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State-wide Variety Testing (SWVT) at the University of Georgia (www.swvt.uga.edu)
Overview: Proper variety selection is the most important decision a farmer makes. Producers
want and need to grow the best adapted crop cultivars to be successful. The SWVT program does
variety evaluation research on public and privately developed cultivars of corn grain and silage,
soybean, peanut, cotton, grain sorghum grain and silage, summer annual forages, wheat, barley,
rye, oat, triticale, canola for grain, and winter annual forages each crop year. The research is
conducted within each of the seven major geographic regions of Georgia (Fig. 1) to collect
Agronomic data such as yield, bloom date, maturity date, test weight, height, lodging, seed size
and seed shattering; also, tests for resistance/tolerance to pests and disease. This information is
then published annually in five research reports which are made available to farmers, private
industry, and other researchers in a timely manner. A web site on the internet, electronic bulletin
boards and a computer CD are also used to distribute the information. Research objectives are
focused on providing UGA plant breeders with a mechanism to evaluate the performance of
advanced cultivars against recently released cultivars or industry standards. Extension objectives
are to provide timely information on cultivar performance in Georgia under “real world
conditions.” Condition variables could include, but are not necessarily limited to, disease and
insect pressure, temperature and rainfall variations and soil type.
Results: The Georgia cultivar evaluation and crop management, Statewide Variety Testing
(SWVT) program during 2013 conducted 170 experiments across the six geographic regions of
the state, thus identified numerous public and commercial row crop and small grain cultivars of
corn, corn silage, grain sorghum silage, cotton, peanut, soybean, grain sorghum, wheat, barley,
rye, oat, triticale, canola, summer annual forages, and winter annual forages adapted to Georgia
growing conditions. Four Georgia Ag. Experiment Station reports (Res. Rpts. nos. 100-5, 101-5,
103-5, 104-5) on variety evaluation were published. The SWVT web site (www.swvt.uga.edu) is
used to make the data available electronically. Further, there are 17 years of data on the web site
(1997-2013). Data was obtained and disseminated on cultivar resistance or tolerance to the
prevalent pests found in Georgia on soybean, wheat, corn, and grain sorghum. Also, data
collected on Tobacco varieties is published in the peanuts, cotton, and tobacco report (no.104-5).
Impact: Numerous public and commercial row crop and small grain cultivars of corn grain and
silage, soybean, sorghum grain and silage, peanut, cotton, wheat, barley, oat, rye, triticale,
canola, summer annual forages and winter annual forages were identified during 2013 as adapted
to being successfully grown in Georgia(published in four UGA CAES Research Reports). The
following crops were all released during 2013 using SWVT data.
In addition the following new cotton, soybean, corn, and small grains varieties were released
during 2013 using SWVT data. Four new cotton varieties (PHY 333 WRF, PHY 417 WRF, PHY
427 WRF, and PHY 599 WRF); Three new herbicide resistance soybean varieties (Armor 47R13, Armor 48-R66, and Armor 53-R16); Three new corn hybrids (D57VP75, TA784-13VP,
and TA 785-13VP); Three new high yielding, disease resistant wheat varieties (LA 754, USG
3024, and L-Brand 343); One new high yielding, disease resistant oat variety (Horizon 306);
And one new triticale variety (Arcia) for grain.
Peanut varieties identified by the SWVT program as adapted to Georgia growing conditions and
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having tolerance to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) were used by the Georgia
Cooperative Extension Service in production indexing (a combination of cultural practices) that
had an added value to the Georgia peanut producer in excess of $50 million during 2013 mainly
due to less TSWV disease.
Further, research data published in the Four CAES Research Reports included wheat varieties
identified that benefit from fungicide application; soybean varieties that are tolerant to several
nematodes and soybean stem canker were identified; corn and grain sorghum hybrids with
tolerance to insects were identified.
SWVT Program Management: The program is presently funded through multiple sources: hard
funded state positions with benefits, state and/or royalty dollars provided for operational
expenditures, limited contractual money and private funding (Fig. 2, Table 1). The program has
three staff located at Griffin and four at Tifton. Three are soft-funded technicians and four are
state-funded technicians. 170 separate tests per year are established representing 15,000 plots at
seven locations. The program allows cultivar comparisons within the major climatic, geographic,
and soil type regions of the state.
