Agronomy Department

2025–2026 Cool-Season Forage Variety Trial Results

by Marcelo Wallau
September 9, 2026

UF/IFAS Agronomy Department Forage Team Authored by: Maria Elena Mailhos, Marcelo Wallau, Cheryl Mackowiak, and Diwakar Vyas As fall approaches, many producers are making decisions on what cool-season forages to plant for grazing, silage ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Livestock, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Forages, Panhandle Agriculture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research

Pasture Mealybug: What We Know So Far and Resources Available

by Marcelo Wallau
August 20, 2026

What producers, land managers, and forage professionals need to know as Florida’s response takes shape. At a glance. The pasture mealybug was first detected in Florida in May 2026; it has now been reported in 22 Florida counties, including ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Forages, Panhandle Agriculture, Pasture Mealybug, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension

What makes pastures more susceptible to pasture mealybugs?

by Marcelo Wallau
August 18, 2026

Authored by: Marcelo Wallau, UF/IFAS Forage Extension Specialist Niguss Hailegnaw, UF/IFAS Assistant Professor of Crop Nutrient Management at the Everglades Research and Education Center Pasture mealybug (PMB) is expanding across ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agronomy, Forages, Panhandle Agriculture, Pasture Mealybug, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research

Dr. Esteban Rios Receives 2026 NAPB Early Career Scientist Award

by Carolina Vendrame
August 10, 2026

UF/IFAS Agronomy Associate Professor recognized nationally for leadership, innovation, and impact in plant breeding The UF/IFAS Agronomy Department is proud to celebrate Dr. Esteban Rios, Associate Professor of Forage Breeding and Genetics, ... READ MORE

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From Research to Reality: How UF/IFAS Turfgrass Breeding Is Shaping the Future of the Turf Industry

by Carolina Vendrame
May 28, 2026

Innovation in turfgrass doesn’t happen overnight—and it certainly doesn’t happen in isolation. It is the result of years of research, rigorous field evaluation, and close collaboration between university scientists and industry ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Lawn, NATURAL RESOURCES, Turf
Tags: CitraZoy®, Cobalt® Hybrid St. Augustinegrass

What’s New on Ask IFAS: Agronomy (Mar.–Apr. 2026)

by Amanda Quintos
May 15, 2026

Common Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] Contamination Management in Florida Turfgrasses Pawel Petelewicz. This publication serves as a resource for turfgrass professionals, Extension specialists, and clientele in managing common ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Horticulture
Tags: Bermudagrass, Cotton Seed, Drones, Germination Test, Management, Planting, Turfgrass, Vegetation Survey

What’s New on Ask IFAS: Agronomy (Jan.–Feb. 2026)

by Amanda Quintos
March 4, 2026

Peanut Production Guide: Management and Cultural Practices for Peanuts Sudeep S. Sidhu, David L. Wright, Barry Tillman, Nicholas Dufault, Ian M. Small, Isaac L. Esquivel, Zane Grabau, Hardeep Singh, Emma Matcham, Ednaldo A. Borgato, Jay Capasso, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Commercial Production, Cotton, Fertilizer, Management, Nitrogen, Peanut

Spotlight on Excellence: UF/IFAS’s Mikerly Joseph Named 2025 Dr. James Watson Fellow

by Carolina Vendrame
January 30, 2026

By Carolina Vendrame January 30, 2026 Gainesville, Fla. —The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) has announced the recipients of the 2025 Dr. James Watson Fellowship, an honor recognizing emerging leaders in turfgrass ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS
Tags: Agronomy Department, AI, Turfgrass Research, Weed Science

What’s New on Ask IFAS: Agronomy (Nov.–Dec.)

by Amanda Quintos
January 9, 2026

Understanding Fertilizers and Soil Amendments Niguss Solomon Hailegnaw, Guodong Liu, and Yuncong Li. Choosing the right fertilizer/amendment type (organic or inorganic/synthetic) can impact soil health, plant vigor, environmental sustainability, ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Energycane, Everglades Research And Education Center, Fertilizer, Peanut, Plant Growth Regulator, Soil Amendment, Sugarcane

From Gainesville to the Tropics: Rebecca Walters’ Eye-Opening Plant Science Journey in Costa Rica

by Carolina Vendrame
December 2, 2025

Gainesville, Fla. —Early this year, a group of adventurous University of Florida students—including Rebecca Walters—traded their Gator orange and blue for the lush greens of Costa Rica. Guided by Dr. Rosalie Koenig and Dr. William Hammond ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forest, NATURAL RESOURCES, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife

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