This award recognizes all of his contributions on diseases of perennial fruit plants, including those caused by other organisms. Wilcox has contributed to the knowledge of the biology of fruit crop pathogens and to the development of these research findings into disease management practices. His work on the biology of Phytophthora includes biological control, population density enumerations, and identification. Many of these contributions have been the result of strong collaborative efforts with graduate students and national and international colleagues. In 1989, Wilcox published a definitive paper on the epidemiology of brown rot blossom blight of sour cherry that detailed the progression of inoculum development based on temperature and wetness.
More recent findings descibe the role of humidity on the incubation process.
Wilcox received his B.S. in pomology, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in plant pathology from the University of California-Davis. Between 1982 and 1984, he worked as an extension plant pathologist for the University of Kentucky. In 1984, he accepted a faculty appointment with research and extension responsibilities for diseases of tree fruit and berry crops in the Department of Plant Pathology at the Geneva Experiment Station. In 1995 his primary commodity responsibility was changed to focus on diseases of grapevines. In addition to the scientific journal publications for which he was recognized, Wilcox has been a frequent contributor to local, regional, national, and international trade journals.