Sand Mountain Research & Extension Center

Crossville, AL

Agriculture is the economic lifeblood of northeast Alabama’s rural Sand Mountain region, and for eight decades now, the Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center has played a key role in strengthening the area’s farm sector.

The goal of SMREC research is to develop farm management practices that will help the region’s livestock, poultry, row crop and commercial vegetable producers—particularly small-scale farmers—to operate more efficiently, sustainably and profitably.

History

The Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center (formerly known as the Sand Mountain Substation) was established at Crossville in 1929 initially to investigate horticulture and truck crops, but studies in hog and poultry production gained the increasing attention of investigators in subsequent years.

The first management unit established at Sand Mountain Substation was a 96-acre farm that combined cotton production with hogs and production of the necessary hog feed crops. A cotton-dairy unit was added later. The substation served as demonstration farm in the 1940s and during the 1950s and 60s was the site for cotton mechanization work under leadership of Tom Corley.

Sand Mountain Substation was the site of an innovative approach to environmental protection in the early 1990s with the design and testing of artificial wetlands to filter waste water from a swine operation at the facility. A constructed wetland was effective in reducing the nitrogen and phosphorus levels of the swine lagoon water discharge. Success of this wetlands to filter waste water from a production unit provided pioneering results for use in agriculture.

Sand Mountain Substation was one of the first five substations established in Alabama by the legislature to create research facilities in five main areas of the State: Tennessee Valley, Sand Mountain, Black Belt, Wiregrass and Gulf Coast. Three of the five went into operation in 1929: The Tennessee Valley Substation at Belle Mina, the Sand Mountain Substation at Crossville, and the Wiregrass Substation at Headland. The remaining two, the Black Belt Substation at Marion Junction and the Gulf Coast Substation at Fairhope, began operating in 1930.

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Tennessee Valley Research & Extension Center

Belle Mina, AL

The Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center is located just north of the Tennessee River, a stone’s throw from Interstate 65, right in the heart of Alabama’s top cotton-producing region and directly on the cutting edge of cotton research. Though TVREC research projects frequently target corn, soybeans and wheat, cotton claims the lion’s share of attention, and it is for its cotton research that the center is nationally recognized.

The TVREC was an early convert to precision agriculture technologies and today has a full inventory of global positioning system–based equipment that includes autosteer tractors, yield monitors and light-bar guidance systems.

History

The Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center (formerly known as the Tennessee Valley Substation) was established in 1929 in Belle Mina and immediately began studies involving poultry, corn, cotton and truck crops. The station’s later work focused on pasture development as livestock became increasingly important in north Alabama.

The station was the site for dairy demonstration units in the 1940s and during the 1950s and 60s was the site for cotton mechanization work under leadership of Tom Corley. Work on irrigation began in 1986 with the installation of an irrigation facility to study techniques needed by the farming industry.

The Tennessee Valley Substation was one of the first substations established in Alabama by the Legislature to create research facilities in five main areas of the state: Tennessee Valley, Sand Mountain, Black Belt, Wiregrass and Gulf Coast. Three of the five went into operation in 1929: The Tennessee Valley Substation at Belle Mina, the Sand Mountain Substation at Crossville and the Wiregrass Substation at Headland. The remaining two, the Black Belt Substation at Marion Junction and the Gulf Coast Substation at Fairhope, began operating in 1930.

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Upper Coastal Plain Agricultural Research Center

Winfield, AL

The uneven terrain of the Upper Coastal Plain Agricultural Research Center could be challenging for row crop production, but for the cattle, pastureland and forage crop management research that takes center stage at the UCPARC, it’s ideal. The 735-acre UCPARC is located in northwest Alabama’s Marion County.

History

The Upper Coast Plain Agricultural Research Center (formerly known as the Upper Coastal Plain Substation) was established on 734 acres near Winfield (in Fayette and Marion counties) in 1944; it was the first of five new substations added to the outlying branch system in the 1940s.

A small dairy unit received considerable emphasis in the early years. In later years beef cattle and swine research as well as forage and horticultral crop studies have provided information needed by local, small-acreage farmers of this region of the state.

The Upper Coast Plain Substation was one of the five substations established in Alabama during and a few years after World War II: Upper Coastal Plain in 1944, Piedmont Substation in 1945, North Alabama Horticulture Substation at Cullman in 1948, Chilton Area Horticulture Substation at Clanton in 1948 and the Lower Coastal Plain Substation at Camden in 1948.

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E.V. Smith Research Center

Shorter, AL

Located on Interstate 85 between Auburn and Montgomery, E.V. Smith Research Center is the most visible agricultural facility in Alabama. The only facility named for a former AAES director—Edwin V. Smith who served at Auburn from 1929 to 1972—it is also the largest and most comprehensive with research units in beef cattle, horticulture, plant breeding, field crops and biosystems engineering.

