Skip to main content
Notice: The Library is open for research by appointment only, please visit our research services page for more information.

DuPont Company, Agricultural Products Department records

Creation: 1939-1986
 Collection
Accession: 2256

Abstract

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company's Agricultural Products Department was responsible for the research, development, and manufacturing of organic fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and other agricultural chemicals. The records include a history of the department, chronology of the benzimidazole fungicide development, history of the technical development of Benomyl, and a small collection of papers from Ralph K. Iler (1909-1985) describing the department's fundamental research program on inorganic chemistry.

Dates

  • Creation: 1939-1986

Creator

Extent

0.16 Linear Feet

Historical Note

E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company's Agricultural Products Department was responsible for the research, development, and manufacturing of organic fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and other agricultural chemicals.

The Agricultural Products Department traces its origins to the Grasselli Chemical Company, which was acquired by the DuPont Company in 1928. It became the Grasselli Chemicals Department in 1936 and the Industrial & Biochemicals Department in 1959. It was divided into separate Industrial Chemicals and Biochemicals Departments in 1972. The Biochemicals Department was renamed the Agricultural Chemicals Department in 1983 and the Agricultural Products Department in 1985. During the 1920s and early 1930s, the department concentrated on developing organic fertilizers. In the 1940s and 1950s, its focus shifted to herbicides, feed supplements for chicken and cattle, fungicides, and insecticides. During the Second World War, the department developed DDT. During the 1960s and 1970s, the worldwide market for agricultural chemicals grew substantially, and this department became an important profit center within the company.

Scope and Contents

The records of the DuPont Company, Agricultural Products Department, include an internal 1976 history of the department, a chronology of the benzimidazole fungicide development program, a history of the technical development of Benomyl, and correspondence with Joshua Lederbert (Professor of Genetics at Stanford University) relating to the question of using uracil as a selective herbicide. Also included is a small collection of Ralph K. Iler's (1909-1985) papers. Iler was a research director at DuPont's Industrial and Biochemicals Department (the Agricultural Products Department's immediate predecessor). His papers consist primarily of reports describing the department's fundamental research program, which focused on inorganic chemistry.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Language of Materials

English

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
DuPont Company, Agricultural Products Department records
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2021: Ashley Williams

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400