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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “UF/IFAS”
By Gerardo H. Nunez Long gone are the days when blueberries were a seasonal product. Nowadays, blueberries are available at the grocery store year-round thanks to innovations in plant breeding and a flood of imported fruit. This is changing the scenario for blueberry growers in the Southeast. Suddenly, growing fruit for the early spring market is not enough. The market …
By Clint Thompson One University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researcher is using artificial intelligence (AI) to apply herbicides more efficiently. Nathan Boyd’s research will help growers to not make chemical applications where they are not needed. “We use artificial intelligence that we’ve trained to differentiate. You could train it to differentiate species. We’ve decided that’s …
By Clint Thompson Florida tomato growers have a new concern with plant disease management this year. “The big news that we have right now is that we’ve identified a new race of fusarium wilt on tomato that appears to overcome a lot of our sources of resistance that are currently deployed. I’m just trying to get the word out to …
By Clint Thompson Labor remains a contentious issue for specialty crop producers in the Southeast. It will be highlighted during the upcoming Florida Blueberry Growers Association Conference and Trade Show. “It’s a topic with some really high interest among growers,” said Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator. It has been widely …
By Clint Thompson The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) has a new director, and it is a win for Florida’s ornamental horticulture industry. Rob Gilbert, interim senior vice president at UF/IFAS, talked about the appointment of Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, previously the associate center director at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education …
Florida’s native grape, the muscadine, has long held a reputation for being an acquired taste. Juicy and sweet with a leathery, thick skin and bitter seeds, the grape is typically reserved for specialty stores and wine making. Not only are these grapes delicious – they’re also a superfood, packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. The challenge was getting consumers to …
Early reports from agricultural operations in Florida’s Big Bend region indicate production losses caused by Hurricane Idalia fall in an estimated range of $78.8 million to $370.9 million, according to University of Florida (UF) economists. An estimated 3 million acres of agricultural lands were in the storm’s path, including row crops like peanuts and cotton, dairy and poultry farms, aquaculture …
By Clint Thompson Guava root-knot nematodes are still the most threatening species to impact Florida tomatoes every year. One University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) specialist believes an integrated management approach remains the best management tactic. Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida, …
In the year since Hurricane Ian unleashed its fury on Southwest Florida, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension agents have helped communities in their long road to recovery. What was left in the path of the hurricane’s 150 mph winds and flooding rain? How about damaged crops, eroded beaches, downed trees and power lines, property …
By Clint Thompson Blueberry producers should mark their calendars for Wednesday, Oct. 25, for the annual Florida Blueberry Growers Association Fall Conference and Trade Show at Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland, Florida. Doug Phillips, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) blueberry Extension coordinator, discussed the significance of the meeting this fall and why producers and industry …
