By Karla Arboleda To find efficiency in reducing nitrogen levels in soil, researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are working with several technologies. Bob Hochmuth, a UF/IFAS Extension agent at the North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley (NFREC-SV), coordinates controlled-release fertilizer research. The work aims to improve the functionality of …
Sneak Peek: November VSCNews Magazine
The November issue of VSCNews magazine is all about water management issues. Andrea Albertin and Mark Lusk, both with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), discuss plans in the works to improve Florida’s water quality. The authors look at Florida’s current water issues, how septic tanks may be a part of the problem and ways …
Hemp, Hops and More Crops Highlight Florida Ag Expo
Farmers, nursery managers and others can get a glimpse of the latest and greatest University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) research into tomatoes, strawberries, hemp, hops and ornamental plants at the annual Florida Ag Expo at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. Informative sessions will fill the day, with events running from 7:30 a.m. …
New Fertilizer Technology May Help Farmers Reduce Nitrogen Load
LIVE OAK, FL (UF/IFAS-Oct. 21, 2019) — In the Suwannee Valley, farmers are diligently searching for solutions, or Best Management Practices (BMPs), to efficiently use fertilizers in crop production. At the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley (UF/IFAS NFREC-SV), a team led by Bob Hochmuth, UF/IFAS Extension regional specialized agent for vegetable crops and assistant center …
Blueberry Grower Considerations for Fall and Winter
By Jeff Williamson As winter approaches, blueberry plants respond to the changing environment in ways that should be addressed through management practices. Shorter days and cooler nights are environmental cues that stimulate changes in blueberry plant growth and development, such as terminal bud set and the cessation of shoot extension growth, the initiation and development of flower buds, the onset …
What’s New in IR-4 Research
By Karla Arboleda Inter-regional Research Project 4 (IR-4) researchers at the University of Florida (UF) recently helped to approve an herbicide for stevia. Janine Spies, the IR-4 southern region field coordinator at UF, focuses on collecting residue data in field trials for various specialty crops. In collaboration with researchers located in 13 states as north as Virginia, as west as …
Growers Should Manage Tomato Bacterial Spot While Seedlings Are in Transplant Facilities
New findings from University of Florida scientists could help tomato growers nationwide in their battle against a damaging disease. With 37,000 acres, Florida’s tomato industry is a $520 million-a-year crop, so it’s critical to find sources of diseases so growers can avoid or treat them to sustain their yields. But a bacterium called Xanthomonas can cause bacterial spot in tomatoes, …
Five Reasons to Attend Florida Ag Expo
By Ashley Robinson Florida Ag Expo is gearing up for its best year yet as AgNet Media partners with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to bring growers the latest information and research to keep their crops growing. While there are many reasons to attend the 2019 show, here are a few that may catch …
Technology to Grow Better Cucurbits
By Karla Arboleda With a wide variety of options to choose from, researchers are working with technology in order to grow better cucurbits. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), marker assisted selection and genomic selection have been used to improve specialty crops like squash, pumpkins and watermelons. Geoffrey Meru, an assistant professor in vegetable breeding at the University of Florida Tropical Research …
2020 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Honorees Announced
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation announced the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees for 2020. The induction ceremony will be held at the Florida State Fair’s Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet on Feb. 11. “Agriculture touches the lives of every Floridian and plays a monumental role in our economy and culture. The …