Tag: breeding

UF scientists meeting craft brewer demand by converting hops to pellets

by Brad Buck
March 11, 2026

Many craft brewers prefer to make their product using hops pellets because of several advantages they provide over whole cone hops. To address a request by Tampa Bay-area craft brewers, University of Florida scientists are converting the crop ... READ MORE

Category: SFYL Hot Topic
Tags: Breeding, Brewers Association, Brewery, Cones, Craft Beer, Field Trials, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Harvest, Hops, LED Lighting, Pelletizer, Pellets, Shinsuke Agehara, Spring Hops Field Day, Zhanao Deng

Power through July, aka National Blueberry Month

by Brad Buck
March 11, 2026

As we celebrate National Blueberry Month in July, a University of Florida dietitian says the fruit could be called “power berries.” “Blueberries have fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and potassium, and they have some of the highest ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, UF/IFAS
Tags: Andrea Nikolai, Antioxidants, Breeder, Breeding, Cutlivars, Doug Phillips, National Blueberry Month, Nutrition, Patricio Munoz, Southern Highbush Blueberry, Statewide Blueberry Extension Coordinator, UF/IFAS Extension Polk County

Decoding blackberry DNA: UF study paves the way for enhanced breeding strategies and better berries for Florida farmers and consumers

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

Disease-resistant and tastier blackberries could be on the horizon — thanks to new genetic research from the University of Florida. New University of Florida blackberry varieties could provide a boon for Florida farmers looking to rebound ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS
Tags: Blackberries, Breeding, Consumers, Disease Resistance, Environmental Horticulture, Flavorful, Genome, Genome Assembly, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Plant Breeding, Thornless, Zhanao Deng

Prolific blueberry scientist named Horticulture Crop Breeding Endowed Chair

by Brad Buck
March 27, 2026

A veteran blueberry researcher has been named the University of Florida’s Horticulture Crop Breeding Endowed Chair, recognizing the royalties generated by the fruit varieties he’s developed for global farming and consumption. Patricio ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Blueberries, Breeding, Chris Gunter, Cultivars, Horticultural Sciences, Horticulture Crop Breeding Endowed Chair, J. Scott Angle, Patricio Munoz, Plant Breeding, Southern Highbush Blueberry

UF scientists use AI technology to breed better-tasting strawberries

by Brad Buck
April 14, 2026

A tastier strawberry may come from a computer. New University of Florida research shows artificial intelligence can help scientists breed more flavor into the fruit. Consumer panels are the tried-and-true method for UF researchers to gauge ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: #aiatuf, Algorithm, Aroma, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Breeding, Computer, Flavor, Food Science And Human Nutrition, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Sensation, Strawberries, Taste Panels, UF Sensory Lab, Vance Whitaker, Volatiles

UF/IFAS hosts global plant breeding virtual meeting January 28-29

by Samantha Murray
January 21, 2021

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 ... READ MORE

Category: Events
Tags: Archive, Breeding, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, Crops, David Clark, Elaine Turner, Environmental Horticulture, Forage, Fruits, Ornamentals, Plant Science Symposium, Sugar Cane, Turfgrass, Vegetables, Zoom

UF/IFAS plows forward to breed and grow a ‘superfood,’ the pomegranate

by Brad Buck
April 13, 2026

Pomegranates are sweet, juicy and one day they could grow abundantly in Florida. They taste good, and they’re full of nutrients, including antioxidants. “The fruit and its products such as arils and juice are rich in phytochemicals and ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Antioxidants, Breeding, Environmental Horticulture, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Phytochemicals, Pomegranates, Superfood, USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant, Zhanao Deng

Peak strawberry season means more Florida-grown, flavorful fruit at the market

by Brad Buck
March 26, 2026

We’re at the height of the Florida strawberry harvesting season – a time when the state’s growers are doing all they can to make sure consumers can choose from among the best of their favorite fruit at the market. “It has been an ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Aroma, Best Practices, Breeding, Cultivars, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Kenneth Parker, Strawberries, Strawberry Season, Taste, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, Vance Whitaker, Wael Elwakil, Yield

On the edge of a breakthrough: UF/IFAS breeding disease-resistant lettuce for U.S. farms, kitchens

by Lourdes Mederos
March 24, 2026

University of Florida scientists are closer to a breakthrough that could safeguard the nation’s lettuce supply. Backed by a $500,000 federal grant, the team is working to develop disease-resistant lettuce varieties built to withstand ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Arizona, Bacterial Leaf Spot, Breeding, California, Cercospora Leaf Spot, Climates, Consumers, Crop, Cultivars, Economic Engine, Economy, Everglades Research And Education Center, Florida, Florida Economy, Freshness, German Sandoya, Harvest, Iceberg, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Leaf Lettuce, Lettuce, Lettuce Breeding, Lettuce Breeding Program, Market Demands, National Institute Of Food And Agriculture, News, Postharvest, Production, Public, Resistence, Romaine, Sandy Soils, Storage, Texture, Transportation, U.S. Department Of Agriculture, U.S. Department Of Agriculture National Institute Of Food And Agriculture, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Plant Breeding, USDA-NIFA, Varieties

Don’t Forget The Bull: Considerations For Bull Selection & Management

by Lizzie Whitehead
June 4, 2024

As the cost of cattle rises, it is becoming increasingly important to select the best bull for your herd. Bulls contribute 50% of the genetics for a calf crop, selecting a high-quality bull will help his genetics spread through your herd faster ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Breeding, Bull Selection, Cattle, Extension, Livestock, UF-IFAS

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