Agriculture, one of the world’s oldest vocations, is also one that continues to reinvent itself with new technology. From the introduction of the steel plow to automated tractors to modern fertilizer applications, technology has improved effectiveness and increased efficiency. Now, two University of Florida professors say robots and information technology will rule the roost on farms in the coming years. …
Lone Cabbage Reef off Florida Coast
Back in December, the University of Florida/IFAS held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate construction of a three-mile-long artificial reef off the Nature Coast. UF/IFAS Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Jack Payne, says they restored a large oyster reef. Images courtesy of University of Florida/IFAS. See more here. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundJuly 15, 2024CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners …
ARS Microscopy Research Helps Unravel the Workings of a Major Honey Bee Pest
Research by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Maryland released today sheds new light — and reverses decades of scientific dogma — regarding a honey bee pest (Varroa destructor) that is considered the greatest single driver of the global honey bee colony losses. Managed honey bee colonies add at least $15 billion to the value of U.S. …
UAV-based Remote Sensing Can Help Avocado Growers by Detecting Asymptomatic Pathogen
Remote imaging can effectively detect a pathogen that endangers the $100 million-a-year Florida avocado industry – even before the trees show symptoms — University of Florida scientists say. Yiannis Ampatzidis, an assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, led recently published research that shows that multispectral cameras can detect laurel wilt …
Florida Foundation Seed Producers Affected by Hurricane
In the months since Hurricane Michael hit the panhandle of Florida, cleanup continues in many areas. As we know, the storm was so devastating that it not only wiped out a lot of farmers’ 2018 crop, but it also went after future crops. Some folks may be familiar with the Florida Foundation Seed Producers (FFSP), the place many farmers get seeds …
UF Researchers to Breed a New Variety of Florida-Friendly Hops
Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have been awarded a two-year grant for $194,000 to breed varieties of hops that can grow in Florida. The researchers, based at the UF/IFAS Mid Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, Florida, said the grant will help continue their work to bring an alternative crop to the …
UF ‘Plant Whisperer’ Helps Floridians Keep Produce Lush, Green and Safe
Liz Felter gazes at the tomato plant and considers it quietly for a few seconds. Stroking the discolored leaves, she sticks two fingers in the soil and pushes the dirt down. “My gut tells me it’s not Erwinia,” says Felter, a University of Florida IFAS Extension regional specialized agent. The visitor to the UF/IFAS Diagnostic Plant Clinic in Apopka merely …
Genome Published of the Small Hive Beetle, a Major Honey Bee Parasite
Beekeepers and researchers will welcome the unveiling of the small hive beetle’s genome by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their colleagues. The small hive beetle (SHB) is a major parasite problem of honey bees for which there are few effective treatments. The SHB (Aethina tumida Murray) genome—a genome is the sum total of all an organism’s DNA; a gene codes …
Arboriculture Society Donation to Help Fund UF/IFAS Tree Expert
UF/IFAS will hire a new tree scientist, at least partially with funds donated recently by the Florida Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. During a campus visit on Dec. 3, Florida ISA chapter CEO Norm Easey and President Scott Shultz provided a pledge payment to help the UF/IFAS department of environmental horticulture inits search for a new faculty member, …
UF/IFAS Professor Emeritus Wins International Award For Cattle Reproduction
A University of Florida animal sciences graduate research professor emeritus has won the 2018 International Ruminant Reproduction Symposium Pioneer Award (IRRS), given to scientists who have trained students and made major contributions to understanding reproductive biology in cattle. Bill Thatcher won the award at the 10th IRRS, held in Iguacu Fos, Brazil, Sept. 16-20. This award is one of the …