Florida’s specialty crop producers are reminded that the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) will be hosting a Fall 2022 Hops Field Day at the Gulf Coasta Research and Education Center in Wimauma, Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Attendees will learn about the double-season hop production system and the potential of brewing hops in Florida. The …
Expo Specialty Crop Sessions Educate Growers
By Clint Thompson A highlight of the annual Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is the seminar program that focuses on the vegetable and specialty crop industry in Florida. This year’s sessions covered a range of topics, including pest management, alternative crops that growers can take advantage of, and various other research updates from University of Florida Institute of Food and …
Millennium Block Citrus Variety Trial Field Day Set for October
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) will host a Millennium Block Variety Trial Field Day on Oct. 19. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. The Millennium Block is at 7850 Pruitt Research Road in Fort Pierce. Registration can be completed online here or by calling Tom …
Florida Growers Seeing Uptick in Stink Bug Problems
By Clint Thompson The stink bug has increasingly become problematic for Florida tomato growers. Not only must producers scout regularly to see if there are stink bugs in their fields, but they must also decipher what species is impacting their crops. That’s what makes controlling stink bugs such a challenge, says Amanda Hodges, an Extension scientist at the University of Florida …
Entomologist on the Trail of Invasive Species
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has appointed internationally acclaimed entomologist and ecologist Matthew Thomas as director of the new Invasion Science Research Initiative (ISRI). Thomas will establish the framework for ISRI, which will bring together more than 120 UF/IFAS scientists from more than 20 departments currently dedicated to the detection, diversion, tracking and control of nonnative …
Sorrel Shows Promise as a Florida Specialty Crop
By Clint Thompson Sorrel is a potential new crop for Florida specialty crop producers. It is easy to grow and requires minimal inputs but can suffer in fields prone to flooding. While more research is needed to verify sorrel’s place among growers, it has yielded promising early returns in University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research, …
Stink Bugs a Growing Concern for Florida Tomato Producers
By Clint Thompson Stink bugs are increasingly become problematic for Florida tomato growers. Not only must producers scout regularly to see if there are stink bugs in their fields, but they must also decipher what species is impacting their crops. That’s what makes controlling stink bugs such a challenge, says Amanda Hodges, an Extension scientist at the University of Florida …
Expo Specialty Crop Sessions Educate Growers
By Clint Thompson A highlight of the annual Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo is the seminar program that focuses on the vegetable and specialty crop industry in Florida. This year’s sessions covered a range of topics, including pest management, alternative crops that growers can take advantage of, and various other research updates from University of Florida Institute of Food and …
AI-Enhanced System Detects Bruised Strawberries
Bruises in fruit can be caused by multiple factors: compression, impact or vibration during harvesting, transportation and packaging operations, said Xue Zhou, a doctoral student at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Zhou works with Yiannis Ampatzidis, a UF/IFAS associate professor, and Won Suk “Daniel” Lee, a professor, both …
Florida Bamboo Growers Form an Association
By Frank Giles Bamboo is gaining momentum as a potential alternative crop in Florida. Recent developments, including improved variety selection and new infrastructure, are causing some growers to investigate the crop more closely. Responding to the interest, the Florida Bamboo Growers Association, Inc. was founded this spring. The association held its first board of directors’ election in June. Kevin Barley …