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Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center

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Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center McMinnville, Tennessee

The Tennessee State University Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center is an IAgER facility dedicated to the continual improvement and strengthening of Tennessee’s nursery crop industry.  It is staffed through a cooperative effort between Tennessee State University and the United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service.  The mission of the Nursery Research Center is to provide leadership in the strengthening and expansion of our nursery industry through research in the areas of pathology, entomology, genetics, horticulture and related sciences.

The 85-acre site of the Nursery Research Center was formerly a commercial nursery. With the guidance of the late Otis L. Floyd, former Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents and former President of Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University acquired the property on March 4, 1988. Through partnerships among the Tennessee nursery industry, Tennessee State University, the USDA, and local governments, the necessary political, social and economic support was assembled to construct the research facility that bears Dr. Floyd’s name.

Construction of the laboratory/administration building began in 1994. The first phase was completed in 1996, the second phase completed in 1997. The 20,000 square foot laboratory/office building has 10 laboratories, offices for 12 scientists, a 200 seat auditorium, and 6,000 square foot of attached equipment/maintenance shed greenhouse space. Additional facilities at the Nursery Research Center include shade houses, propagation houses, irrigated container yards and equipment storage/maintenance facilities. The entire site is plumbed for irrigation using either well or municipal water.