Fargo, N.D. – Berlin Nelson, professor of plant pathology at NDSU, received the Distinguished Service Award at the North Central Divisional Meeting of the American Phytopathological Society held in Omaha, Neb., June 15-17.

Nelson was honored for his many contributions to the professional society and to the region's soybean growers and industry. He formerly served as president of the North Central Division's American Phytopathological Society, secretary and chair of several regional and national soybean disease committees and soil-borne disease committees. He is the current senior editor of the journal, Plant Disease. He has contributed to regional and national soybean disease research, providing new information on diseases such as soybean white mold and soybean cyst nematode.