John David Axtell (February 5, 1934 – December 2, 2000) was an American geneticist, Lynn Distinguished Professor of Agronomy,[1] member of the National Academy of Sciences.[1] Axtell received the Alexander von Humboldt Award in 1975,[1] the Crop Science Research Award from the Crop Science Society of America in 1976,[1] and the International Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture in 1984.[1] Axtell was widely noted for his research on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.).[1][2] The New York Times and other sources reported that Axtell had been one of discoverers of high-lysine sorghum, and that the discovery was crucial to the fight against world hunger.[1] [3][4]