Tag: Nematodes

AI may help UF researchers identify crop-destroying nematodes

by Brad Buck
January 20, 2022

Parasitic nematodes cause $125 billion in agricultural damage around the world each year, but University of Florida scientists hope to alleviate some of that destruction. To do so, UF researchers will use artificial intelligence (AI) to ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Tags: #aiatuf, Algorithm, Alina Zare, Artificial Intelligence, Billy Crow, Biological Control, Citrus Research And Education Center, Crops, Damage, Entomology And Nematology, Identification, Marchine-learning, Nematicides, Nematode Assay Lab, Nematodes, Peter DiGennaro

May 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
May 7, 2026

Recap of May 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector In May, we dove into the basics of nematodes. While many nematodes are free-living and play beneficial roles in soil ecosystems, others are parasitic and can cause significant damage ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Nematodes, SeminoleCountyAg

UF finds some nematodes like hemp; first step to pest control for emerging crop

by Brad Buck
April 13, 2026

BALM, Fla. --- For two years, University of Florida scientists across the Sunshine State have studied whether hemp can serve as a viable alternative crop for Florida farmers. One of the first steps to determining the economic feasibility ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Pests & Disease
Tags: Cultivars, Economics, Emerging Crops, Entomology And Nematology, Greenhouse Trials, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Hemp, Host, Johan Desaeger, Nematodes, Research, Root-knot Nematodes

June 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
April 7, 2026

Recap of June 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector In June, we dove into the basics of nematodes. Nematodes are all around the word, many are free living and some are parasitic on plants and animals. On plants, their damage can look ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, FFD23-24, FloridaFirstDetector, Invasive Species, Nematodes, Roundworms

June 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
April 7, 2026

February 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
April 7, 2026

Recap of February 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector In this month's webinar, we talked about plant pathogens. A pathogen is any organism that causes disease. Some pathogens that can impact plants include fungi, bacteria, viruses, ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Bacteria, Biosecurity, Early Detection, FFD23-24, FloridaFirstDetector, Fungi, Invasive Species, Nematodes, Virus

February 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
April 7, 2026

UF-led research to help cope with parasitic nematodes, which cause $125B in crop losses worldwide

by Brad Buck
April 1, 2026

Parasitic nematodes are responsible for about $125 billion in annual crop loss worldwide, and they can cause farmers to lose up to 80% of their tomato yield. “The situation with nematodes is exacerbated by an emerging concern in agriculture: ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Tags: Entomology And Nematology, Evening, Genome, Nematodes, NSF, Parasitic Nematodes, Peter DiGennaro, Plant Breeding, Root-knot Nematodes, Tomatoes, USDA-NIFA, Warming

Pivotal study unlocks secrets of the invasive short-spined thrips

by Lourdes Mederos
February 19, 2026

Highlights Short-spined thrips are devastating ornamentals and crops worldwide, thriving in South Florida’s warm climate and spreading fast. In a novel study, UF/IFAS researchers mapped the pest’s biology life cycle, reproduction ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Acarology, Alexandra Revynthi, Beans, Beneficial, Beneficial Bugs, Beneficial Nematodes, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Eggplants, Entomology And Nematology, Gardenias, Gardens, Growers, Hibiscus, Homeowners, Integrated Pes Management, Invasive, Invasive Insect, IPM, Mandevillas, Nematodes, News, Nurseries, Ornamental, Ornamental Entomology, Ornamental Plants, Peppers, Plant Pathology, Sanitation, Sanitation Practices, Short-spined Thrips, Thrips, Thrips Parvispinus, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida

Pivotal study unlocks secrets of the invasive short-spined thrips

by Lourdes Mederos
February 19, 2026

Subscribe For More Great Content