History

In 1978, a 3,200-acre tract of land located between Auburn and Montgomery was dedicated in honor of the director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station from 1951 to 1972 as the E.V. Smith Research Center and field work in agronomy, horticulture and beef and dairy cattle was relocated from the Auburn campus to the center. About half of the land was designated for a new plant science unit, another 350 acres for agronomy experiments on Alabama’s major row and forage crops with special emphasis on soybean research and about 200 acres for horticulture research. Bordering the plant science unit was an animal science unit where beef cattle nutrition, beef cattle breeding and dairy cattle management facilities provided modern installations to research a variety of livestock questions.

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Piedmont Research Center

Camp Hill, AL

A four-mile-long, eight-foot-high, fixed-knot steel fence constructed in 2007 at the Piedmont Research Unit in Camp Hill completely encloses 430 of the unit’s acres, and that land plus the deer that were on it when the final section of the fence went up comprise what has been dubbed the Auburn University deer lab. In an exhaustive, multidisciplinary long-term study of the lab’s approximately 100 captive white-tailed herd, researchers will generate detailed information on deer biology and behaviors that is expected to significantly impact the scientific management of deer.

History

The Piedmont Research Unit (formerly known as the Piedmont Substation) was established on 1,409 acres in 1945 in Tallapoosa Country near Camp Hill, Ala., to provide additional land for pasture and forage crops research.

The Piedmont Research Unit’s soil types offered opportunities for research to serve a unique farming area and over the years research has been conducted on field, forage and horticultural crop production and beef cattle farming. The substation was the site for a dairy demonstration unit in the 1940s

In the 1990s, results of a 13-year study produced in-depth information about more than 60 native and exotic trees.

Emphasis on wildlife management in more recent years has offered support for landowners interested in cashing in on the strong demand for hunting opportunities. Research over the past 75 years has resulted in the release of six new Chinese chestnut varieties that will yield a continuous high-energy food source for wildlife.

The Piedmont Substation was one of the five substations established in Alabama during and a few years after World War II: Upper Coastal Plain in 1944, Piedmont Substation in 1945, North Alabama Horticulture Substation at Cullman in 1948, Chilton Area Horticulture Substation at Clanton in 1948 and the Lower Coastal Plain Substation at Camden in 1948.

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Plant Science Research Center

Auburn University, AL

The primary purpose of the Plant Science Research Center (PSRC) is to provide greenhouse space and supporting facilities and services to research scientists of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES). The PSRC is dedicated to assisting scientists to meet the challenges that face Alabama agriculture presently and in the future.

The PSRC contains 12,800 square feet of greenhouse space divided into 12 zones equipped with Wadsworth EnviroStep controllers. The greenhouse area is divided into twelve 30-x36-foot zones, each equipped with individual temperature, air circulation, and shade controls.

• Four of the zones are equipped with high intensity auxiliary lighting. Each of eight zones is equipped with two 3-x 24-foot tables and three 5-x 30-foot benches.
• One zone is equipped with two 3-x24-foot benches and four 5-x30-foot benches with moveable tops.
• Two zones are equipped with two 4-x24-foot benches and three 4-x30-foot benches with heavy duty casters for portability.
• One zone is dedicated for organic production and has been certified organic since 2005.

Growing conditions are computer controlled utilizing StepSaver data acquisition software.  Data logs of cultural conditions are available for our research scientists by request. The software provides off-site control and monitoring of growing conditions by the PSRC management staff.

Our outdoor nursery area currently consists of 400 square feet under shade and 150 square feet of open space. The 20,000 square feet headhouse contains four laboratories, six growth chambers, a germination chamber, a walk-in cooler, and a conference room for small group meetings.

History

In 1988, the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station proposed updating its greenhouse facilities to keep up with changes in plant sciences research. The existing greenhouse facilities were located in central campus, surrounded by large buildings, limited in space and antiquated.

In August 1991, the first stage of the Plant Science Research Center was completed. Located on the south side of the Auburn University campus and the only AAES research facility on campus, the center consists of 10,800 square feet of modern greenhouse space and a headhouse containing laboratory and work space. It provides researchers with the latest in greenhouse climate-control monitoring and regulating systems.

In 2009, two additional greenhouse zones were added along with an updated, environmental control system with off-site monitoring and alarm capabilities.

In 2011, the PSRC will gain additional work space upon the completion of the soil processing building.  This area will house soil mixing equipment, an autoclave, soil and fertilizer storage areas, a walk-in cooler, loading dock and lab area for packing field samples.

Future plans include the purchase of four growth rooms for containment research and insect studies.

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Black Belt Research & Extension Center

Marion Junction, AL

Rolling prairie land and unique soil formations make the Black Belt Research and Extension Center in Marion Junction an excellent location for research on beef cattle and forages. The BBREC’s primary research focus is in the areas of grazing and animal breeding.

