The University of Georgia (UGA) announced the appointment of citrus Extension specialist Mary Sutton and peach and citrus breeder Dario Chavez.
MARY SUTTON
Sutton will focus on maximizing citrus production and improving its efficiency in the face of challenges. Issues important to citrus production in Georgia include:
Photos courtesy of UGA
- Frost protection/cold hardiness
- Fertility
- Water requirements
- Food safety
- The impact of HLB and other emerging diseases
- Labor/mechanization
- Evaluation of new rootstocks and cultivars suitable for Georgia
Sutton received her master’s degree in horticulture from UGA in 2019 and her Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Florida in 2024. During her Ph.D. work, she studied the effects of HLB on flowering, fruit set, growth and retention throughout the season. She also identified altered irrigation practices to improve the needs of drought stress-prone HLB-affected citrus trees and studied how those trees respond to abiotic stresses and applied treatments.
DARIO CHAVEZ
Chavez will develop a research program addressing the complexity of citrus and peach genetics to eventually develop citrus and peach cultivars with improved traits suitable for production in the Southeast. Those improved traits include rapid growth, yield, resistance to pests and diseases and nutritional value. His ultimate goal is to increase citrus and peach production in Georgia.
Chavez received his master’s degree and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Florida in 2009 and 2013, respectively. In 2014, he joined the UGA Department of Horticulture as an assistant professor. He developed and led a successful research and Extension program focusing on:
- Peach fruit quality
- Critical bud freezing temperature determination
- Irrigation and fertilization management
- Fruit thinning management
- Plant growth regulators aimed at improving growth, flowering, yield and fruit quality
UGA citrus Extension agent Jake Price last year estimated Georgia has reached a record-high of 570,760 citrus trees planted on 3,936 acres; learn more here.
Source: University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
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