Scott Monfort, Agronomist and host of All About the Pod
Dr. Monfort has a 90% extension and 10% research appointment as the extension peanut agronomist. His program is currently responsible for developing and implementing a nationally recognized extension and applied research peanut program in agronomy. He provides support of county extension agents working in peanut production systems including field day support, developing timely in-service trainings, peanut production, and pest management recommendations, and informational leaflets, both printed and web-based. Dr. Monfort’s research emphasis is on development of cost-effective crop management systems including cultivar evaluation, tillage systems, planting date and seeding rate, integration and adaption of new precision agriculture and equipment technologies.
Mark Abney, Entomologist
Dr. Abney is a Professor of Entomology at the University of Georgia. His program is committed to providing solutions to pest management challenges through the extension of research-based knowledge to the peanut industry and beyond. The UGA Peanut Entomology Program is actively engaged with industry clientele and utilizes a variety of mechanisms from grower meetings to web based media to deliver the most current insect management information. Dr. Abney was born and raised in Georgia. He moved back to the state in 2013 after 12 years in North Carolina. He currently lives in Tifton with his wife, two children, and a dog named Amos Moses.
Bob Kemerait, Plant Pathologist
Dr. Kemerait’s Extension and research program is focused on those diseases and plant parasitic nematodes that affect peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), soybeans (Glycine max) and corn (Zea mays). His Extension efforts are devoted to providing timely, research-based recommendations to growers, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents, and consultants for the management of all diseases and plant parasitic nematodes that affect the crops listed above in Georgia and the southeastern United States. This information is disseminated to clients through presentations at producer meetings, Extension bulletins, newsletters, and the Internet. Working with other researchers and Extension specialists at the University of Georgia and colleagues from the agrichemical industry, Dr. Kemerait has coordinated investigation, development, and implementation of “Peanut Rx,” a risk index program for the management of tomato spotted wilt, leaf spot diseases, southern stem rot, and Rhizoctonia limb rot affecting peanut.
Wes Porter, Ag Engineer
Dr. Wesley Porter is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist covering Precision Agriculture and Irrigation at the University of Georgia. His specific expertise is in precision ag, a field that he has been working in since his undergrad. The projects that he has worked on have been centered around variable rate application work, yield monitors, harvesting, remote sensing, and many more. Dr. Porter’s efforts also focus on irrigation scheduling, soil moisture sensor work, and working with scheduling tools to educate producers on how to maximize yield and Irrigation Water Use Efficiency.
Eric Prostko, Weed Scientist
Dr. Eric P. Prostko is a Professor and Extension Weed Specialist in the Department of Crop & Soil Sciences (100% extension). He is responsible for the state-wide extension weed science programs for peanut, field corn, soybean, grain sorghum, sunflower, canola, and sesame. He has been a faculty member at UGA since 1999.
Scott Tubbs, Agronomist
Dr. Tubbs’s program focuses on areas of applied agronomic research such as seeding rate / plant population, row spacing, tillage practices, crop rotations, cover crop utilization, nutrient cycling, inoculants / fertility, maturity, and replant decisions. Often, the easiest and most cost-effective solution to a grower’s primary limiting production problem is a change in agronomic strategy, which is what Dr. Tubbs’ research is geared toward diagnosing.