Renowned plant researcher Prof. Craig Yencho has been named a 2023 Fellow in the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to sweetpotato and potato research. With over 55 patents to his name, Prof. Yencho’s work spans the United States and international territories, emphasizing the global impact of his inventions. As a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State University, he has played a pivotal role in developing and releasing 45 sweetpotato and potato varieties, with one of his notable achievements being the Covington sweetpotato, a staple now cultivated in 90% of North Carolina sweetpotato fields and on 20% of U.S. acreage. His induction into the NAI aligns him with other distinguished members from the university’s Department of Horticultural Science, marking a significant recognition of his innovative contributions to plant breeding and genetics.
The NAI’s recognition of Prof. Yencho underscores the societal and economic impact of his inventions, particularly in the agricultural sector. Beyond his prolific patent portfolio, his two-decade-long research in Africa has led to the improvement of sweetpotatoes in Sub-Saharan Africa and the development of crucial genomic tools for local breeders. The Covington sweetpotato, co-released in 2005, has not only contributed over $3.5 billion in revenue for North Carolina sweetpotato growers but has also gained international acclaim, being exported to Europe and used in diverse products, including vodka. The NAI fellows program, established in 2012, now comprises 1,898 researchers and innovators with over 63,000 U.S. patents and 13,000 licensed technologies collectively. Prof. Yencho’s formal acknowledgment as an NAI fellow will take place at the annual meeting in Raleigh on June 18, 2024, where a senior official from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will honor the 2023 class of fellows. Read more