Advances in Plant Sciences

William “Bill” D. Branch, a professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has been elected as Fellow for the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Branch is the 17th UGA faculty member to receive this honor, which recognizes inventors whose innovations have had a significant impact on society, economic development and quality of life.

People love the taste of sugar beets’ primary byproduct: white sugar. Soilborne cyst nematodes — parasitic, microscopic worms — enjoy the root vegetable, too, but as their sole food source. It’s an obstinate, expensive problem for farmers that researchers at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are working to solve.

Organic fruits and vegetables often face a higher risk of spoiling and harboring foodborne pathogens than their conventional farming counterparts. Because organic growers and packers must adhere to higher production standards and restrictions on chemical additives, University of Georgia experts are exploring alternative methods for protecting organic products and consumers through a new $3.5 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.