Antonio Lizana, a great person and introducer of postharvest studies in Latin America, leaves us

He obtained his degree in Agricultural Engineering, Mention Fruit Growing, at the U. of Chile in 1962. Master of Science in Horticulture, specializing in Postharvest at Washington State University (Pullman) in 1965. Postgraduate Diploma in Plant Physiology, University of Granada, Spain in 1966. Ph.D. in Botany at the University of California, Davis in 1975. His first professional job was in 1962 in the Dept. of Pomology of the Ministry of Chilean Agriculture. Between 1966 and 1970, he actively participated in the Program "Agreement U. of Chile-U. of California", as an active counterpart of the 11 specialists of the University of California, Davis. Between 1970 and 1974 he completed doctoral studies in California, USA. From 1975 to 1980 he was Director of the Dept. of Agricultural Production of the Faculty of Agrarian and Forestry Sciences, U. of Chile. In 1976 he created the course Small Fruit Production. In 1986 he created and directed the Postharvest Study Center (CEPOC) of the University of Chile. Additionally, it organized five International Symposium on Postharvest Fruit Management, Quality and Physiology, with the sponsorship of FONDEF, RITEP (Ibero-American Network of Postharvest Technology), FEDEFRUTA, FAO and the Agronomic Society of Chile (SACH). In 1978 as President of SACH, he transformed the "Agronomic Working Days" into an "Annual Congress". In addition, he reformed the presentation of works and renewed the magazine Simiente. In 1979 he organized the first international meeting of the Agronomic Congress of Chile, with the American Society for Horticultural Science, Tropical Region. Between 1980 and 1985, Dr. Lizana was invited to join the Faculty of Agronomy of the Pontificia U. Cat?lica de Chile, to develop the Postharvest Laboratory, thus initiating systematic research in this discipline at that University. In 1986, he returned to the University of Chile, his alma mater. Between 1969 and 1996 he directed 16 Research Projects partially or totally financed by competitive funds (CORFO, CONICYT, FIA) and private industry. Since 1977 and for 14 years, he organized and executed technical visits, which sought to accelerate the introduction of technologies in production and fruit management, through the fruit growing areas of California, for hundreds of Chilean farmers, technicians, and horticulture students. From 1979 to 1980, he was President of the American Society for Horticultural Science, Tropical Region. Between 1990 and 1991 he was President of the American Society for Tropical Horticulture. From 1979 to 1982, he was Consultant as Fruit Specialist for the Feasibility Projects of the National Irrigation Commission in the Chilean valleys of: Mataquito (1978), Aconcagua, La Ligua and Petorca (1979-82) and Vallenar (1982), among other national and international consultancies. Between 1995-2002, Dr. Lizana was hired as Horticultural Advisor and Postharvest Advisor for the ATUT (Agricultural Technology Utilization and Transfer) Project, funded by USAID-Government of Egypt. As a result, he planned and led 7 training trips for Egyptian technicians, growers, and table grape exporters to Chile. In the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the U. of Chile, he has been Prof. of Management, Quality and Postharvest Physiology of Fruits since its creation until 2017. In the period 2002-2006 he was Director of the Postgraduate School of the Faculty. Dr. Lizana has been a Professor at the University of Chile since 1986. Dean of the Faculty for three periods (1986-1990, 2006-2010 and 2010-2014) and Prof. Emeritus of the Univ. of Chile in 2019. During his academic and professional career, he has received different distinctions: Carlos Porter Award for Scientific Activity, School of Agricultural Engineers of Chile, 1989. Agronomic Merit Award, Agronomic Society of Chile, 1995. Award in Recognition for Contributions in the?Postharvest Science and Technology in Latin America. U. of Quer?taro, Mexico, 1995. Award in Recognition for Contributions in Postharvest of Fruits and Vegetables in Ibero-America, Ibero-American Association of Postharvest Technology, 2002. National Agricultural Medal Award IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture) and the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile, 2004. Medal of Academic Merit Rector Ruy Barbosa, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, U. of Chile, 2005. Plaque of Recognition for her "Courageous and dedicated contribution to the ISTH, as an active member, board member and primarily as editor of the Memoirs", ISTH (Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture), 2010. Golden Wheat Spike Award for his professional career, Colegio de Ing. Agr. 2010. Text sent by Luis Luchsinger and V?ctor Escalona, CEPOC From Postharvest.com and Poscosecha.com we join in the expressions of affection for Professor Lizama, an expert in postharvest and a great human being.