It is with great sadness that we have learned that Brian Egan, aged 93 had passed away on Wednesday 11 October 2023, two months after his wife Maureen. His funeral took place at St Gerard Majella Catholic Church, Brisbane on Friday 20 October 2023.
After modest beginnings as a cadet at the Bureau of Experiment Station (BSES) in January 1947, Brian rose to become a monument to sugarcane and particularly sugarcane Pathology with a worldwide repute. During his first years at BSES he studied part time for his Senior Certificate and then gained a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Botany and Plant Pathology at the University of Queensland.
As Pathologist Brian devoted most of his time to initially Chlorotic Streak (CS) and ratoon stunting disease (RSD) and later to Fiji disease, all three taken to be caused by viruses. He devised control measurers although the aetiology of CS and RSD were unknown but came to light much later in his active career at BSES and beyond. In 1956, Brian transferred to the BSES Meringa Sugar Experiment Station at Gordonvale near Cairns. It was there that Brian led one of the Australia’s most significant sugarcane harvesting research projects. His research identified two species of the Leuconostoc bacterium. that significantly impacted the sugar content in mechanically harvested cane. Brian found the best way to limit the effects the bacteria was to ensure the cane was crushed within 12 hours of harvesting. Brian found the best way to limit the effects of Leuconostoc spp was to ensure the cane was crushed within 12 hours of harvesting. Brian’s findings were adopted throughout Australia.
In 1965, he was awarded the President’s medal by the Queensland Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (QSSCT), later to become the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ASSCT) for two papers titled ‘Investigations of chemical control of sour storage rot’ and ‘The infection process in sour storage rot’.
In 1972, Brian was transferred to Bundaberg amid a major outbreak of Fiji disease which was causing to huge yield losses.
Brian’s role was to coordinate and carry out research into the outbreak and how to control it. His recommendations and industry efforts helped control the outbreak using clean planting material and resistant varieties. Brian was recognised as the world expert on Fiji disease. During this time, Brian moved to Brisbane in 1974 and from then and throughout the 1980’s that Brian made his other major contribution to the sugar industry in his role coordinating the Cane Pest & Disease Boards throughout Queensland. He was responsible for upgrading the Boards, introducing better training and higher standards of pest and disease control campaigns. Later Brian authored a book detailing the history of these Boards in Queensland and it provided an important record of the successful efforts of researchers, government, and the sugar industry working together.
Brian retired from BSES in 1994 after serving the Institution for some 47 and half years.
While at BSES he became a member of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists to which he made significant contributions. He attended a majority of ASSCT conferences from 1960 to 2012, presented 25 papers from 1960 to 2002. He was ASSCT Vice-President in 1992 and President in 1993 following which he was Executive Member on several occasions, Editor of ASSCT Proceedings and Chairman Publication Committee for 16 years from 1981 to 1996. He was awarded honorary life membership of the Australian society in 1994.
Brian maintained his association with the Australian and International technical societies throughout his long career attending conferences, presenting papers and holding a number of committee and executive responsibilities. A notable example is the International Society of the Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) which he supported since 1965 when he presented the results of his research at the ISSCT XII Congress in Puerto Rico. His paper entitled: “Chlorotic Streak disease investigations into host range and possible sources of resistance”.
Brian was active at the level of the Pathology Section then Technical Programme Committee (TPC), Executive Committee and became Chair of Council and Executive Committee in 1992. He presided over the ISSCT XXII Congress in Colombia and one of the outcomes was the setting up of the ISSCT Secretariat for which he played an instrumental role. The Secretariat has proved to be of considerable help to the functioning of ISSCT since 1996.
He has had a distinguished record at ISSCT. He was Councillor for Australia in 1989 and attended many workshops and congresses. Thus, he attended nine congresses as part of the Australian delegation from 1965 to 2000, presenting 13 papers. He was Secretary of the Organising Committee for the ISSCT XXIV Congress in Brisbane and contributed significantly to the success of this event which was held in the same week as the tragic 09/11 in New York.
Brian was also one of the editors of the international textbook entitled: “Diseases of Sugarcane – Major Diseases” which was published in 1989 and was sponsored by ISSCT
In recognition of his distinguished contribution to ISSCT, he was awarded Honorary Life Membership in 1995.
Brian was not only active in the sugar cane industry he had a passion for Bushwalking including a longtime involvement with the Friends of Binna Burra (FoBBs) and the National Parks Association of Queensland.
During this time, Brian moved to Brisbane in 1974 which proved very fortuitous as he met Maureen McShane 10 year younger than him through the Adult Catholic Club and after a short engagement they were married in January 1976.
