Source: UF/IFAS HOMESTEAD, Fla. – One of the most important mango varieties across the world has been sequenced by scientists at the University of Florida. It’s an important breakthrough for the ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango – a variety that originated from Florida and is valued for its long shelf life, pest resilience and other key beneficial traits. The scientists at UF’s …
Extending Enzymes: UF Hopes to Get More Mileage out of Essential Component
Enzymes are an essential element in the cells of all living plants. University of Florida research is tailored towards getting more mileage out of this essential component. Longer lasting enzymes could lead to increased yields in plants that are produced for food, fuel and fiber. That’s the thought process of Andrew Hanson, and eminent scholar and professor in the UF/IFAS …
Interested in Calabaza? UF/IFAS Scientists Laying Groundwork for Chefs, Growers
By: Lourdes Rodriguez, 954-577-6363 office, 954-242-8439 mobile, rodriguezl@ufl.edu HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A specialty pumpkin traditionally used in Caribbean, South and Central American dishes, has caught the eye of University of Florida scientist Geoffrey Meru. Meru, a vegetable geneticist at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center, is leading a multi-institutional project aimed at adding value to the calabaza commodity chain …
Florida Farmer: Stuff is Selling and There’s Somebody to Sell it to
What a difference a year makes for one Florida farmer. At a time of the season that should be the most profitable for Hank Scott, the 2020 spring was a disaster. It wasn’t due to disease issues, or increased pest pressures or adverse environmental conditions that affected crop yields. It was due to a global pandemic that nobody was prepared …
Cup of Joe in the Sunshine State? UF Researchers Using AI to Study Coffee’s Potential
A changing climate could lead to a new crop for Florida producers. University of Florida (UF) scientists are already growing coffee plants at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit. This could lead to coffee being produced in the Sunshine State one day. The project, which is a collaboration between the UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and UF/IFAS, …
Mighty Mites: UF Scientists Provide Information for Hemp Producers
University of Florida researchers have released information about mites that could impact the state’s hemp producers. The mites can cause devastation to hemp produced in fields and greenhouses. These include hemp russet mites, broad mites and spider mites. “These pests can attack hemp by distorting growth, causing defoliation and even killing plants,” said Lance Osborne, a professor of entomology at …
Supersweet Success: UF Scientists Sequence Genome of Sweet Corn
By Brad Buck/UF University of Florida (UF)/IFAS research has yielded supersweet results that should lead to better sweet corn varieties for producers. Now, a University of Florida scientist is laying the genetic groundwork for better sweet corn varieties. Marcio Resende, a UF/IFAS sweet corn breeder, led a research team that sequenced the genome of a type of supersweet corn. Resende …
Chill Out: New UF/IFAS Study Shows Why Strawberries Must Keep (Their) Cool
It is strawberry season in Florida. Odds are any strawberries eaten right now taste oh-so-sweet. Those strawberries consumers see at the grocery store should be shipped and stocked at the right temperature, says a University of Florida (UF) scientist; should being the operative word. To ensure the fruit is at peak form, you’re not supposed to break what’s referred to …
Cautionary Tale: UF/IFAS Scientists Provide Insight Regarding Dragon Fruit
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Scientists at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are providing valuable insect management information to farmers interested in producing dragon fruit. The fact sheet Pitaya (Dragon Fruit) (Hylocereus undatus) Pests and Beneficial Insects provides insight on insects and pests that can limit production by this vine-like cactus. As is the case for any …
Hemp Approval Program Now Available From UF/IFAS
By Tory Moore, University of Florida/IFAS APOPKA, Fla. — Owners of industrial hemp genetics can now submit their varieties for approval by the University of Florida for legal sale within the state. UF/IFAS, in partnership with Roseville Farms, has established a program that provides a science-based evaluation of industrial hemp varieties. As a crop new to Florida, all industrial hemp …