About

History and Mission

The Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center lies in the upper Coastal Plain near Midville, Georgia. Just south of the fall line, the approximately 720-acre center was established in 1952, when Burke County deeded the land to the University System Board of Regents.

The original mission of the center was to test enterprises or practices that could be adapted to the local area.  All enterprises were applied on a management scale large enough to accurately assess the cost and returns of these enterprises. Whole farm production units included dairy, beef, swine, poultry, pecans, and row crop (predominately cotton) enterprises. Now, research is focused in row crop research including peanuts, soybeans, alfalfa, corn, cotton, sorghum and potential biofuel crops.

Variety testing, pest management strategies, fertilizer application rates, seeding rates and disease management research programs are also in place. The center is the only UGA research location where UGA scientists study cylindrocladium black rot, a fungal disease first found in 1965 on peanuts in southwest Georgia. Today, CBR plagues alfalfa, clover and soybean as well.

Current research focuses primarily on row crops and includes cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, and small grains.  Research and Extension Scientists and County Extension Agents carry out roughly 40 research projects annually.  Research projects include the evaluation of crop varieties, pest management strategies, and conservation tillage practices including cover crop systems.  Most experiments are irrigated with center pivot systems.  In addition, a 6-acre site is devoted to sub-surface drip irrigation.

SEREC is staffed by 5 full time positions. The center hosts several outreach functions throughout the year.  An annual field day is held every August along with several smaller production meetings, trainings, and workshops. Local school groups conduct field trips and Ag Awareness education at the center as well.