History

The Black Belt Research and Extension Center (formerly known as the Black Belt Substation ) at Marion Junction was established in 1930 and immediately focused upon restoring soil fertility to this much-abused land in an attempt to establish pastures to encourage the livestock industry.

The substation was the site for dairy demonstration units in the 1940s and for beef cattle nutrition research in the 1970s.

In the 1970s, researchers at the center were the first to associate poor cattle performance with endophyte fungus in fescue. That discovery resulted in new management strategies that allowed producers to dramatically increase weight gain in their herds and, subsequently, boost their profits.

Beef cattle, dairying, forages, soybeans and other crops adapted to the area continue to receive research emphasis.

BBREC was one of the first substations established in Alabama by the Legislature to create research facilities in five main areas of the state: Tennessee Valley, Sand Mountain, Black Belt, Wiregrass and Gulf Coast. Three of the five went into operation in 1929: The Tennessee Valley Substation at Belle Mina, the Sand Mountain Substation at Crossville and the Wiregrass Substation at Headland. The remaining two, the Black Belt Substation at Marion Junction and the Gulf Coast Substation at Fairhope, began operating in 1930.

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Chilton Research & Extension Center

Clanton, AL

It’s fitting that the Chilton Research and Extension Center is located in the shadow of Clanton’s famous giant peach water tower just off of I-65, because at the CREC, peaches rule. When the center was established in 1944, its mission was to identify superior varieties and develop new management techniques that would help Chilton County’s peach producers maximize their profits. And that’s still its mission today. The CREC does work with other small fruits—most notably kiwifruit—but peaches have priority.

History

Established in 1948 on a 160-acre site near Clanton, the Chilton Research and Extension Center (formerly known as the Chilton Area Horticulture Substation) allowed extension of horticultural research into the central part of the state and promoted peaches as an increasingly valuable crop for the region’s farmers.

Although peaches absorbed the greatest attention of agricultural scientists, blackberries, sweet potatoes, beans peas, tomatoes and watermelons were also among the research interests of the station.

The Chilton Area Horticulture Substation was one of the five substations established in Alabama during and a few years after World War II: Upper Coastal Plain in 1944, Piedmont Substation in 1945, North Alabama Horticulture Substation at Cullman in 1948, Chilton Area Horticulture Substation at Clanton in 1948 and the Lower Coastal Plain Substation at Camden in 1948.

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Prattville Agricultural Research Unit

Prattville, AL

Since 1928, the Prattville Agricultural Research Unit has specialized in small-plot research on traditional row crops, primarily cotton.

History

The Prattville Agricultural Research Unit (formerly known as the Prattville Experiment Field) was established by 1930 and administered by the Department of Agronomy and Soils until the mid-1960s. The unit has largely been devoted to research on soil fertility and cropping methods.

Located just minutes from the state capitol building in Montgomery, PARU has provided the bulk of the cotton insect work for central and southern Alabama during the past 30 years. During the past decade, cotton acreages have returned to South Alabama and even surpassed the Tennessee Valley region as the dominant production area of the state.

Several major problems and events in cotton insect management and control occurred during this period. In the fall of 1986, the boll weevil eradication program was initiated and moved northward through the state. The next decade saw the outbreak of beet armyworms followed by pyrethroid-resistant tobacco budworms. The PARU was the primary site for research toward a solution to these problems. Data generated at PARU were used to justify a Section 18 Emergency Exemption for the use of Pirate insecticide against beet armyworms. Prattville was also one of the first locations to explore the value of Monsanto’s genetically altered Bt cotton. This cotton proved to be exceptionally effective against the pyrethroid-resistant budworms.

Prattville Experiment Field was one of ten experiment fields established and in operation by 1930 on tracts ranging from 33 to 60 acres in size. Of these ten, three remain in service today: Brewton Esperiment Field, Monroeville Experiment Field, and Prattville Experiment Field.

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Brewton Agricultural Research Unit

Brewton, AL

At the Brewton Agricultural Research Unit, the research emphasis is ever changing to meet the needs of researchers and producers.  With its sandy soils it is an ideal location for nematode research in several crops such as peanuts, cotton, and vegetables. There is a long term fertility study that can provide information on how different levels of nutrients effect the performance of various crops. The center also is involved in bioenergy research, with studies on switchgrass, bluestem and sorghum for use in biofuels. Past research has focused on ornamental crops and some of this research continues.

History

The Brewton Agricultural Research Unit (formerly known as the Brewton Experiment Field) was established by 1930 and administered by the Department of Agronomy and Soils until the mid-1960s. The unit began as a small field primarily for soil fertility research for agronomic crops on this particular soil type (Benndale fine sandy loam). During the last 25 years, the unit has become more involved with horticultural research with research on small fruits, vegetables, flowering annuals, woody ornamentals and some agronomic crops.

