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Gerardus
B. Staal,
Ph.D: Pest, Diseases and other Nuisances
Gerardus
is a Dutch native with a masters degree in tropical agronomy
and a doctorate in entomology. He worked as a research
entomologist for Bay Area companies developing both
conventional pesticides and selective pesticides based on
insect hormonal systems. He retired from entomology in 1990.
Gerardus’
experience with orchids spans over 30 years. Today his
interests are in hybridization and propagation. His flasks are
commercially available under the Peninsula Hybrids label with
emphasis on cool growing orchids from tropical regions. He has
registered hybrids in the Odontoglossum, Cattleya and
Pleurothallid alliances. More recently, Gerardus has assembled
a cross section of Bulbophyllum and cooler growing Dendrobium
species of which many hybrids and species propagations are now
in the flasking stage.
Gerardus’
work has been acknowledged by many AOS awards, including 3
(joint) Awards of Quality for Masdevallia hybrids and several
Awards of Distinction for novel directions in hybridizing. He
has received many Certificates of Botanical Recognition for
species new to the judging system. One new trigeneric hybrid
genus was named Staalara. (The hybrid was Staalara Gerardus..
AD/AOS.)
Gerardus
has served on the boards of three local orchid societies (MOS,
POS, OSC), a term as president of the Pleurothallid Alliance
and has been a member of the AOS Research Committee. He
frequently lectures in orchid societies on topics such as
Pleurothallid hybridizing, Epidendrums and their allies,
Bulbophyllums, and Pest and Disease Control in Orchids.
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