Currently, the program utilizes commodity based committees to provide experimental protocols
and recommendations (Table 3). These committees are comprised of interdisciplinary members
that include pathologists, entomologists, breeders, agronomists and selected stakeholders
(representatives from seed development and crop improvement). Two committees (small grains
and soybeans) continue to develop and update yearly recommended lists. The soybean
committee meets yearly in mid-January and small grains in late July. The grains advisory
committee meets on the second Thursday in December to review the sorghum and corn for the
year. The cotton advisory committee meets on the first Tuesday of February, and the peanut
advisory committee meets on the first Thursday of February to review the year for cotton and
peanuts.
Recommendations and the future: In order to make the program more sustainable, key staff
that were soft funded have been moved to state funds. An increase in the annual operation
budget also needs to be enhanced to provide sufficient funding for both routine expenditures and
equipment replacement (Table). Sufficient funds need to be generated/provided to allow for an
ongoing loan-purchase program whereby essential equipment is replaced over time to ensure
efficient program operation. One example is a recently negotiated five year lease-purchase that
allowed us to spread a $250,000 payment over five years. However, to do this, we needed an
additional $50,000 per year for 5 years, above normal annual expenses. SWVT is pursuing a
loan program with an agricultural equipment dealer similar to the one we had in the past with
Case IH. Case IH loaned SWVT a 100+ horsepower cab tractor to use for field operations and
for use during field days. This benefited both Case IH and SWVT. To increase annual operating
funds, all plant-based commodity commissions were contacted and engaged in discussion about
needed SWVT support. All commissions now consider and (in most cases) provide financial
support to the SWVT program on an annual basis. SWVT has also increased entry fees to seed
companies.
Several of the neighboring states view our program as being well-run and providing essential
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information that they can utilize but are unable to produce themselves. With a more sustainable
management plan as proposed herein, our program can become a leader within the southeastern
United States. The annual funding needed to support this program is approximately $733,000
(Fig. 3). To make the program sustainable, approximately one-half of the funding needs to be
state-funded, one-fourth needs to be private funding (fees and contracts), and one-fourth other
sources such as royalty (from breeders, department, college, GSDC).
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Figure 1. Regional locations
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Figure 2. Present budget expenditure and source categories
Table 1. Present types of expenditures
I. Human Resources
A. Salary – State
B. Salary – Soft
C. Benefits
Total
II. Equipment Purchases
III. Expendables
A. Fertilizer, chemicals, etc.
B. Travel
C. Repairs
Total
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
$ 264,000
125,000
144,000
$ 533,00
$ 110,000
$ 60,000
15,000
15,000
$ 90,000
$ 733,000
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Figure 3.Recommended budget source
