DR. GRAHAM WESLEY BUTLER

A Tribute from Emeritus Professor Peter J Peterson, University of London. 

Graham was a well respected and meticulous scientist who recognized the significance of a strong science base for NZ agriculture in its widest sense. He was likeable, supportive of young researchers, easy to get along with, with his favorite phrase ‘how’s it going’ addressed to any-one around, every time he entered the laboratory. But (to me) his greatest skill was as Director. This lay in his ability to select research themes of relevance to NZ. Graham had real concern to ‘build bridges’ within DSIR Divisions and he encouraged all staff to excel. Graham organized co-operation with Physics Division in Wellington and built an excellent electron microscope facility at DSIR Palmerston North.

In 1960, I first worked under the direction of Graham at the then Plant Chemistry Division (later Applied Biochemistry Division). In the course of our collaboration Graham and I measured the low levels of radioactivity in NZ milk powder following nuclear tests in the Pacific, compared with background levels and compared the results with powder from other countries. The powder was compressed into biscuits, as a protein supplement for Asian countries. This work was of course never publicised

We collaborated with, and jointly supervised, a number of Ph.D. students of Professor R.R. Brooks (deceased) from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Massey University, examining mineral accumulation, especially nickel and chromium, in indigenous plants from ultra-basic soils of Dunn Mountain, Nelson. We also undertook experiments involving Chromium-51 uptake, and translocation etc. by various plants, in view of its importance in human nutrition at trace levels.

Graham and I examined selenium in various experiments in view if its significance as a deficient element and major factor in ‘white muscle disease’ of sheep. We examined the metabolism (mainly excretion in urine and dung) in sheep using Se-75 spikes as selenite, or as selenium metabolites in red clover and then followed the uptake of selenium-75 from the dung, mixed with soil, by three plant species in pot trials. We also examined the uptake of Selenium-75 by other plants and showed that colloidal selenium was unavailable to plants unless oxidized to selenite or selenate. Selenate was actively transported in plants while selenite entered roots by a passive process. We also isolated and characterized seleno-cystathionine from an Australian selenium accumulator, Neptunia amplexicaulis, which is toxic to livestock.