Attapulgus Research and Education Center
254 N. Griffin Avenue, Attapulgus, Georgia 39815
The Attapulgus Research and Education Center is located in the southwest corner of Georgia, about five miles north of the Florida state line. The 300-acre center was originally established in 1939 as the Shade Tobacco Experiment Station. As the tobacco industry declined, the Attapulgus Research and Education Center continued to help support area farmers by identifying new crops adapted to the sandy coastal soils and local weather conditions.
Today, research is conducted on a wide range of agronomic and horticultural crops. Peanuts, corn, cotton and soybeans are major agronomic crops, while watermelons, peaches and pecans represent some of the important horticultural crops being investigated.
Regardless of the crop, the warm, humid climate is ideal for major agricultural insect, weed, nematode and disease problems. This provides a unique setting for UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers to develop novel pest management strategies and tactics, and to screen new crop varieties for pest resistance. Additional long term research includes soil fertility experiments, crop rotation studies, and ecological research to look at the impact of native wildflowers on crop production.
Much of the research is conducted with either center pivot or with drip irrigation systems. The Research and Education Center also features a main office building, residence, chemical storage building, machine shop and several equipment sheds to house a diverse array of field and research equipment. Five full time employees operate and maintain this research facility.