Aitkin, Yvonne (1911–)

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Aitkin, Yvonne (1911–)

Australian agriculturalist. Name variations: (nickname) Miss Peabody. Born 1911 in Horsham, Victoria, Australia.

Served as demonstrator (1936–45), lecturer (1945–56), senior lecturer (1957–74), and reader (1975–76) in Agricultural Science at University of Melbourne; became the 1st woman doctor of agricultural science at University of Melbourne (1970); received Medal of the Order of Australia for work in agricultural science (1989); discovered methods to increase germination rate of Trifolium subterraneum and worked extensively in field of peas. Writings include Flowering Time, Climate, and Genotype (1974), Agricultural Science—An Introduction for Australian Students and Farmers (co-author, 1962), and more than 40 research papers.