and online by Gale. The first edition was publish ...

'' in the 1992-1993 edition. She was a member of several professional societies, including the

International Society for Horticultural Science The International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) is the world's leading independent organization of horticultural scientists. Its aim is "to promote and encourage research and education in all branches of horticultural science and to fa ...

, the

American Society for Horticultural Science Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science in Alexandria, Virginia is "the largest, most visible organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education, and application." The ASHS's purpose is to pr ...

, and the

American Pomological Society The American Pomological Society was founded by Marshall Pinckney Wilder in 1848, to foster the growing of fruit and the development of new varieties, and is the oldest fruit organization in North America. Publications The organization's primary ...

Personal life and death

Bailey was unmarried and lived with her parents until their death. After retirement she moved to Vermont, where she died on March 29, 2014.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey, Catherine Hayes American geneticists 1921 births 2014 deaths American women botanists 20th-century American botanists American women geneticists People from New Brunswick, New Jersey 20th-century American women scientists American expatriates in Canada Scientists from New Jersey Plant geneticists