The University of Florida’s West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) held its annual Extension Farm Field Day last week at the research farm near Jay, Florida. At the various stops, growers learned more about research efforts in cotton, peanuts and other row crops. One attendee was Jerry Fankhauser, assistant director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of …
Analyzing Genomes to Improve Disease Control in Poultry
(USDA/ARS) — Marek’s disease—a highly contagious viral disease caused by a herpesvirus—is a constant threat to poultry worldwide. It is also one of the most preventable diseases with vaccination. However, while vaccines prevent poultry from becoming sick with symptoms of the virus, they do not prevent virus spread and mutation—considered the main reason for increased virus virulence, or severity, in …
UF/IFAS Researcher Aims to Improve Bacteria Treatments for Cows, Humans
GAINESVILLE, FL (UF/IFAS) — University of Florida scientists believe they can develop new antimicrobials that will benefit dairy cattle and, eventually, humans by treating bacteria that normally resist antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria take a serious toll on cattle and humans. On the human side, at least 2 million people contract an antibiotic-resistant infection each year in the United States, and at …
UF Student Wins Scholarship to Find Solutions to Seagrass Loss
GAINESVILLE, FL (UF/IFAS) — Right now, in a University of Florida marine science lab in Cedar Key, Florida, about 40 sea urchins are chowing down on their food of choice — seagrass. Jamila Roth, an interdisciplinary ecology student in the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, is watching them closely. Roth wants to know how the urchins’ eating behavior …
UF/IFAS Plant Geneticist Named Fellow of American Society for Horticultural Science
BALM, Fla. (UF/IFAS) — If you savor the sights of caladium, gerbera and other ornamental plants, you can thank Zhanao Deng for developing better varieties. In his three-decade career, Deng beams with pride over new types of caladium and gerbera he’s bred that are more resistant to diseases. He’s also happy with his lantana varieties, which are genetically sterilized and …
UF/IFAS Researchers Honored for Avocado Integrated Pest Management
(UF/IFAS) — University of Florida officials recognized a team of research scientists with a High Impact Research Publication award for an article published in the May 2018 edition of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, an international scholarly science journal. The publication, “Identification of the Achilles heels of the laurel wilt pathogen and its beetle vector,” introduces new pest management tactics for …
UF/IFAS Researchers Use AI to Take the Guesswork out of Fruit Pricing
GAINESVILLE, FL (UF/IFAS) — Pricing fruit comes down to a bit of art and some science for farmers. But new technology from the University of Florida may remove some of that guesswork. “Growers often rely on their gut to estimate a price for their crop,” said Daniel Lee, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the UF Institute of …
FMC Continues to Grow U.S. Biologicals Portfolio
Submits two new strains for EPA approval (FMC) — FMC Corporation has announced the submission of two new active ingredient microbial pesticide strains, RTI 301 and RTI 477, and associated formulated products to the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (BPPD). Submissions have also been made in the EU and field work is continuing in Canada …
Rodale Launches Organic Research and Training Center in Georgia
(NAFB) — The Rodale Institute will launch a new organic research and training center in Georgia this fall. The Southeast Organic Center aims to innovate agriculture and increase healthy food access in the region, according to the organization. The regional resource center will focus on the unique challenges of farmers in the southeast United States, at Many Fold Farm, outside …
Examples of Cattle Health and Nutrition Research
Efforts among USDA research entities, land grant universities and private companies are resulting in new ways to improve cattle health and nutrition. Rod Bain has the story. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundJuly 15, 2024CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024