Brewton Experiment Field was one of ten experiment fields established and in operation by 1930 on tracts ranging from 33 to 60 acres in size. Of these ten, three remain in service today: Brewton Experiment Field, Monroeville Experiment Field and Prattville Experiment Field.

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Gulf Coast Research & Extension Center

Fairhope, AL

With its location one mile east of Mobile Bay and 30 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center in Fairhope enjoys a climate that’s ideal for a highly diversified research program, and the GCREC takes full advantage of that. The long growing seasons and mostly mild winters allow for research on all of Alabama’s major row crops as well as on turfgrass, vegetable and fruit crops, pecans, beef cattle and forage. The GCREC’s top goal is to help southwest Alabama producers maximize their income.

History

The Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center (formerly known as the Gulf Coast Substation) began operating in 1930 at Fairhope, Ala. Research on seed potatoes obtained from the Midwest served as the primary focus for the substation researchers during the early years. Efforts to increase the phosphorus content of newly cleared acreage also received attention.

Research on other horticultural crops, agronomic field and forage crops and dairy and beef cattle was implemented later. A lagoon waste management and wastewater recycling system in connection with the dairy unit was added in the late 1970s.

The Gulf Coast Substation was one of the first five substations established in Alabama by the legislature to create research facilities in five main areas of the State: Tennessee Valley, Sand Mountain, Black Belt, Wiregrass and Gulf Coast. Three of the five went into operation in 1929: The Tennessee Valley Substation at Belle Mina, the Sand Mountain Substation at Crossville and the Wiregrass Substation at Headland. The remaining two, the Black Belt Substation at Marion Junction and the Gulf Coast Substation at Fairhope, began operating in 1930.

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Ornamental Horticulture Research Center

Spring Hill, AL

The Ornamental Horticulture Research Center (OHRC) in Mobile is located in an area of Alabama where commercial nurseries abound, and that’s an ideal site for an applied-research facility dedicated primarily to supporting the commercial container-nursery industry. Research at the OHRC focuses on helping producers identify and address pest, disease and other production problems. Located in an urban setting, at 17 acres, the OHRC is the smallest among the Alabama Ag Experiment Station’s outlying units.

History

The Spring Hill Ornamental Horticulture Substation (now the Ornamental Horticulture Research Center) can trace its beginnings to 1928 when an Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station entomologist was sent to Mobile to help Satsuma producers combat citrus pests. Work at the substation was gradually expanded to include azalea and camellia insects.

In 1945 Auburn severed its ties to the unit, but six years later in response to a severe freeze in 1950 and to grower needs, Alabama legislation funded restaffing of the field station.

Disease and insect control for ornamentals has been the major thrust for research at the station, but other aspects of nursery production have also been studied through the years.

At 18 acres, the OHRC is the smallest among the Alabama Ag Experiment Station’s outlying units. The substation was originally established on four acres near Mobile. In 1930 the city of Mobile deeded seven acres to Auburn University and in 1965 seven additional acres were deeded from Mobile to the station.

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Wiregrass Research & Extension Center

Headland, AL

A variety of soil types and land characteristics typical of the Coastal Plain allow the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center (WREC) to address problems that challenge farmers in this region. While the center has been a leader in all types of agronomic research, it is renown for its focus on peanuts.

History

The Wiregrass Substation (now known as the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center) was founded in 1929 at Headland, Ala. Early work concentrated on cotton and corn, the traditional crops of the region, but the peanut crop soon began to absorb most of the research work at the station.

After WWII farmers in the southeastern portion of Alabama steadily turned toward the cultivation of peanut as it became the primary cash crop in the region. AAES researchers used the Wiregrass land to address a host of problems associated with peanut production, including mechanical harvesting studies that reduced labor requirements for successful cultivation from 30 hours to only four hours per acre.

During the 1950s and 1960s areas of peanut research included mechanization, insect and disease control, storage and marketing. An extensive peanut storage project was conducted to provide information for farmers, peanut handlers, and warehousemen on maintaining peanut quality during storage. Also during these decades work was conducted on mechanizing cotton harvest.

A study in the 1980s found that the seeding rate for peanuts could be reduced without a significant reduction in yield or net returns.

The foundation peanut seed organization is currently handled at Wiregrass.

The Wiregrass Substation was one of the first five substations established in Alabama by the legislature to create research facilities in five main areas of the State: Tennessee Valley, Sand Mountain, Black Belt, Wiregrass and Gulf Coast. Three of the five went into operation in 1929: The Tennessee Valley Substation at Belle Mina, the Sand Mountain Substation at Crossville, and the Wiregrass Substation at Headland. The remaining two, the Black Belt Substation at Marion Junction and the Gulf Coast Substation at Fairhope, began operating in 1930.

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