Peter Minotti, weed scientist and educator, dies at 89

Peter Lee Minotti, professor emeritus of plant science at Cornell University known for his research on weed control in organic soils and his commitment to agricultural education, died Jan. 31, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida. He was 89.

Minotti earned his Ph.D. in soil sciences from North Carolina State University in 1965. He worked as a crop physiologist at IMC Corp. near Chicago before joining the Cornell faculty in the late 1960's. His research primarily focused on weed control for crops on muck (organic) soils, work that significantly benefited vegetable growers. David Wolfe, professor emeritus in Cornell's School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section, said Minotti was "a solid scientist, good with his students and a very collaborative person."

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