It proved to be a wonderful partnership that lasted 47 years up until just a couple of months ago when Maureen passed away. Over these years they shared a passion for bushwalking, travel, singing and their community. Maureen was also active in ISSCT working for accompanying persons’ programmes.
When the news of Brian’s passing away came known, testimonies were received from his friends and colleagues from Australian and beyond which reflected the respect and friendships he made throughout his career. Among those we would like to share the following:
Dr Peter Allsopp – Editor, Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
I was very sad to hear of Brian’s passing. He certainly is well remembered by us of the old BSES. Brian interviewed me for the position of entomologist in 1987 and for some reason, obviously recommended my appointment! He was a source of incredible information, and I enjoyed his decisive wit and his editorial skill.
Dr Rob Magarey – Principal Research Scientist, Sugar Research Australia, Tully
I joined BSES in 1981 and had a lot to do with Brian. He was the co-ordinator of the BSES consultancy to the PNG sugar industry and in 1994 passed the role onto me. We discussed many disease topics, especially related to the PNG sugar industry. I appreciated his inputs in the early days of my career and his friendship over the years. He was always positive towards me which assists when one is an early career scientist.
Dr. Vic Mason – ISSCT Council and Executive Committee Chair, 1995 – 2007
Brian was a stalwart of the BSES and the agricultural side of the Australian cane industry. My main interaction with Brian was associated with ASSCT and Heather has fond memories of interacting with Maureen during the annual conferences.
Dr. Raul Castillo, Chair ISSCT Council and Executive Committee, 2019-2023
Brian was a great person and I recall him in a visit to BSES (now SRA) facilities as plant breeder invited by Nils Berding. He was a friendly person teaching us all insights of plant pathology and diseases resistance. He spent with us a whole morning and answered all questions very openly that we had. Brian will be deeply missed by all friends and specially the sugarcane community.
Mr. Sanjay Awasthi, Chair ISSCT Council and Executive Committee, 2023-2025
I was greatly saddened upon learning about the passing away of Brian. Although we are in different fields, I have always enjoyed meeting him at ISSCT congresses when we had interesting exchanges of views and through which he showed his knowledge of the sugarcane world beyond pathology. I commend his enormous contribution to the advancement of ISSCT.
Dr. Salem Saumtally, Director Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute (2012-2021) and Member of the ISSCT Executive Committee
As a pathologist, I knew him very well when he was professionally active. He has left his mark as someone whom we look up to in the profession. I more closely interacted with him when he participated in the 3rd Pathology Workshop in Mauritius in 1991 and the 4th Pathology Workshop in Brisbane in 1994 with a post-tour held in Papua New Guinea. His knowledge and rigor of sugar cane diseases were profound and I have in mind his work on downy mildew, brown rust, chlorotic steak, and Fiji leaf gall in particular. Brian was very humble and he will be missed.
Dr Jean Claude Autrey, General Secretary of ISSCT
Brian was more than a colleague. He was a great friend and a mentor to me. I have appreciated his professionalism and broad knowledge of sugarcane and beyond. I was in contact with him since the early 1970s but actually first met him in 1986 at the ISSCT XIX Congress in Jakarta, Indonesia. We then had several encounters in Australia and many other countries at ISSCT Workshops, Mid-Term Meetings and Congresses. Our discussions of course were on sugarcane Pathology at first and later on the management of the ISSCT. He had a high sense of duty and ethics and what struck me was his humility. Floryse and I have had a great relationship with both Maureen and Brian. We have been in constant touch through emails, calls and have exchanged Christmas wishes for some 50 years. We have lived memorable moments with them and have loads of souvenirs. They were great company. They hosted us at their house in Brisbane. We visited them at their retirement unit in 2016 where they had settled happily and our last meeting goes back to April 2019 at ASSCT Conference in Toowoomba. We will miss them.
Upon his retirement from BSES Brian reflected:
The sugar industry and BSES have been good to me, and I believe I have been good for them in return. He also said: “The Australian sugar industry and its researchers are held in high esteem internationally, and I am proud to have been a part of it. We are at the forefront in many areas and the industry’s future holds great potential.”
These words really testified his sincere feelings on his career and his optimism for the R&D of the Australian sugarcane industry.
Expression of condolences have been conveyed to the relatives of Brian and Maureen on behalf of the whole ISSCT membership.
Jean Claude Autrey
General Secretary
On behalf of ISSCT Council and Executive Committee
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The assistance of Mr Brendan Egan, nephew of Brian for providing the eulogy at the funeral from which excerpts have been selected for this tribute, is gratefully acknowledged.