Best, Rupert Jethro (1903 - 1991)

Summary

Rupert Best was an agricultural chemist and virologist who worked at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute for 40 years from 1928. His early research was in soil chemistry, developing methods of methods of electrometric determination of soil pH, chloride content and total soluble salts. His portable field device for measuring chloride in soils adopted throughout Australia and world-wide. He then turned his attention to virology. His discoveries on the physicochemical properties of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) were ground-breaking and published in two papers in 1936. However, credit for this achievement went to scientists in the U.S.A. who had greater opportunity to publicise their discoveries. Best's work on TMV led him to theorise about the nature of viruses, on which he published in 1937. He retired as Reader in virology and head of the virology unit at the Waite in 1968. In 1931 he was the inaugural recipient of the Rennie Memorial Medal from the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

Details

Chronology

1927

Career position - Demonstrator in physical chemistry, University of Adelaide

1927

Education - MSc, University of Adelaide

1928

Career position - Lecturer in physical chemistry, University of Adelaide

1928 - 1958

Career position - Assistant Lecturer, Waite Agricultural Research Institute

1931

Award - Inaugural Rennie Memorial Medal, Royal Australian Chemical Institute

1948

Education - DSc, University of Adelaide

1958 - 1968

Career position - Reader in virology and head of the virology unit, Waite Agricultural Research Institute

1969 - 1980

Career position - Foundation Chairman, South Australian Division, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

1980

Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in recognition of service to agricultural science

Related entries

Archival resources

State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana

• Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science, South Australian Division - Records, 1888 - 1983, SRG 48; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details
• Rupert Jethro Best - Records, 1929 - 1968, PRG 232; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details
• World Education Fellowship, Australian Forum - Records, 1937 - 1989, SRG 15a; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details
• World Education Fellowship, South Australian Section - Records, 1937 - 1978, SRG 15; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details

Published resources

Books

• Best, Rupert J., Discoveries by Chemists: a History of the Chemistry Departments of the University of Adelaide, 1885-1984 (Adelaide: University of Adelaide Foundation, 1987), 252 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Best, R. J., 'Richardson, Arnold Edwin Victor (1883-1949), Agricultural Scientist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 11: 1891 - 1939 Nes-Smi, Geoffrey Serle, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1988), pp. 377-379. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110388b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Best, R. J., 'The chemistry of some plant viruses', Australian Chemical Institute journal and proceedings, 4 (1937), 375-92. Details
• Best, R. J., 'Tomato spotted wilt virus', Advances in virus research, 13 (1968), 65-146. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-3527(08)60251-1. Details
• Best, Rupert J., 'Precipitation of the tobacco mosaic virus complex at its isoelectric point', Australian journal of experimental biology and medical science, 14 (1936), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.1936.1. Details
• Best, Rupert J., 'Arnold Edwin Victor Richardson C.M.G., D.Sc. (Melb.), M.A. (Adel.), B.Sc. (Agric.) (Adel.), R.D.A., P.A.I.A.S., foundation Director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, first Waite Professor of Agriculture: an appraisal', Biennial Report of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, 1980-81 (1981), 4-25. Details
• Best, Rupert. J., 'The relationship between the activity of tobacco mosaic virus suspensions and hydrion concentration over the pH range 5 to 10', Australian journal of experimental biology and medical science, 14 (1936), 323-8. https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.1936.31. Details
• Francki, R. I. B., 'Early work on plant viruses by Dr. R. J. Best at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute', Biennial Report of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute, 1976/77 (1977), 38-40. Details
• Geering, Andrew D. W., 'The contribution of Rupert Best to the modern concept of the nature of viruses', Historical records of Australian science, 35 (2) (2024), 198-206, https://doi.org/10.1071/HR23022. Details
• Geering, Andrew D. W., 'The discovery of tomato spotted wilt disease', Historical records of Australian science, 35 (2) (2024), 190-7. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR23015. Details

Resources

• 'Best, Rupert J (1903-1991)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-458658. Details