Seminar Series
Our fall and spring seminar series supports Horticulture's graduate research program. Graduate students fill much of the schedule with research proposals and exit seminars. The Horticulture Seminar Committee and Horticulture Graduate Student Association (HGSA) strive to support professional development with academic and industry guest speakers as well.
UGA faculty, students, staff and their guests are welcome to join each week. Zoom links are provided through the weekly seminar distribution lists via email. For security purposes, zoom information is not provided to non-UGA individuals without a professional or personal connection.
Wednesday, March 20
3:00pm - 4:30pm
UGA Horticulture Graduate Student Exchange Program Competition
Current participants: Suyun Nam, Ranveer Singh, Regimar Garcia dos Santos, Taiwo Owolanke (tentative), Zachary Hutzell.
UGA Horticulture students will give brief seminars to compete for a trip with 2 students selected to present seminars at the University of Auburn. All expenses are covered by the Department.
Hosted by HGSA. Each student competing will present from their home campus location.
Thursday, March 21
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Back-to-Back Exit Seminars, Advisor: R. Ferrarezi
1:00pm: Maximizing the sustainability of hydroponic fruit and vegetable production through system selections and optimal fertigation, George Hutchinson, MS Exit Seminar
1:45pm: Seedling vigor and germination of indoor lettuce quantified using a simple and automated imaging technique, Mark Iradukunda, MS Exit Seminar
2:30pm: Lettuce biomass estimation and tipburn monitoring using image-based technologies, Jonathan Cardenas. MS Exit Seminar
Presenting from: CAES Plant Growth Facility (ATH), 107 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA 30602. Individuals with parking permits on campus are able to park here for this event under your campus parking permit.
Wednesday, March 27
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Topic: Blueberry
Mark Whatley, MS Exit Seminar
Advisor, S. Nambeesan. Presenting from Athens campus
Wednesday, April 3
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Topic: Ornamentals
Lauren Eberth, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, J. Ruter. presenting from Athens campus
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3:30pm - 4:00pm
Topic: Blueberry
Lilian Carcao, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, Z. Rubio Ames. presenting from Tifton campus
Wednesday, April 10
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Topic: Ornamentals
Yulong Chen, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisors, P. Yu. presenting from Athens campus
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3:30pm - 4:00pm
Topic: Ornamentals
Lilin Chen, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, P. Yu. presenting from Griffin campus
Wednesday, April 17
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Horticulture Seminar Exchange Program
Paul Cöckson, Ph.D. Candidate
Paul has conducted cannabis research in his MS program at NC State University. He had co-authored numerous scientifc and magazine artiles on cannabis. He is currently at PhD student at the University of Kentucky focusing on cannabis plant nutrition.
Travis Banet, Ph.D. Candidate
Travis is an environmentally and agriculturally minded soil scientist with skills in environmental soil chemistry, soil fertility, soil science education, and statistics. I am very interested in renewable resources, waste management, and developing systems that can efficiently sustain humanity in the long run.
University of Kentucky, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
Hosted by HGSA. Presenting from Athens campus
Wednesday, April 24
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Topic: Onion
Taiwo Owolanke, PhD Research Proposal Seminar
Advisors, A. Deltsidis. Presenting from Tifton campus
_____________________________
3:30pm - 4:00pm
Catharanthus roseus hydroponic production and alkaloid elicitation
Matt Housely, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisors, R. Ferrarezi. Presenting from Athens campus
Wednesday, April 30
No additional Spring Seminars - Reading Day.
Congratulations to all of our amazing graduates!!!
Completed Seminars - Spring 2024
Wednesday, March 13
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Molecular physiology of bud dormancy and ripening in fruit crops
Ashley Sorrow, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Co-Advisors, A. Malladi and S. Nambeesan. presenting from Athens campus
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3:30pm - 4:00pm
Enhancing peach orchard management practice in Georgia: rootstock-scion water and nutrient dynamics, root characterization, and foliar nutrition
Selvin Carrillo, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, D. Chavez. presenting from Athens campus
Wednesday, March 6
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Development and utilization of KASP markers for Prunus persica (Peach) genetic diversity studies
Caitlin McCann, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, D. Chavez. presenting from Griffin campus
______________________
3:30pm - 4:00pm
Topic: Vegetable production
Elvis Pulici, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, T. McAvoy. presenting from Tifton campus
Wednesday, February 28
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Redesigning fertilization practices for blueberry production in Georgia
Natalia Espinoza, PhD Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, Z. Rubio Ames. presenting from Tifton campus
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3:30pm - 4:00pm
Assessing postharvest quality attributes and storability of Blackberry cultivars in Georgia
Ramsey Corn, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, A. Deltsidis. presenting from Tifton campus
Wednesday, February 21 - Guest Speaker
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Topic: Controlled Environment Agriculture and Vegetable Physiology
Dr. Kellie Walters, Associate Professor
Controlled Environment Vegetable Physiology Lab
University of Tennessee
presenting from Athens campus
Hort Faculty Host: Dr. Rhuanito Ferrarezi
Wednesday, February 14
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Molecular genetic approaches to disease resistance in ornamentals
Khuram Tanveer, PhD Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, D. Wilde. presenting from Athens campus
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3:30pm - 4:00pm
Development of a blueberry tissue culture system for ploidy induction and genetic transformation
Emily Walter, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, J. Chu. presenting from Tifton campus
Wednesday, February 7
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Optimizing plant density: maximizing marketable yield in Georgia's top vegetable crops
Hayley Milner, MS Research Proposal Seminar
Advisor, T. McAvoy. presenting from Tifton campus
Wednesday, January 31 - Guest Speaker
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Pecan and Muscadine: Breeding and Genetics of Two Native North American Crops
Dr. Patrick Conner, Professor and Tifton REI Coordinator
UGA Department of Horticulture
Research Emphasis: Pecan & muscadine breeding
Departmental Host: Leo Lombardini
presenting from TBD
P. Conner faculty webpage
Wednesday, January 24
An update on the 1st Annual HGSA Retreat
UGA Department of Horticulture
presenting from Athens campus
presenting from Athens campus
Wednesday, January 17 - Guest Speaker
3:00pm - 4:00pm
Topic: Graduate Students Time Management & Writing Practices
Dr. Lindsey Harding, Director of the Writing Intensive Program
UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
presenting from Athens campus
Hort Faculty Host: Dr. Savithri Nambeesan