Crop Germplasm Research Unit: Utilizes modern genetic approaches to improve important southern crops including cotton, corn, pecan, and forage grasses; maintains national germplasm collections for cotton and pecan that support efforts by researchers and breeders worldwide to improve these crops.
Aerial Application Technology Research Unit: Develops and implements new and improved aerial application equipment and technology for safe, efficient, and sustainable crop production and protection.
Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research Unit: Develops technology and protocols to protect cotton from devastating diseases and thus enhance production efficiency; develops environmentally-sensitive approaches for management of important insect pests, including the boll weevil, that attack southern row crops.
Food and Feed Safety Research Unit: Develops methodology and protocols for enhancing the microbial safety of meat and poultry products; focus is on minimizing or preventing the colonization of farm animals by Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, and other harmful bacteria to result in non-contaminated products leaving the processing plant and then reaching the consumer.
Mission
The mission of the Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center is to conduct research to improve the productivity of important southern crops, and to enhance the safety to the consumer of meat products derived from livestock and poultry. Specific projects at the Center are diverse and include plant biotechnology; improved control methodologies for pathogens attacking cotton and sorghum; improved aerial application of agricultural chemicals; germplasm enhancement of cotton, sorghum, and pecans; effective and environmentally sound approaches for management of the boll weevil and other serious insect pests of cotton; and enhanced microbiological safety of meat products reaching the consumer. Center scientists have a strong commitment to the solution of significant agricultural problems and to the timely and effective transfer to appropriate users of technology developed through their research.