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Table 3. CAES commodity and SWVT OVT committees.
2013 Cotton Team
Dr. Guy Collins
Dr. Phillip Roberts
Dr. Stanley Culpepper
Dr. Glenn Harris
Dr. Bob Kemerait
Mr. Andy Knowlton
Dr. Changying Li
Mr. Calvin Perry
Dr. Don Shurley
Ms. Amanda Smith
Dr. Michael Toews
Dr. R. Scott Tubbs
Dr. Jared Whitaker
Cotton Agronomist
Cotton Entomologist
Weed Scientist
Cotton Soil Fertility
Cotton Pathologist
Ag Engineer/Research
Ginner
Ag Engineer/Sensors and
Cotton Quality
Ag Engineer / Precision
Farming
Cotton Economics and
Marketing
Cotton Conservation
Economics
Cotton Entomologist
Cropping Systems
Agronomist
Cotton Agronomist
guyc@uga.edu
proberts@uga.edu
stanley@uga.edu
gharris@uga.edu
kemerait@uga.edu
229-386-3006
229-386-3424
229-386-3194
229-386-3006
229-386-7495
andyk@uga.edu
229-386-3377
cyli@uga.edu
229-386-3915
perrycd@uga.edu
229-386-3377
donshur@uga.edu
229-386-3512
aziehl@uga.edu
mtoews@uga.edu
229-386-3512
229-386-3149
tubbs@uga.edu
jared@uga.edu
229-386-3360
912-681-5639
2013 Cotton OVT
Committee
Dr. Guy Collins
Dr. Phillip Roberts
Dr. Glenn Harris
Dr. Bob Kemerait
Cotton Agronomist
Cotton Entomologist
Cotton Soil Fertility
Cotton Pathologist
Cotton Economics
Dr. Don Shurley
and Marketing
Cropping Systems
Dr. R. Scott Tubbs
Agronomist
Dr. Jared Whitaker
Cotton Agronomist
Dr. Stanley Culpepper Weed Scientist
Dr. Peng Chee
Genomics
Dr. Ed Lubbers
Plant Breeder
guyc@uga.edu
proberts@uga.edu
gharris@uga.edu
kemerait@uga.edu
229-386-3006
229-386-3424
229-386-3006
229-386-7495
donshur@uga.edu
229-386-3512
tubbs@uga.edu
jared@uga.edu
stanley@uga.edu
pwchee@uga.edu
elubbers@uge.edu
229-386-3360
912-681-5639
229-386-3194
229-386-7274
229-386-3829
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2013 Peanut Team
Dr. Bill Branch
Dr. Phillip Roberts
Dr. Albert Culbreath
Dr. Glenn Harris
Dr. Bob Kemerait
Dr. Nathan Smith
Dr. Eric Prostko
Mr. Calvin Perry
Dr. Peggy OziasAkins
Ms. Amanda Smith
Mr. Allen McCorvey
Dr. R. Scott Tubbs
Dr. Tim Brenneman
Dr. John Beasley
Dr. Stanley Fletcher
Dr. Corley Holbrook
Dr. Carroll Johnson
Dr. Patty Timper
Dr. Baozhu Guo
Dr. Ron Walcott
Mr. Jay Williams
Dr. Stevan Knapp
Dr. Wayne Parrott
Dr. Andy Patterson
Dr. Babu Srinivasan
Dr. Mark Abney
Plant Breeder
Entomologist
Plant Path
Soil Fertility
Pathologist
Economics
Weed Sci
Ag Precision
wdbranch@uga.edu
proberts@uga.edu
spotwilt@uga.edu
gharris@uga.edu
kemerait@uga.edu
nathans@uga.edu
prostko@uga.edu
perrycd@uga.edu
229-386-3561
229-386-3424
229-386-3370
229-386-3006
229-386-7495
229-386-3512
229-386-3006
229-386-3377
Plant Breeder
Economics
Peanut econ
Crop Sys
Pathologist
Ext Peanuts
Economics
Plant Breeder
Weed Sci
Nematology
Aflatoxin
Seed Path
Extension Eng
Plant Breeder
Genetics
AGTEC
pozias@uga.edu
aziehl@uga.edu
allemcc@uga.edu
tubbs@uga.edu
arachis@uga.edu
jbeasley@uga.edu
sfletch@uga.edu
corley.holbrook@ars.usda.gov
carroll.johnson@ars.usda.gov
patricia.timper@ars.usda.gov
baozhu.guo@ars.usda.gov
rwalcott@uga.edu
jwillms@uga.edu
sjknapp@uga.edu
wparrott@uga.edu
paterson@uga.edu
babusri@uga.edu
mrabney@uga.edu
229-386-3902
229-386-3512
229-386-7291
229-386-3360
229-386-3371
229-386-3328
770-228-7321
229-386-3176
229-386-3172
229-386-3188
229-386-2326
706-542-6963
229-386-3442
706-542-4021
706-542-0928
706-583-0162
229-386-3199
229-386-3374
wdbranch@uga.edu
proberts@uga.edu
gharris@uga.edu
kemerait@uga.edu
prostko@uga.edu
tubbs@uga.edu
Corley.holbrook@ars.usda.
