UGA Pathologist Recognized For Improving The World, One Peanut At A Time
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hen University of Georgia peanut pathologist Bob Kemerait does something, he does it wholeheartedly. A passionate advocate for producers near his academic home at the University of Georgia Tifton campus and around the world, Kemerait describes himself as “a field guy.” He is most comfortable among the rows detecting, diagnosing and addressing the myriad of diseases and pests that threaten Georgia’s second-largest row crop. Kemerait has been instrumental in the continuing development of the Peanut Rx that was created to help producers make critical crop decisions. The tool is based on a number of risk factors including variety planted, inputs, row pattern, tillage, plant population, crop rotation, disease pressure, irrigation and planting date. He’s also been central to UGA’s international Extension efforts in Guyana, Haiti, the Philippines and, most recently, Gambia. Traveling intercontinentally, he has helped small-scale farmers improve peanut production as an important source of nutrition and income. On Nov. 9, the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture honored Kemerait with the 2021 Southern Region Excellence in Extension Award. “When we mention model Extension specialists, Bob’s name comes to mind. His technical expertise, passion and people skills are the foundation for the impact he has on both our agent workforce and the commodities he supports,” says Laura Perry Johnson, UGA Cooperative Extension associate dean. “Kemerait is a true public servant in all aspects of his life.” In July, Kemerait was chosen as the recipient of The American Phytopathological Society 2021 Excellence in International Service Award for “outstanding contributions to plant pathology by APS members for countries other than their own.” Peanut Rx Kemerait joined UGA on March 1, 2000, two days after completing requirements for his doctoral program at the University of Florida. “That was a leap year, so I moved to Tifton on Feb. 29 and started my job on March 1,” he says. “I was fortunate that what I did for my Ph.D. project — working with peanuts, working with farmers, working with county agents — allowed me to step right into this role. There was a learning curve, but what I had been doing was directly applicable to what I am doing now.” When Kemerait began studying plant pathology, researchers were using a tool called the Tomato Spotted Wilt Risk Index to determine producer risk for the disease. Building on the TSWV risk index, Kemerait worked with 20 /
THE PEANUT GROWER • JANUARY 2022
University of Georgia Extension plant pathologist Bob Kemerait talks about peanut diseases during the Georgia Peanut Tour in Midville, Georgia, in 2014.
UGA plant pathologists Albert Culbreath and Tim Brenneman to develop a separate fungal disease risk index. Eventually, Kemerait suggested merging the indices into one that both determined the risk for a number of diseases and provided management recommendations for producers based on their results. “What we were designing would not only be a risk index that would tell you if your risk was higher or lower for certain problems based on the information you put in but how you could manage diseases both before planting and during the growing season,” Kemerait says. “We developed programs where we could recommend how often to spray based on risk. It was all research-based and we documented all of the results.” The team’s efforts and the results of the tool captured the attention of international agricultural company Syngenta, which became a corporate partner to support the new tool. “Syngenta was willing to partner with us because they were of the opinion that whatever was good for the growers was good for them — because whatever keeps the growers profitable is what is going to keep their company strong,” Kemerait says. “Today a number of companies support Peanut Rx, and I think this truly shows the trust and partnership between UGA Extension and the agricultural industry. PEANUTGROWER.COM
