My summer internship with the UGA Extension has been a very exciting experience for me that combined applied agricultural research with dissemination of the timely crop and garden management recommendations to the local growers and gardeners. As a Agricultural & Natural Resources (ANR) summer intern for Dougherty county, I worked under the close supervision of the County ANR Extension Agent, Vivek Bist, to deliver agricultural extension programs to local growers, gardeners, landscapers and stakeholders.
At the beginning of my internship in mid-May, I participated in various trainings that laid the foundation for rest of the summer. In May, I also got involved in laying out pecan fungicide research trials, cotton varietal trial, and precision agriculture workshops. I attended drone training and learned how to use aerial imagery for improved farm decision-making. A few key highlights from the month of May included:
- Attending workshops on plant pest and disease diagnostics
- Laying out the pecan scab fungicide research trial
- Planting cotton for cotton varietal trial
- Diagnosing issues in local gardens and orchards alongside extension agents
In June, Agronomy Field Day and Pecan Agent Training, which deepened my understanding of crop production in south Georgia. I also assisted in calibration of boom sprayers for a local grower to improve their spray efficiency. In addition to agriculture extension activities, I also participated in several 4-H programs conducted by UGA Dougherty County Extension / 4-H. I assisted in a 4-H baking camp that introduced kids to entrepreneurship, and the Master Gardener (MG) Sprouts series which is a collaborative effort of ANR program and 4/H program hosted at a local library. Notable experiences from June included:
- Participating in forage and grazing workshops
- Engaging with growers and youth in community programs
- Giving a presentation on “An overview of Agriculture in Dougherty County” at a local meeting.
By July, I was more confident in my abilities and took on greater responsibilities in field research and extension education. I worked with the ANR Agent, UGA Extension specialists and local growers on several important issues such as pecan scab and bacterial leaf scorch, pecan root knot nematode, citrus insect pest monitoring, moisture sensors in peanut fields, and southern corn rust and tar spot monitoring. Meanwhile, I also completed a food safety certification by attending the training hosted by the County Family & Consumer Sciences (FACS) agent. One standout moment was when UGA’s Marketing and Communications team filmed our pecan scab data collection session, where I also had the opportunity to share my internship experience.
Reflecting on the entire internship experience, I am grateful to UGA Extension for providing this incredible opportunity of “learning by doing” that has definitely expanded my understanding of agricultural production. It is an honor to be a part of the prestigious organization that is committed to tackle real-world grassroot challenges facing agriculture through applied research and outreach.
