Overview and Publications from GMREC Research Projects

Over thirty active research projects are ongoing at the facility in coordination with over a dozen faculty and graduate students across five CAES departments.

Apples:

  • Spray Regimen for Glomerella Leaf Spot. Another major fungal pathogen that is impacting Georgia growers. Research emphasis is directed at the control of this disease with various chemistrys. (Dr. Phil Brannan)
  • Bitter rot (Dr. Phil Brannan): This is a major fungal disease for which disease control is limited in Georgia. It is a primary research emphasis of the pathology program for apples. We need to develop better fungicidal control for this disease. This is a continuing issue, and it will be a yearly research project. The chemicals tested will often change from year to year, but it is anticipated that this will be a yearly effort.
  • Lost and Found: Resurrecting Rare and Extinct Apple Cultivars. Material was sourced from homesteads and declining nurseries across the southeast. Varieties were selected for their value in the South with a goal of preserving them while assessing their potential. A full list of the varieties at GMREC can be found on the GMREC FB page. (Dr. Stephen Mihm). Trees are not for sale, but there may be opportunities for scion material in the future. Full List
  • High Density Apple Management Systems. Determine effects and interactions of chemical and cultural practices on lateral branch development during orchard establishment. II. Determine effects of different orchard irrigation paradigms on vegetative growth, reproductive development, yield responses, fruit quality, and orchard profitability. III. Serve as a resource for educational events for commercial apple growers, extension agents, and the general public. (Dr. Tom Kon)

Blueberries:

  • No projects at this time.

Cattle:

  • Utilizing direct-fed benzimidazole in weaned beef calves to decrease internal parasite burden. This study will evaluate the effect of a pour-on (macrocyclic lactones) wormer, or a direct-fed benzimidazole on calf body weight gain, fecal egg count, and the rumen microbiome. We hypothesize that the use the direct-fed benzimidazole will have a greater reduction in parasite burden and improve animal performance. (Dr. Lawton Stewart).

Corn:

  • Statewide Variety Testing (Dr. Daniel Mailhot): New varieties of field corn are being evaluated for market potential. These results are posted annually on the Statewide variety Testing website and show the yield per acre expected and grain quality. Website
  • Sentinel Plots for Early Detection of Rust and Other Diseases in Corn. 1. To detect the timing of introduction of southern corn rust into areas around each sentinel plot location. 2. To note appearance of other diseases, to include southern corn leaf blight and northern corn leaf blight that could be of importance. 3. To provide UGA Extension agents with timely information to allow growers to make more profitable management decisions for their corn crop.(Dr. Bob Kemerait)

Forages:

  • Winter Hardiness Evaluation of Alfalfa Populations. Various crosses of alfalfa have been made to develop various populations. Testing in Blairsville will determine their fall dormancy and winter hardiness.(Dr. Ali Missaoui)
  • Tall Fescue Yield Variety Trial. Evaluate the productivity of newly developed tall fescue experimental varieties as compared to commercial varieties that are currently available. This trial needs to be conducted to determine adaptation and overall performance in this environment. (Dr. Ali Missaoui)
  • White Clover Yield Variety Trial. To determine the best white clover experimental varieties that have been developed within the cultivar development research program. This assessment will provide information to which experimental variety or varieties are eligible for commercialization. (Dr. Ali Missaoui)
  • Red Clover Yield Variety Trail. To determine the best red clover experimental varieties that have been developed within the cultivar development research program. This assessment will provide information to which experimental variety or varieties are eligible for commercialization. (Dr. Ali Missaoui)

Grape:

  • Surfactant Effect on Sulfur for Powdery Mildew Control. 1: To determine if non-ionic oraganosilicone surfactants increase the efficacy of sulfur on powdery mildew control 2: To determine if non-ionic organosilicone surfactants alone have activity on powdery milde. (Dr. Phil Brannan)
  • Grape Surfactant and Air Induction Nozzle Trial. 1: To determine if air induction nozzles have an effect on sulfur treatment efficacy. 2: To determine if air induction nozzles have a synergistic effect with surfactants on sulfur treatments. (Dr. Phil Brannan)

Turfgrass:

  • Cold Tolerance of Zoysiagrass. Screening advanced lines of zoysiagrass for cold tolerance and winter survival, to determine if experimental zoysiagrasses can be successfully used in home lawns in North Georgia under home-owner management such as rotary mowers. (Dr. Brian Schwartz)
  • Turf-type Tall Fescue turfgrass plot evaluations. Evaluate turfgrass plots for: 1) Disease resistance 2) Turfgrass quality characteristics 3) Adaptation to environments colder than in south Georgia. (Dr. Brian Schwartz)
  • Zoysia Craossing Block. Evaluate zoysiagrass parents for: 1) General combining ability for seed yield 2) Seed yield components and floret fertility 3) Adaptation to environments colder than in south Georgia. (Dr. Brian Schwartz)
  • Kentucky Bluegrass Evaluation Nursery. Evaluate Kentucky bluegrass for (i) apomixis, (ii) seed yield characteristics, (iii) disease resistance, and (iv) adaptation to mild climate for identification of broadly-adapted material. (Dr. Brian Schwartz)
  • Tall Fescue GWAS Study. Evaluate 300 unique genotypes for a genome-wide association study to better understand traits of interest including (i) seed yield, (ii) flowering date, (iii) disease resistance, (iv) adaption to mild climate for identification of broadly-adapted material, and (v) turf performance. (Dr. Brian Schwartz)
  • Evaluation of Experimental Centipede Grass in North Georgia. To determine if experimental centipedegrasses can be successfully used in home lawns in North Georgia under home-owner management such as rotary mowers. (Dr. Brian Schwartz)
  • Cold Tolerance Screening Centipede. The screening of the next Tifton centipedegrass release for cold tolerance and winter hardiness to ensure its survival and prosperity in North Georgia. (Dr. Brian Schwartz)
  • Cold Temp Screening Advanced Centipede Lines. The screening of the next Tifton centipedegrass release for cold tolerance and winter hardiness to ensure its survival and prosperity in North Georgia. (Dr. Wayne Hanna).

Entomology:

  • Survey in Cavity Nesting Bees in Apples. Recent research has appeared to demonstrate that artificially housing(bee houses) has favored exotic cavity nesting bees rather than native pollinators in the urban forest interface. Research is needed to determine if bee houses used to augment pollination in apples are helpful or harmful. (Dr. Susan K. Braman)

Ornamentals:

  • Evaluating selected breeding material for landscape use in zone 7a (Dr. Carol Robacher): Abelia, Vitex, little bluestem, Arborvitae, and Wax Myrtle selections are currently being evaluated at this site. These evaluations are ongoing. Additional selections will be planted, including the new crop Aronia berry.
  • Evaluation of Ornamental Plants in North Georgia (Dr. John Ruter): Plants have been developed at the Tifton Campus in USDA hardiness zone 7b and need to be evaluated for cold hardiness and other attributes in a colder climate before they can be released as cultivars.
  • Aronia(Chokeberry) evaluation for commercial systems (Dr. Carol Robacker): There is potential for Aronia to be a secondary commodity marketed in Blueberry orchards. Varieties planted at GMREC are being evaluated for their potential.(Dr. Carol Robacher)
  • Cultivars of Little Blue Stem, Miscanthus, and Pennisetum (Dr. Wayne Hanna): New cultivars of these plants are being evaluated for landscape use.
  • Evaluation of Torreya Taxifolia germplasm in north Georgia (Dr. John Ruter)
  • Evaluate Cold Tolerance of Coneless Pine Trees in North georgia (Dr. Wayne Hanna)
  • Cold Tolerance Screening of Ornamental Perennials. Georgia has a variety of soil and tempered environments. Screening advanced lines at this location will ensure that ornamental peanut varieties will survive and prosper for North Georgia residents. (Dr. Wayne Hanna)
  • Cold Tolerance of Ornamentals. Screening of advanced lines of ornamental grasses for cold tolerance and winter hardiness. (Dr. Wayne Hanna).

Soybean:

  • Sentinel Plots for the Early Detection of Rust and Other Diseases in Soybean. Objectives: 1. To detect the timing of introduction of soy rust into areas around each sentinel plot location. 2. To note appearance of other diseases, to include target spot, Cercospora leaf blight, and anthracnose that could be of importance. 3. To provide UGA Extension agents with timely information to allow growers to make more profitable management decisions for their soybean crop. (Dr. Bob Kemerait)

Vegetables:

  • Diversity of Heirloom and Ancient Tomatoes. To facilitate the evaluation of the genetic basis of horticulturally significant traits in fleshy fruit development using tomato as a model organism.(Dr. Esther van der Knaap). Publication website.

Every gift has an impact!

If you have questions about making a gift to CAES, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 706-542-3390 or emailĀ caesdar@uga.edu.

Make a gift to the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center:

Donate Now