GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Andra Johnson, associate director of Penn State Extension, will be the next dean of UF/IFAS Extension and director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Johnson will assume the role on Nov. 1. Johnson will lead UF/IFAS’ statewide network of more than 650 faculty educators and scientists, whose programs and expertise support economic, environmental and community health. These …
Weed Identification: Identify Pests with New Tool From UF/IFAS
Proper weed identification is key in eradicating it from the landscape or a field. University of Florida/IFAS has developed a set of resources for homeowners and vegetable growers to follow to avoid misidentification. “If you don’t take the time to identify the weed first, often times you may treat it incorrectly,” said Chris Marble, associate professor of environmental horticulture at …
UF/IFAS’ Night in the Tropics on Nov. 6
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – The University of Florida/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center will host One Night in the Tropics on Nov. 6. The event will take place amid tropical fruit-filled orchards and ornamental plants that grace the grounds of the campus in Homestead. Silent auctions and live music will set the stage from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. for an …
Favorable Outcome for UF/IFAS
The 2021 Florida legislative session will be described in the history books as unique. COVID-19 protocols resulted in empty and eerily quiet hallways in the Capitol. Masks and regular COVID-19 tests were required, and citizens and lobbyists made public comments virtually from a building blocks away from the Capitol. The beginning and end of the session were polar opposites. Based …
Papaya Popularity Prompts UF/IFAS Research Trial
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Popularity in papaya prompted University of Florida scientists to conduct a research trial. The results, just published in Scientia Horticulturae, examines 21 different varieties ripe for growing in South Florida for fruit quality, aroma, plant height and yield components. “This research is timely as growers are looking for higher value crops that resonate with consumers,” said Alan …
Hemp Update: UF/IFAS Pilot Project Yields Interesting Results
The University of Florida/IFAS’ two-year Industrial Hemp Pilot Project yielded interesting findings, though further research is needed. Variety trials showed some promising aspects of hemp genetics for grain and flower production in Florida. Key factors impacting genetics that will also determine the crop’s success include planting date, fertility management and pest control. Many varieties exceeded the 0.3% total THC threshold …
Ph.D. in Plant Breeding: UF/IFAS to Offer Program
By Clint Thompson Students interested in earning a Ph.D. in plant breeding can now turn to the University of Florida/IFAS as their collegiate home. The Florida Board of Governors granted approval to the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to start a Ph.D. Plant Breeding program, which will begin in August. “We certainly have had a long history of …
UF/IFAS Appoints Rechcigl as Director of Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center
DAVIE, Fla. – The University of Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS FLREC) has a new director. Jack Rechcigl was appointed the FLREC director effective July 8. “I am excited to be the new director and look forward to working with the amazing faculty and staff and continue to make this a world-renown research center focusing on …
UF/IFAS study links fertility, nutrient loss in organic soils to archaeal microbes
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — High nutrient loss in the Everglades Agricultural Area is not uncommon. University of Florida scientists now know why. In research conducted by assistant professor Willm Martens-Habbena and his team at UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center in collaboration with a team at the Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade, they demonstrate how high …
UF/IFAS Specialist: Every Time You Have Nutrient Leaching, You’re Losing Money
By Clint Thompson Sandy soils dominate the soil landscape for vegetable production throughout Florida, according to University of Florida (UF)/IFAS. They provide growers distinct advantages, such as an ease of tillage and production of the earliest vegetable crops. However, a key disadvantage is the ability of nutrients to be leached, specifically with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. Leaching refers to nutrients …