Media Contact: Brad Buck, 352-875-2641 (mobile), bradbuck@ufl.edu

WHO: The UF Plant Science Council and UF/IFAS plant-breeding faculty and students.

WHAT: Students and faculty from UF/IFAS and around the world present the Fifth Annual Plant Science Symposium.

During this two-day virtual meeting, scientists will share the latest findings on breeding and genomics in specialty crops. For Florida, those include blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, olives, hops, vanilla and more.

In addition to those, UF/IFAS researchers and their students breed all sorts of horticultural crops including citrus, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, lettuce, peanuts, cattle forage, turfgrass, sugar cane and more to meet the needs of farmers and consumers across the globe.

Keynote speakers include Elaine Turner, dean of the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and David Clark, UF/IFAS professor of environmental horticulture and an ornamental plant breeder. Among his many cultivars, Clark is well-known for his coleus varieties.

Graduate students from several different majors also will present their latest contributions to research in several agricultural areas, including plant breeding. The student participation takes on added significance as UF/IFAS launches a Ph.D. program in plant breeding starting fall 2021.

WHERE: Via Zoom. Click here for more information and here to register.

WHEN: January 28-29.

CONTACT: Marcio Resende, mresende@ufl.edu; a UF/IFAS assistant professor of horticultural sciences and a sweet corn breeder; Esteban Rios, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of agronomy and a forage breeder, estebanrios@ufl.edu; or graduate student Julian Ginori, julian08@ufl.edu.

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The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS works to bring science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. Visit the UF/IFAS web site at ifas.ufl.edu and follow us on social media at @UF_IFAS.

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