gov
sfletch@uga.edu
arachis@uga.edu
spotwilt@uga.edu
nathans@uga.edu
babusri@uga.edu
mrabney@uga.edu
229-386-3561
229-386-3424
229-386-3006
229-386-7495
229-386-3006
229-386-3360
Peanut Entomologist
2013 Peanut OVT
Committee
Dr. Bill Branch
Dr. Phillip Roberts
Dr. Glenn Harris
Dr. Bob Kemerait
Dr. Eric Prostko
Dr. R. Scott Tubbs
Dr. Corley Holbrook
Dr. Stanley Fletcher
Dr. Tim Brenneman
Dr. Albert Culbreath
Dr. Nathan Smith
Dr. Babu Srinivasan
Dr. Mark Abney
Plant Breeder
Entomologist
Soil Fertility
Pathologist
Weed Sci
Crop Sys
Plant Breeder
Economics
Pathologist
Plant Path
Economics
Entemologist
229-386-3176
770-228-7321
229-386-3371
229-386-3370
229-386-3512
229-386-3199
229-386-3374
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2013 Grain Team
Dr. Jerry Johnson
Dr. Phillip Roberts
Dr. James Buck
Dr. Glenn Harris
Dr. Bob Kemerait
Dr. Nathan Smith
Dr. Eric Prostko
Ms. Amanda Smith
Ron Barnett
Dan Bland
Ann Blount
David Buntin
Zhenbang Chen
Anton Coy
Dr Stanley Culpepper
Dr. Roger Boerma
John Gassett
Terry Hollifield
Dr. Dewy Lee
Doug McWhorter
John Youmans
Plant Breeder
Entomologist
Plant Path
Soil Fertility
Pathologist
Economics
Weed Scientist
Economics
Plant Breeder
Res Prof II
Forages
Insects
Plant Breeder
Res Prof II
Weed Scientist
GSDC
Res Prof II
GCIA
Extension Grains
GSDC
Plant Path
jjohnson@uga.edu
proberts@uga.edu
jbuck@uga.edu
gharris@uga.edu
kemerait@uga.edu
nathans@uga.edu
eprostko@uga.edu
aziehl@uga.edu
rdbarnett@ufl.edu
sgrain@uga.edu
ablount@ufl.edu
gbuntin@uga.edu
zchen@uga.edu
coy@uga.edu
stanley@uga.edu
rboerma@uga.edu
gassett@uga.edu
gacrop@bellsouth.net
deweylee@uga.edu
dmcwhort@gsdc.com
jyouman@uga.edu
770-228-7345
229-386-3424
770-412-4098
229-386-3006
229-386-7495
229-386-3512
229-386-3006
229-386-3512
850-544-1043
770-228-7345
850-544-0905
770-412-4713
770-228-7331
229-392-3604
229-386-3194
706-227-7951
770-296-8268
678-227-0048
229-392-6607
706-614-7012
770-412-4011
Plant Breeder
Plant Path
Plant Breeder
Res Prof II
Forages
Insects
Plant Breeder
Res Prof II
Weed Scientist
GSDC
GCIA
GCIA
Extension Grains
GSDC
Plant Path
jjohnson@uga.edu
jbuck@uga.edu
rdbarnett@ufl.edu
sgrain@uga.edu
ablount@ufl.edu
gbuntin@uga.edu
zchen@uga.edu
coy@uga.edu
stanley@uga.edu
rboerma@uga.edu
Gacrop5@bellsouth.net
gacrop@bellsouth.net
deweylee@uga.edu
dmcwhort@gsdc.com
jyouman@uga.edu
770-228-7345
770-412-4098
850-544-1043
770-228-7345
850-544-0905
770-412-4713
770-228-7331
229-392-3604
229-386-3194
706-227-7951
2013 Small Grain OVT
Committee
Dr. Jerry Johnson
Dr. James Buck
Ron Barnett
Dan Bland
Ann Blount
David Buntin
Zhenbang Chen
Anton Coy
Dr Stanley Culpepper
Dr Roger Boerma
Billy Skaggs
Terry Hollifield
Dr. Dewy Lee
Doug McWhorter
John Youmans
678-227-0048
229-392-6607
706-614-7012
770-412-4011
10
2013 Soybean Team
Dr. Roger Boerma
Dr. Phillip Roberts
Dr. James Buck
Dr. Glenn Harris
Dr. Bob Kemerait
Dr. Nathan Smith
Dr. Eric Prostko
Ms. Amanda Smith
Dr. David Buntin
Zhenbang Chen
Anton Coy
Dr Stanley Culpepper
Terry Hollifield
Doug McWhorter
John Youmans
Gary Ware
Dr. Dan Phillips
Dr Jared Whitaker
Plant Breeder
Entomologist
Plant Path
Soil Fertility
Pathologist
Economics
Weed Scientist
Economics
Insects
Plant Breeder
Res Prof II
Weed Scientist
GCIA
GSDC
Plant Path
Res Prof II
Plant Path
Soybean Agronomist
rboerma@uga.edu
proberts@uga.edu
jwbuck@uga.edu
gharris@uga.edu
kemerait@uga.edu
nathans@uga.edu
eprostko@uga.edu
aziehl@uga.edu
gbuntin@uga.edu
