James Eugene Specht

James “Jim” Eugene Specht, PhD ~ September 12, 1945 – February 13, 2026

James (Jim) Specht (80) passed away peacefully at home on Feb 13, 2026. He is proceeded in death by parents (Henry and Lydia), a brother Montgomery (Monty) and sister (Melanie). Jim is survived by his wife Pam of 57 years, brother Terry Specht (Vivian), numerous nieces and nephews. Jim’s service will be held Friday March 13 at Braman Mortuary – Millard Chapel , 6505 S. 144th, Omaha, NE beginning with a noon gathering of friends and family with memory tables and slide show, light food and refreshments. 1pm is the service followed by an escorted procession to Omaha National Cemetery for a 2:30pm ceremony with military honors.

Jim Specht was born in western Nebraska and grew up on a farm that produced irrigated sugar beets and other crops. His passion for genetics was sparked in 1964 during his undergraduate years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), particularly through a genetics course taught by Professor David McGill. In 1965, he was awarded a Keim Scholarship and became a teaching assistant to learn that both instructor knowledge and student engagement were critical for successful teaching. He also worked as an undergraduate research assistant, learning the importance of the scientific method. He received a B.Sc. degree in Agronomy (1967) and subsequently pursued an M.S. degree in maize genetics and breeding at the University of Illinois, which was interrupted by military service during the Vietnam War. After completing his service, Jim returned to Illinois to finish an M.Sc. degree (1971), and then a PhD degree at UNL in1974 focusing on soybean genetics and physiology. His early research experience at UNL laid the foundation for a 50-year career dedicated to enhancing soybean production through increased yields and water use efficiency, and greater profitability for soybean growers.

Dr. Specht’s unique breadth and depth of knowledge of plant genetics/genomics, plant physiology, and agronomy, and the interactions amongst these factors, provided the foundation that supported his long-term research interests. He was a member of a national research team that developed the first soybean genetic map of 20 linkage groups (Cregan et al., Crop Sci. 1999). That genetic map provided the backbone for future developments in genetic marker technology through high resolution genetic marker maps, and finally to assembly of the first complete sequence of the soybean genome (Schmutz et al., Nature, 2010). Those breakthroughs made soybean one of the only major crop species to have a fully sequenced genome and map, which opened the door to further advances in soybean genomics and breeding.

Dr. Specht is also widely recognized for his research on the genetic basis of soybean yield response to water – both scarcity (drought) and abundance (irrigation). In two seminal papers (Specht et al. Crop Sci. 1986, Crop Sci. 2001), he was the first to demonstrate that soybean yield response to differentially applied seasonal water amounts was linear and that genotypes differed in that response. He also showed that canonical water use efficiency (WUE) was negatively associated with yield under drought stress. The genetic basis for yield response to water, and subsequent mapping of regions in the soybean genome that are associated with the traits, were important findings establishing that soybean response to water is a genetically controlled trait, and that genes can be identified and manipulated to enhance water productivity for different environments and production systems.

Dr. Specht also contributed to enhancing agronomic practices on the farm with a focus on optimizing soybean planting dates and improving soybean water productivity. He was the spokesman for planting soybeans early to achieve higher yields, and almost singlehandedly through recommendations based on his research, changed the average soybean planting date in Nebraska and across the Midwest, from mid-May to mid-April. To improve water productivity, he organized a research team to create a web site called SoyWater that provided a user-friendly, on-line venue to help soybean producers implement “just-in- time” irrigation that reduces the amount of water applied without any reduction in yield. The SoyWater website became quite popular after its release in 2010 with more than 1100 registered users across NE and other Corn Belt states.

Over the years Dr. Specht has presented his research at hundreds of extension field days and scientific conferences within the US and globally. He was a trusted advisor to the Nebraska Soybean Board for many decades and a tireless supporter of undergraduate and graduate education. Many of his students now serve in leadership positions across academia, extension, and industry. All of his students and colleagues remember Jim for his dedication to scientific rigor, insatiable appetite for knowledge, encyclopedic command of the scientific literature, and his ability to transmit that knowledge to soybean growers, students, and scientific peers.

Dr. Specht’s contributions have been well recognized through awards and citations too numerous to mention here (https://agronomy.unl.edu/specht/). Prominent among them are: Fellowship in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1987), Agronomic Achievement Award from the American Society of Agronomy (1994), Crop Science Research Award, Crop Science Society of America (1996), Outstanding Achievement Award from the United (States) Soybean Board (2016). Indeed, Jim’s career is an inspiration to all who value science as a quest for truth and beauty, like a verdant field of soybean with dew glittering like diamonds on its leaf canopy in the early morning sunlight.

October 1968 Jim met Pam at the U of Illinois where both were working on masters degrees. Love at first sight led to marriage May 1969. Their 57 years of marriage were filled with fun and laughter. They were travelers of the world, visiting over 50 countries. In early years of marriage they camped and hiked, visiting all national parks west of the Rockies. Jim was known for his large flower, vegetable, and fruit gardens, sharing the bounty with neighbors. He had a booming voice, sky blue eyes, upbeat personality. Jim was a scholar who loved his country, displaying flag on his truck and home. Jim will be deeply missed by not only family, but colleagues across the world , and the NE and US soybean industry. His wisdom and kindness left an impact on many.

In lieu of flowers, family suggests memorial contribution to NE Humane Society.

Braman Mortuary & Cremation Services, 6505 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68137 / 402-895-3400