Our Purpose
We improve the environment, health and well-being of citizens in Georgia and around the globe using innovative research, experiential teaching and outreach to increase the profitability and sustainability of horticulture. We increase public awareness of the positive aspects of horticulture, educate the horticulture workforce, and proactively shape the future of horticulture.
Strengths
- Diverse research and practical solutions
- Premier teaching program
- Productive and strategic relationships (with industry, alumni and academic partners)
Top Industry Issues
- Environmentally and sustainably responsible global plant production, including economic profitability.
- Education and outreach of horticulture as a discipline and its health and well-being benefits.
- Shaping and advancing the industry through transformational changes including policy, labor, technology, and social issues.
Locations
UGA's Athens campus serves as the main campus for the Department of Horticulture. Offices and facilities are housed in the Miller Plant Sciences building and the Hoke Smith building on south campus. Additional faculty are located at the UGA-Tifton and UGA-Griffin campuses.
Academics
The Department of Horticulture offers an undergraduate major in Horticulture. Within the horticulture major, a student may select to concentrate in one of three areas of emphasis: General Horticulture, Landscape Contracting, or Horticultural Science (pre-graduate school track). The department also offers a minor in horticulture, which is awarded following the successful completion of 27 hours of horticultural courses. The graduate program offers programs of study leading to the MS or Ph.D. degrees.
Research and Service to Georgia’s Horticulture Industries and Citizens
Georgia horticultural scientists and extension specialists use modern equipment and techniques to serve the fastest growing agricultural commodity in the state and nation. Below are some examples of the contributions our department makes in the many areas of horticulture important to our state.
- Georgia's pecan industry leads the United States and the world in production. In the last 40 years, University of Georgia scientists have contributed to a 1200 percent increase in the value of pecans by breeding superior varieties, furthering the understanding of the alternate-bearing habit of pecans, and researching the nutritional needs of pecan trees.
- The value of the Georgia blueberry industry has risen from $22 million in 2000 to over $300 million. This growth is largely due to an outstanding blueberry breeding program and other College research programs that have allowed the growers to become more productive and more profitable.
- The ornamental horticulture industry was estimated to be over $1.8 billion last year. Georgia scientists maintain their national leadership role in new pot, cut flower, and landscape plant selection, propagation, and production research. Our researchers and extension specialists are also helping to conserve natural resources and protect the environment through studies on water and nutrient use efficiency in greenhouses, plant nurseries, and landscapes.
- Georgia’s fresh vegetable industry has exploded in the last 10 years, and we now rank 4th in the nation in fresh market vegetables with a farm gate value of over $1 billion. High quality-locally grown is a trademark of this sector of Georgia’s horticulture industry.