The Aggie tradition of tossing paint to form the "A" has continued for decades. On April 17 (photo at right), Chris Brooks of Lovington, N.M., fills his bucket while Jenny Ellison and Paul Norris, both of Albuquerque, wait in line, and David Hotz (right), coordinator for Greek Affairs, stirs paint. The archival photo of students heading up the mountain is undated, and the students in their NMSU caps are unidentified. Does anyone have any information? The view from the mountain is not nearly so barren these days. The photo was provided by University Archives at the NMSU Library.

Joe Corgan, recently retired NMSU horticulture professor, admits that every year around the middle of July he gets just a little tired of onions. That's understandable considering the hours he spends not only thinking about onions but also growing and inspecting them. "I spend a lot of time in the field looking for certain bulb characteristics and making selections at different stages," Corgan says. "By the end of the season, I just have to throw my shoes away they smell so bad." Even though he occasionally tires of seeing onions, Corgan still likes to eat them, especially sweet onions sliced on a hamburger.

It's Onion season, and Joe Corgan is busy -even after retiring last fall. During the months of June and July, New Mexico produces over 50 percent of the oninos for the United States.

Since 1981, Corgan has released 14 onion varieties from NMSU's Agricultural Experiment Station. The most important work has been in developing varieties resistant to bolting and pink root disease. When onions bolt, they produce flowering seedstalks, and the bulbs aren't marketable.

In recent years, he's developed varieties that are white and crispy; sweet and tasty; late maturing; and single-centered for onion rings. All these give New Mexico's onion growers options, including a more continuous harvest from late May through August, to expand their $50 million industry.

"I've never known anyone who knows so much about onions," said Joe Nelson, New Mexico Dry Onion Commission chair. "I've been growing onions for 25 years, and I learn something new every time I go out in the field to look at onions with Joe."

Nelson says Corgan's research has kept the state's onion growers in business. "He's always coming up with something beneficial." The New Mexico onion industry has tripled in size during the past 15 years. During the months of June and July, New Mexico produces over 50 percent of the onions for the United States.

To honor Corgan's work, the onion commission recently set up in his name an endowed scholarship to support one or more New Mexico students majoring in horticulture. Last fall, Corgan was named a fellow of the American Society of Horticulture.

Corgan wasn't always a one-vegetable man. When he first came to NMSU in 1960 from Missouri, he worked on adapting a variety of crops for New Mexico, including potatoes and peaches. John Mexal, a professor in agronomy and horticulture, says Corgan was a major player in adding a master's degree in horticulture to the curriculum. Corgan also recognized the need to expand research into the area of plant tissue culture, which led to the addition of the Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory.

Corgan's opinions are well-respected in the department. He speaks only when he has something important to say, and people listen.

"He's wise, calm and humble - an incredible role model," says Marisa Wall, associate professor and a close colleague of Corgan's. "I always say I probably wouldn't still be here, if Joe hadn't taken a personal interest."

On Wall's first day as a new faculty member at NMSU, Corgan knocked on her office door to ask if she was interested in working on low-pungency (sweet) onions. Wall and Corgan's partnership began.

Corgan's mentoring helped Wall find grant funding and understand the "unwritten rules" of being a professor, she says.

He has also advised and mentored about 30 master's and doctoral students during his tenure.

"Joe was always very encouraging and supportive," says Cathy (Cryder) Wilson, who earned her doctorate under Corgan in 1988. "He gave his graduate students a lot of opportunities. He treated them well, but he wasn't afraid to push them to take risks in their research and to be creative."

Since retirement in October 1996, Corgan has continued to work with onions on a quarter-time appointment. He's also busy with his wife, Daisy, keeping the yard up and tending to the flowers. But, he admits, "We donŐt do a vegetable garden at home."

Natalie Johnson
Agricultural Communications