Category: Crops

Independence Day & Prickly Pear Cactus

by Maria Quirico
July 20, 2026

The Role of Opuntia and the Revolutionary War “The Redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming!” This famous historical warning from the American Revolutionary War refers to the approach of the British Army. In addition, British officers ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Crops, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Insects Affecting Plants, Mealy Bugs, Red Dye, Residential Horticulture

June 2026 Weather Summary and 3-Month Outlook

by Doug Mayo
July 17, 2026

Rainfall June 2026 brought significant rainfall to the Panhandle north of Interstate 10, but much of Florida remained drier than normal. The map above to the left shows the estimated rainfall totals for June 2026, ranging from 1-2" in orange, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Livestock, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: FAWN Weather Summary, Panhandle Agriculture

Cotton Market Insights: Adjustments for Last Year and Early Projections for This Year

by Doug Mayo
July 17, 2026

Authored by: Don Shurley, UGA Professor Emeritus of Cotton Economics The latest USDA numbers could help to add some support to the market. No promises and the outlook uncertain, but the current numbers could be viewed as encouraging. First ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Cotton Market Insights, Panhandle Agriculture, SV Ag Update

August 2026 Deadlines for Crop Assistance and Disaster Relief Programs

by Kevin Athearn
July 14, 2026

Four farm assistance programs have deadlines in August 2026: Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Florida Block Grant Disaster Relief Program New base acre allocations for Agriculture ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Panhandle Agriculture, SV Ag Update

Cyclospora cayetanensis: The Microscopic Mystery Scientists Still Can’t Solve

by Dana Saunders
July 14, 2026

Quick Facts Organism: Cyclospora cayetanensis.Type: Single-celled parasite.Causes: Cyclosporiasis.Common source: Contaminated fresh produce or water.Why scientists study it: It cannot yet be reliably cultured in a laboratory, making it one ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables

Question: I think I have a new variety of plant and want to name it. What do I do?

by David Outerbridge
July 13, 2026

There are many producers and gardeners out there playing with plants and creating new varieties through hybridization, breeding, and experimenting with new accessible genetic technologies such as (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research

As new invasive species threatens Florida pastures and sugarcane, researchers racing to manage pasture mealybug outbreak

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
July 6, 2026

Invasive pasture mealybug has been detected in 15 Florida counties and can rapidly kill pasture grasses, hayfields and sugarcane, causing severe crop losses. UF/IFAS scientists are studying the newly arrived pest, while emergency approval ... READ MORE

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

As new invasive species threatens Florida pastures and sugarcane, researchers racing to manage pasture mealybug outbreak

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
July 6, 2026

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

UF ABE’s Vivek Sharma, PH.D. Receives Golden Gator Award

by Samantha Jones
July 1, 2026

In recognition of securing a $1.5M research award, UF ABE’s Vivek Sharma, Ph.D. has been awarded the prestigious UF‑IFAS Large Grant Golden Gator Award. His research, titled “Impact of Rotational Cover Crop on Soil Quality Parameters, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: ABE, Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Agriculture, Extension, Research

Evaluating Seed-Borne Pathogens of Okra

by moniquescoggin
June 25, 2026

This season, we shine the spotlight on Peyton Ecklund. As a Master's student in Dr. Xiaoying Li's Horticulture Vegetable Crops Lab, Peyton is evaluating seed-borne pathogens of okra. A seed was planted Peyton Ecklund graduated from a local ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research

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