zchen@uga.edu
coy@uga.edu
stanley@uga.edu
gacrop@bellsouth.net
dmcwhort@gsdc.com
jyouman@uga.edu
garyware@uga.edu
dphilli@uga.edu
jared@uga.edu
706-227-7654
229-386-3424
770-412-4098
229-386-3006
229-386-7495
229-386-3512
229-386-3006
229-386-3512
770-412-4713
770-228-7331
229-392-3604
229-386-3194
678-227-0048
706-614-7012
770-412-4011
770-313-2109
770-227-1663
912-681-5639
2013 Soybean OVT Committee
Dr. Roger Boerma
Dr. James Buck
Anton Coy
Billy Skaggs
Terry Hollifield
Blake Fleeman
James Buck
Gary Ware
Dr. Dick Hussey
David Spradlin
Dr. Jared Whitaker
Steve Finnerty
Dale Wood
Dr. Zenglu Li
GSDC
Plant Path
Res Prof II
GCIA
GSDC
Plant Path
Res Prof II
Plant Path
Plant Path
Soybean Agronomist
Plant Breeder
rboerma@uga.edu
jwbuck@uga.edu
coy@uga.edu
Gacrop5@bellsouth.net
gacrop@bellsouth.net
blake.fleeman@gsdc.com
jwbuck@uga.edu
garyware@uga.edu
hussey@uga.edu
wspradi@uga.edu
jared@uga.edu
slfinn@uga.edu
dwood@uga.edu
ZLI@uga.edu
706-227-7654
770-412-4098
229-392-3604
678-227-0048
706-614-7012
770-412-4011
770-313-2109
770-227-1663
912-681-5639
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Attachment 1Table 4
Ten year equipment plan for Statewide Variety Testing Program (SWVT).
April 18, 2014(14 items $346,000.00 total)
1. $40,000.00 to replace 1997 2500 Suburban Truck for SWVT Griffin Unit used to transport
seed and samples, plus pull an equipment trailer to transport tractors and combines, etc. at the
UGA Griffin Campus, and Research and Education Centers in Georgia at Eatonton,
Athens, Calhoun, and Blairsville.
2. $100,000.00 to replace worn out tractor and a rental tractor that Tifton Unit uses at the Lang
Research Farm to carry out general farming operation such as land preparation, plowing,
cultivating, Spraying, digging peanuts and other farming needs associated with the SWVT
Tifton Unit research field duties.
3. $12,000.00 repair and upgrade 1998 crop dryer, SWVT Tifton Unit used to dry research plot
samples in Crop and Soil Department and Plant Path, Entomology, Horticulture, FRS, Depts.
and several USDA programs.
4. $20,000.00 replace 1987 silage chopper Tifton Unit, used to harvest corn silage, sorghum
silage, and summer annual forage plots at Tifton, Plains, and Midville research sites
5. $20,000.00 replace. 1987 silage chopper Griffin Unit, used to harvest corn silage, sorghum
silage, and summer annual forage plots at Griffin, Calhoun, and Blairsville research sites.
6. $15,000.00 replace 1985 small grain drill Tifton Unit used to plant small grains, soybean,
grain sorghum, grain sorghum silage, sunflowers, and summer annual forages at Tifton,
Plains, and Midville.
7. $15,000.00 replace 1985 small grain drill Griffin Unit used to plant small grains, soybean,
grain sorghum, grain sorghum silage, sunflowers, and summer annual forages at Griffin,
Calhoun, and Blairsville.
8. $15,000.00 replace 1985 4-row planter Tifton Unit used to plant corn, and peanuts at Tifton,
Plains, and Midville.
9. $6,000.00 replace 1985 rotary mower Tifton Unit for plot maintenance and mow research
plot stover.
10. $70,000.00 misc. lab equip, scales, computer, etc. in SWVT Program.
11. $25,000.00 repair 1985 forage harvester in Griffin Unit used to harvest forage plots at
Griffin, Calhoun, and Blairsville in north Georgia.
12. $25,000.00 repair 1985 forage harvester in Tifton Unit used to harvest forage plots at Tifton,
Plains and Midville in South Georgia.
Updated 09/04/2014