Renowned plant genetics researcher Scott Jackson has returned to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as the inaugural Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) Eminent Scholar in Synthetic Biology. GRA Eminent Scholars are internationally renowned scientists recruited to Georgia’s leading research universities in collaboration with the Georgia Research Alliance. GRA Eminent Scholars are distinguished by the significance of their research discoveries and their potential for commercial application.

For Yangxuan Liu, her career as an associate professor of agricultural and applied economics feels like equal parts coincidence and fate. “I was initially involved in agriculture because of my family farm in China. During breaks from school as a child, I would go visit my grandparents and work in their fields where they grow corn, wheat, cotton and other crops. This really gave me respect for the value of working the ground,” Liu said.

A new study by experts in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is seeking to increase the value of Georgia’s peanut crops for new markets while reducing losses caused by aflatoxin, a consistent threat to the No. 1 peanut-producing state in the United States. The four-year, $490,000 grant will take a systems-based approach toward developing high-oil peanut varieties bred to withstand the unique climate and pest pressures of the Southeast.

The Congressional Agricultural Fellowship is a transformative program for students in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, offering unique opportunities to engage with the legislative process and gain practical experience in agricultural policy. In partnership with the offices of U.S. representatives Sanford Bishop, Austin Scott, Buddy Carter and Raphael Warnock, CAES offers a prestigious 12-week summer fellowship program that provides selected students with firsthand exposure to the legislative process and the creation of agriculture policy. 

The Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program is celebrating its 45th anniversary with signature events throughout 2024, culminating in the Georgia Master Gardener Association’s annual conference Oct. 4-5. Hosted on the University of Georgia Griffin campus, the event’s theme is “Think Globally, Grow Locally” and will feature research tours, presentations and workshops hosted by Master Gardeners.

The University of Georgia continues to solidify its position among the nation’s most prestigious institutions of higher education. “The University of Georgia’s impressive rankings by a host of national publications reflect the tremendous talent and hard work of our exceptional faculty, staff and students,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “While individual rankings can fluctuate from year to year, UGA’s consistently strong performance across a wide range of criteria speaks to our position among the nation’s leading universities.”

When the University of Georgia Bulldogs step between the hedges at Sanford Stadium, the grass on Dooley Field needs to look perfect. More importantly, though, it needs to help safeguard the health of athletes who compete on it. Gerald Henry plays a big role in the latter. The UGA Athletic Association’s endowed professor in environmental turfgrass leads a research team in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences committed to creating sports fields that look good and perform well to limit the occurrence of injuries.

More than 650 turf industry professionals, golf course superintendents and local homeowners gathered at the University of Georgia Griffin campus on Aug. 7 for the 2024 Turfgrass Research Field Day. Participants learned about turf-related issues from College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers and UGA Cooperative Extension specialists from all three of the university's campuses.

Researchers have made a major discovery in the fight against soybean cyst nematode (SCN) by focusing on the genetics of the parasitic roundworms. Extensive genetic sequencing and mapping helped them identify a handful of likely genes behind the tricky pests’ ability to skirt soybean genetic resistance. Knowing how these SCN genes and soybean genes interact and evolve will help the industry identify the virulence of SCN populations so farmers can better use the genetic resistance currently available to fight the pest.