The University of Florida Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Crop Transformation Center (CTC) was founded in 2023 to address the need for rapid development and commercialization of genetically improved crops. While CTC projects will focus on crop improvement across all major crops grown in Florida, Dr. Scott Angle, who recently returned as Senior Vice President of the UF/IFAS, notes their first project focuses on creating citrus …
Cultiva Fruit Cuticle Summit
A group of fruit industry professionals is gathered in Las Vegas for a special summit. Fruit growers know each part of the fruit is important, but a summit held in Las Vegas, Nevada, focused on how the fruit cuticle is vital in keeping fresh fruit fresh. Cultiva Market Development Manager Brian Tipton says the company brought in growers, PCAs and …
Apples and Oranges Top U. S. Fruit Choices
These are the top fruit choices in the United States. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Apples held the top spot for total fruit available for consumption in 2021 at more than 26 pounds per person after adjusting for losses. USDA’s Economic Research Service’s (ERS) loss-adjusted food availability data adjusts the data for food spoilage, plate waste, and …
UF/IFAS Researcher Developing a “Flavor Tool”
Research efforts continue at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) in the area of food chemistry and quality, with an emphasis on the flavor (aroma and taste) of fruits, herbs and other agricultural commodities. UF-IFAS Senior Vice President Dr. Scott Angle explained to Southeast AgNet that Dr. Yu Wang is developing a “flavor tool” that relies on artificial intelligence to …
Science Key Weapon in Fight Against Citrus Greening
How science is the key weapon in the fight against Citrus Greening. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. This week we’re focusing on technology in agriculture. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) is the bacterial pathogen that causes “citrus greening disease,” one of the most destructive diseases of citrus worldwide. PPQ scientists are harnessing the power of CRISPR/Cas systems to …
Plant Materials Center Provides Diverse Climate Plant Solutions
The center providing plant solutions in a diverse climate. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Lockeford Plant Materials Center is a 106-acre facility located in the Central Valley of California. It’s about an hour southeast of the state’s capitol, Sacramento, and is the only plant materials in the state. The center provides plant solutions for the diverse …
Driverless Technology Rapidly Rolling Toward Reality
What would have been seen as science fiction a decade ago is quickly becoming reality. In December, autonomous trucking startup TuSimple completed a truck run on the open road without a human in the vehicle. The 80-mile trip on surface roads and highways in Arizona between a rail yard in Tucson and a distribution center in Phoenix was completed successfully. According to …
Fertility Recommendations for Citrus Discussed at Conference
The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference was held this past weekend in in Savannah, Georgia. Various topics were discussed including fertility recommendations for citrus. Dr. Kelly Morgan, with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), told AgNet Media that he talked about the research projects they’ve conducted over the past few years. And Morgan told us he has taken on some …
Smart Technology Cuts Spray Costs
As they battle HLB, growers must control costs wherever possible, including by applying pesticides and fertilizer more efficiently. With that in mind, Yiannis Ampatzidis is engaging artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a low-cost, smart tree-crop sprayer that can automatically detect citrus trees, calculate their height and leaf density, and count fruit. That way, growers target their spray more efficiently, so it lands on trees …
Resolved to Give Growers What They Need
January marks the season for resolutions: exercising more, eating well and being more organized. But in the research world, resolutions may not be that simple. I don’t think that University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers could be any more “resolved” in finding ways to fight citrus diseases and ways to improve how citrus is grown in Florida. …