CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 07/29/22

UGA Southeast Research and Education Center to host Midville Field Day Aug. 10

By Emily Cabrera
A faculty member discusses field research in front of a crowd, mostly dressed in sun hats and jeans on the research farm.
UGA's Southeast Research and Education Center will host its annual field day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10. The 720-acre facility has over 60 ongoing research projects, with an emphasis on the efficient use of water.

The University of Georgia Southeast Research and Education Center (SEREC) will host its annual field day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10.

The annual event is an open house tour of current research projects taking place at the center where College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty will highlight the work they are doing in cotton, peanuts, soybeans, corn, small grains and cover crops.

“I always look forward to this day,” said Anthony Black, SEREC superintendent. “It’s an opportunity to meet growers and show them production practices they can apply to improve their own operations and demonstrate how their commodity check-off dollars are being used to fund research that supports sustainable food production.”  

Established in 1951 as the Southeast Georgia Branch Experiment Station, the facility's mission was to research agricultural practices on a management scale large enough to accurately assess costs and returns for various commodities that could be adapted to the local soils and dry climate of the upper Coastal Plain region.

Today, the 720-acre facility has over 60 ongoing research projects, with an emphasis on the efficient use of water.

“It’ll most likely be hot, but attendees will ride canopied trams during the tour with cold water at hand. We’ll have a catered barbecue lunch during a noon program that will take place in a covered area with fans, so we do what we can to make sure this is a comfortable and educational event, as always,” said Black.

Video footage of the 2021 Midville Field Day is available at youtube.com. Topics for the 2022 event will include variety evaluations, wildlife field border management, cover crop management, fertility management, creating pollinator habitats, precision agriculture research and variable rate timing for forage production.

A historical photo of cotton trials at a Midville field day event in the 1970s
Established in 1951, the mission of the Southeast Georgia Branch Experiment Station was to research agricultural practices on a management scale large enough to accurately assess costs and returns in the local soils and dry climate of the upper Coastal Plain region.

In full, this year’s scheduled presentations and speakers include:

  • Soybean cultivar development for drought tolerance, Zenglu Li 
  • Statewide variety testing program at Midville, Daniel Mailhot and Dusty Dunn
  • Soil health and fertility, Henry Sintim
  • Peanut insect pest management, Mark Abney
  • Soil water holding capacity and long-term cover crop systems, Mary Logan Tostenson, Peyton Sapp and Jason Mallard
  • Peanut cultivar evaluation, Nino Brown
  • Fertility management of cotton and peanut, Glen Harris
  • Peanut breeding using wild species, David Bertioli and Soraya Bertioli
  • Cotton agronomic research and update, Camp Hand
  • Pathology Extension and applied research programs, Bob Kemerait
  • Field efficacy of commercially available Bt cottons, Phillip Roberts
  • County cotton large scale variety evaluations, Pam Sapp and Savannah Tanner
  • Peanut variety evaluations in large and small plots, Scott Tubbs, Wade Parker and Steven Powell
  • Variable rate liming of pastures and forages, Daniel Jackson
  • Precision agriculture research at Midville, Wes Porter and Simer Virk
  • Field border management for quail and pollinator habitat, Jesse Kamp and Chaz Holt

Registration is free online through Aug. 8 or on-site the day of the event.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered for Georgia pesticide applicators in categories 10 and 21 and nationwide Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits will also be available.

To register for the Midville Field Day or to learn more, visit segeorgia.caes.uga.edu.

Emily Cabrera is a writer for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia.

Authors:
Emily Cabrera
Experts/Sources:
Anthony Black
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.
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
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.”
Apple cider CAES News
Planting seeds for Georgia’s cider industry 11/26/24 Michael Terrazas
The apples growing in the University of Georgia’s Heritage Apple Orchard have long histories in Southern kitchens. Some of the 139 varieties sat on tables as sweet dessert apples, while others were staple ingredients for everything from savory main courses to the all-American apple pie. Some also found their way into bottles. Prohibition and broader cultural and economic changes took a big bite out of the U.S. cider industry. Recently, however, cider has made a comeback.