homeowners

UF Survey: Homeowners Want to Keep Their Lawns Lush and Conserve Water

Dan Florida, Research, Water

Homeowners who irrigate want a beautiful lawn, and they’re more than willing to conserve water, a new University of Florida survey shows. It’s not a matter of a lush lawn versus saving a precious commodity. They also want a landscape with pollinators, one that helps preserve the environment and one on which they can lie in a hammock for peace …

researchers

UF/IFAS Researchers Will Try to Educate Public on Genetically Edited Food

Dan Florida, Genetically Modified, Industry News Release, Research

Genetic improvement of food crops sometimes gets a bad rap, but University of Florida researchers plan to educate consumers so they can make more informed decisions at the grocery store. To help combat misinformation, four UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers are going to better inform the public about the nuances of how plants are genetically adjusted to …

fungi

UF/IFAS Researchers May Use Fungi to Control Deadly Crop Disease

Dan Florida, Research, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

A group of fungi might fight a disease that’s dangerous to tomatoes and specialty crops. University of Florida scientists hope to develop this biological strategy as they add to growers’ tools to help control Fusarium wilt. Tomatoes are the number one vegetable crop in Florida. In 2017, approximately 28,000 acres of tomatoes were commercially harvested, with a production value of …

ethanol technology

UF/IFAS Researchers Hope Better Technology Produces Less Costly Ethanol

Dan Biotechnology, Energy, Industry News Release, Research

University of Florida scientists wondered how cheaply fuel ethanol can be made from inedible plant material – called biomass – using currently available technology. Their goal is to make this form of ethanol less expensively than gasoline and help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Currently, fuel ethanol is made from corn, which is edible. Corn also uses a lot of fertilizer and …

wildlife corridor

Enjoy the Great Outdoors This Summer: Maybe Even a Florida Forest

Dan Florida, Forestry, Industry News Release, Research

Feel an itch to see the “Real Florida?” Summer is just about here, so you can take the kids to theme parks, but the Sunshine State offers much more, if you want to venture outdoors. You might even try a forest. With the start of ecotourism season, visitors to Florida can explore everything from vineyards to farms to scenic trails. …

georgia

Agri View: Georgia Citrus Expanding Thanks to Research

Dan Agri View, Citrus, Research

Everett Griner talks about citrus farming and related research in Georgia expanding in today’s Agri View. Georgia Citrus Expanding Thanks to Research You know, many people thought that citrus business in Georgia was a temporary thing that would soon go away. They don’t think that anymore. Not with the research and the diversity and the growth that’s taking place. The …

usda

USDA/NIFA Invests in Research on the Implications of Gene Editing Technologies

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Research

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced awards to advance research on public engagement and the implications of gene drive and other gene editing technologies. The funding is made possible through the Social Implications of Emerging Technologies initiative within NIFA’s Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities (AERC)’s program area. “Recent advances in gene editing …

fmd

FMD Vaccine Development A Restrictive Process

Dan Cattle, Livestock, Research

Last week, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue authorized the movement of a live, non-infectious, genetically modified strain of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus to the mainland U.S. for continued vaccine research and development. But according to a story from Rod Bain, this approval comes with restrictions to assure safety. FMD Vaccine Development A Restrictive Process But according to a story …

fmd

Perdue To Allow Modified FMD Virus Onto US Mainland

Dan Cattle, Industry News Release, Livestock, Research

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has authorized the movement of a modified, non-infectious version of the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus from the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to the U.S. mainland for the purposes of continued vaccine development and study.   While modified FMD virus is unable to cause disease and presents no risk of transmitting the disease, it …