The Jakob Eriksson Prize
The Jakob Eriksson Prize
The Jakob Eriksson Prize for Plant Pathology is the highest international honour for achievement in plant pathology, recognising work of distinct international value and merit.
Named in honour of pioneering Swedish mycologist and plant pathologist Jakob Eriksson, the Prize celebrates creative research and the international cooperation at the heart of the discipline.
What the Prize honours
Research excellence
Distinguished research in mycology, plant pathology or virus diseases.
International value
Work or publications that have made a meaningful contribution across borders.
Enduring impact
Creative study that advances understanding of plant pathogens and disease development.
The Jakob Eriksson Prize Fund is administered by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Selection of the recipient is the responsibility of the International Commission for the Jakob Eriksson Prize.
2023 recipient
Professor Silvia Restrepo
Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
Professor Silvia Restrepo received the 13th Jakob Eriksson Prize during the opening ceremony of ICPP 2023 in Lyon, France. She was recognised for her pioneering international work in mycology and plant pathology, particularly on diseases affecting crops important to the developing world, including cassava and potato.
Her research has advanced understanding of bacterial blight in cassava and diseases caused by Phytophthora, while her collaborative leadership, education and mentoring have helped connect scientific communities across disciplines and countries.
Jakob Eriksson
Jakob Eriksson (1848–1931) was a Swedish mycologist and plant pathologist known for his work on fungal taxonomy, cereal rusts and plant disease. A committed internationalist, he promoted cooperation among plant pathologists and helped lay the intellectual foundations for the global scientific community that ICPP represents today.
The Prize was established at the International Conference of Phytopathology and Economic Entomology in Wageningen, the Netherlands, in 1923. The first prize was awarded in 1930, and the first Jakob Eriksson Gold Medal followed in 1959.
Recipients through the years
Thirteen plant pathologists have received the Prize since it was first awarded in 1930.
The next chapter of the Prize
Information about the 2028 Jakob Eriksson Prize and nomination process will be shared when available.
Prize history and recipient information sourced from the International Society for Plant Pathology.