A researcher at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences wants to study the blue crab and a viral pathogen that infects it. Now, a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation will help Donald Behringer and colleagues study the disease along the entire western Atlantic seaboard. In Florida, several disasters—including hurricanes in 2004, 2005, …
Ronald Cave Named Director of UF/IFAS Indian River Research Facility
An entomologist recognized internationally as a specialist in biological control of insect pests has been named the director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Indian River Research and Education Center. Ronald D. Cave will serve as the sixth leader of the Indian River REC. From the Indian River REC’s 1947 start as the Indian River …
It’s Tougher to Reproduce When You Change Diets – Just Like a Bug
With the constant introduction of invasive species worldwide, thousands of types of wildlife eat new food, weakening their ability to reproduce, says a University of Florida scientist. That, in turn, could lead to a reduction in our wildlife populations. Scientists already know that when wildlife feed on invasive species, they can get sick, but until now, no one had studied …
UF Scientists Work on the ‘Essence’ of Better-Tasting Tomato Juice
If you’re yearning for a better-tasting tomato juice, University of Florida scientists in their labs, working on satisfying your palette. Essence, usually extracted from a plant to add flavor or provide a scent, according to a new UF/IFAS study, can be used to improve juice flavor. Using volatile capture, UF/IFAS scientists obtained the essence from the tomatoes, said Paul Sarnoski, …
Agri View: Honey Bee Update
Everett Griner talks about honey bee losses declining in today’s Agri View. Well, finally, here is some positive news about Honeybees. We lost fewer colonies of bees last year than in 2015. As a matter of fact, the survey showed that the number of lost colonies to insects and disease has been in a slow decline since …
UF Scientists Trying to Control Avocado Pathogen
University of Florida experts are trying to find ways to prevent Laurel Wilt, the pathogen endangering the state’s $100 million-a-year avocado industry, from spreading. They recently took their data to California to talk with scientists, growers, and regulators there. AgNet Media’s Taylor Hillman talked with Jonathan Crane, UF/IFAS professor of horticultural sciences and tropic fruit extension specialist, about the disease …
Controlling Weeds in a Way that Saves the Soil and Costs Less
An onslaught of the weed Palmer amaranth in the southeastern United States has left many farmers wondering if they should continue using environmentally friendly cover crops and conservation tillage, or switch to conventional tillage. Palmer amaranth is aggressive, drought tolerant, a prolific seed producer, and capable of developing resistance to glyphosate, known as “Roundup.” Because of that, thousands of acres …
Efforts Address Declining Pollinator Populations
Those in agriculture have been working with beekeepers and researchers to adopt more appropriate steps for assessing pesticides and their risks to pollinators. Dr. David Epstein, an entomologist for the USDA’s Office of Pest Management Policy, explains how a recent meeting between ag industry stakeholders, researchers, and beekeepers impacts his work at the USDA. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, …
Funding for Research to Improve Livestock and Aquaculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced 40 grants totaling more than $15.7 million for agricultural research on the production of beef, dairy, poultry, pork, and fish that people consume every day. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “To ensure …
Chlorine Dioxide Pouches Can Make Produce Safer and Reduce Spoilage
A small plastic pouch, half the size of a credit card, could soon make the nation’s produce safer by killing off pathogens that make people sick. The pouch, developed with help from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, releases chlorine dioxide gas, which eliminates E. coli and other pathogens from the surfaces of fruits and vegetables. Worrell Water Technologies of Delray Beach, Florida, hopes …