Improving the muscadine grape

The National Academy of Inventors has selected eight University of Georgia researchers as 2025 NAI Senior Members, surpassing its own record of five inductees set last year. UGA now has 24 Senior Members overall. “We are thrilled to celebrate these latest UGA elections to the country’s leading organization for groundbreaking inventors and innovators,” said Chris King, interim vice president for research. “Their dedication to translating research into tangible impact embodies the university’s land-grant mission and our commitment to serving society through innovation.”

Native to several Asian countries, the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was first detected in the United States in 2014 in Pennsylvania, likely arriving via imported goods. Since its arrival, the pest has spread to 15 states in the Eastern U.S., now including Georgia. While they do not bite or sting humans or animals, University of Georgia experts stress that early detection, prevention strategies and timely interventions are crucial to minimizing the spread and impact of this pest on a variety of plants.

The blueberries were suffering. It was the summer of 2022, and Amelia Lyons was working at Sweet Acre Farms, a Georgia vineyard specializing in fruit wines. While Lyons was fixing the vineyard’s irrigation for a dry summer, she noticed that small, dark red spots had appeared on the blueberries. While searching for a solution, she came across a peer-reviewed paper from the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences that addressed the exact disease she was trying to treat.