CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 06/21/13

Former UGA soybean breeder receives national recognition

Roger Boerma, former professor of crop and soil sciences at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and current executive director of Georgia Seed Development, recently received the 2013 NAPB Plant Breeding Impact Award from the National Association of Plant Breeders and the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee.

One the organizations’ most prestigious honors, the impact award recognizes an individual who has made significant advancements in the field of plant breeding in the area of applied variety and/or technology development, causing a measurable impact on crop production. It also recognizes the individual’s exceptional accomplishments in teaching and collaboration. The presentation was made during the NAPB annual meeting held June 2-5, 2013 in Tampa, Fla.

“Dr. Boerma’s contributions to the field of plant breeding are immense,” says Philip Simon, chairman of the NAPB Awards Panel. “Not only has he developed 25 soybean varieties, but he also was involved in the formation of organizations that will ensure that we will have new generations of plant breeders and new varieties of beneficial crops.”

A nationally recognized soybean geneticist and professor emeritus at the UGA, Boerma was instrumental in developing UGA’s Centers for Soybean Improvement and for Applied Genetic Technologies. He is one of the founding fathers of the Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics at the university.

Since 2011, Boerma has led Georgia Seed Development, an agency that produces foundation plant material and markets seed and plant materials designed to improve crop yields for growers in Georgia and across the United States.

Georgia Seed Development works closely with the UGA geneticists and plant breeders; The University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF), which licenses the school’s proprietary varieties for sale; and the Georgia Crop Inspection Association (GCIA), which provides quality control for Georgia plant and seed varieties. The four groups use a “systems approach” to discovering, propagating, licensing and testing plant and seed materials to ensure a seamless route from university lab to wholesaler. Co-developed by Boerma, this unified research-and-propagation model brings many varieties to the market faster than other methods.

Boerma is the second recipient of the Plant Breeding Impact Award, which was established in 2013 to recognize those who contribute to the NAPB’s mission to strengthen U.S. plant breeding research, technology and education.

About the National Association of Plant Breeders and the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee

The National Association of Plant Breeders was begun as an initiative of the Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee and is the advocacy group that represents plant breeders in federal, state, commercial and non-government organizations. The Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee serves as a forum regarding issues and opportunities of national and global importance to the public and private sectors of the U.S. national plant breeding effort.

About Georgia Seed Development

Georgia Seed Development is responsible for overseeing the foundation plant material production in Georgia. GSD works closely with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the University of Georgia Research Foundation and the Georgia Crop Improvement Association to support research projects and bring new cultivars to market. Since 1990, GSD has annually provided significant funding to UGA for cultivar development.

Experts/Sources:
Roger Boerma
Soybeans grow on a plant at a UGA lab in Athens. Soybean farmers will soon have a smart phone app to help know when to irrigate their crop.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
At the 2024 Georgia Life Sciences Summit held Oct. 21-22 in Atlanta, Professor Quingguo “Jack” Huang of the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences received the Golden Helix Innovation Award for his research in technologies to mitigate “forever chemicals” in water resources. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker) CAES News
Nothing lasts forever: CAES professor finds solutions to break down ‘forever chemicals’ 12/05/24 Carson McAfee
University of Georgia Professor Qingguo “Jack” Huang always wanted to do one thing: solve problems. Growing up in a small city in central China, Huang’s favorite subject in elementary school was math, granting him the opportunity to work on many problems. In high school, his passion transitioned to science, where he learned he could feed those same interests in a way that benefited others. He was finishing high school in the 1980s when Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring made its way to Chinese newspapers, capturing Huang’s attention.
Georgia Simmons at the office of U.S. Sen. Warnock CAES News
Georgia 4-H alum, CAES student spends semester serving at the nation's Capitol 12/03/24 Josie Smith, Cooper Hardy
Third-year University of Georgia student and Banks County 4-H alum Georgia Simmons has been in the center of the political action this fall with the Georgia 4-H Washington DC Intern Program. Simmons, an environmental resource science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works in the office of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. As an intern on his staff, she interacts directly with policy experts and lawmakers, participating in the legislative process while earning a semester of credit hours.
Longtime faculty member George Vellidis was named the first permanent director of the Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture. IIPA was launched in 2022 and has grown to include more than 70 faculty members. (Photo by Paul Privette for UGA CAES) CAES News
Vellidis named director of Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture 12/02/24 David Mitchell
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Professor George Vellidis has been named director of the Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture (IIPA). His term began on Nov. 1, and he will serve as the unit’s first permanent director. “Dr. Vellidis has been a vital member of our UGA faculty for years and played a key role in launching IIPA,” said Chris King, interim vice president for research. “Whether it’s his impact as a first-class researcher and educator or the work he does behind the scenes to elevate our reputation in the field abroad, his presence has made UGA a hub for precision agriculture research.”
In Georgia alone, there are nearly 400,000 individuals employed in some segment of hospitality. With the unique mix of leisure travel in coastal Georgia and convention travel in Atlanta, HFIM students have a wealth of opportunities to choose the area that suits them best. CAES News
UGA redefines Southern hospitality through a thriving degree program 11/27/24 Claire S. Kinnard
There are nearly 400,000 individuals employed in some segment of hospitality in Georgia. With the unique mix of leisure travel in coastal Georgia and convention travel in Atlanta, University of Georgia hospitality and food industry management students have a wealth of opportunities to choose the area that suits them best. This versatile experience — with its focus on quality curriculum, meaningful interaction with local and national business, and experiential learning — has already begun graduating the next generation of hospitality leaders.
Mergoum at Creature Comforts CAES News
That's the spirit! 11/18/24 Maria M. Lameiras, Claire S. Kinnard
Wheat breeders spend years meticulously crossing varieties to coax the best traits out of each species, carefully propagating plant varieties that are healthier, heartier and better suited for the environments where they are grown. Professional brewmasters are equally painstaking when choosing the components that will give their beers a specific flavor profile.