Tag: plant disease

UF’s Plant Diagnostic Center earns national accreditation – a first for U.S. universities

by Brad Buck
October 7, 2025

The University of Florida just made plant pathology history. Its Plant Diagnostic Center is now the first university-based lab in the nation to earn accreditation from the prestigious National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) -- a recognition ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Carrie Harmon, Crop Security, Diagnosis, Disease Spread, Farmers, Global, Mathews Paret, National Plant Diagnostic Network, Plant Diagnostic Center, Plant Diseases, Plant Pathology Department, Prevention, “gold-medal Seal Of Approval”
Here Braham Dhillon is demonstrating a new web app called Robigus. He is a molecular plant pathologist at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center and a specialist in fungal pathogens of palms, woody plants and agricultural crops. His research program combines basic and applied science to better understand how these pathogens infect and spread. the app can help detect crop threats globally with the tap of a screen or keyboard.

Can Robigus be the new crop guardian? This app tracks plant diseases globally

by Lourdes Mederos
September 8, 2025

Named after the Roman god who once guarded wheat fields from blight, Robigus is the newest tech ally in the fight against plant diseases. Developed by a scientist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agriculture, App, Braham Dhillon, Cavendish Bananas, Crops, Disease Outbreaks, Farms, Fields, First Reports, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fruit, Fungal Pathogen, Gardeners, Global, HiPerGator, Homeowners, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Molecular Plant Pathologist, News, Nursery, Palms, Plant Disease, Plant Pathology, Plants, Robigus, Roman God, Scientists, Tropical Race 4 Of Fusarium, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Supercomputer, Vegetable
oranges

Researchers enlist Florida residents in the fight against citrus greening

by Megan Winslow
August 28, 2025

Most people know Florida’s citrus industry is struggling with citrus greening. The threat, however, doesn’t exist in a silo, and residential trees – where the plant disease was first detected in the state – can serve as reservoirs for ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: ACP, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Bay, Citrus, Citrus Care, Citrus Greening, Cold Hardy Citrus, Columbia, Danielle Williams, Diaphorina Citri, Educational, Entomology, Gadsden, HLB, Huanglongbing, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Integrated Pest Management, Jefferson, Laura Warner, Lauren Diepenbrock, Leon, Management, Mesh Bags, North Florida, Orange, Pest, Plant Disease, Reflective Mulch, Research, Romain Exilien, Santa Rosa, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Workshop, Xavier Martini
green palms trees against a blue sky

9/18/25 Palms Workshop–In Person in Orange Co.

by Hannah Eason
August 26, 2025

BEWARE! AFTER THIS CLASS, YOU WILL NEVER LOOK AT PALMS THE SAME AGAIN! Palms are popular plants that represent a slice of Florida paradise! There is a science to growing pretty palms that will thrive in Florida, from wild places to managed ... READ MORE

Category: Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, CEU, CEUs, Cflandscapes, Commercial Horticulture, Commercial Lawn And Ornamental, Continuing Education, Continuing Education Unit, Cpo, Education, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Gardening Class, Hkalaman, Hwooten, Landscape, Landscape Architect, Landscape Design, Landscapes, Lawn And Ornamental, Limited Commercial Landscape Maintenance, Limited Lawn And Ornamental, Nutrient Deficiencies, Ocextension, Orlando Events, Ornamental And Turf, OT, Pa, Palm, Palm Diagnostics, Palm Fertilizer, Palm Problems, Palms, PCO, Planning, Plant Diseases, Plant Pests, Pruning, Right-of-Way, Row, Streetscape, Sustainable Landscaping

Hurricanes can bring crop diseases, but plant clinics help farmers quickly and accurately battle pathogens spread by storms

by Brad Buck
May 28, 2025

Last fall, strawberry fields in the Tampa Bay region and at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) were riddled by colletotrichum crown rot disease, which was spread by winds and rain from Hurricane Milton. The Category ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Crops, Crown Rot, Disease Control, Diseases, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Hurricane Milton, Hurricanes, Kenneth Parker, Marcus Marin, Mathews Paret, Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, Natalia Peres, North Florida Research And Education Center, Pathogens, Plant Diagnostic Clinic, Plant Diseases, Plant Pathology, Rapid Diagnosis, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Soybean Rust, Strawberries, Tropical Research And Education Center
De-Fen Mou, entomologist at Everglades Research and Agriculture Center in a sugar cane field

Protecting your plate and farmer’s harvests: UF/IFAS entomologist fights for Florida’s crops against costly pests

by Lourdes Mederos
March 31, 2025

Behind every fresh head of lettuce and pepper on your plate, there’s a team of scientists working tirelessly to protect crops and farmers’ harvests from pests and plant diseases. De-Fen Mou, an assistant professor of entomology at ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, , Conservation, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Pests, Aphids, De-Fen Mou, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Diseases, Entomology, Entomology And Nematology, EREC Agricultural Vector Entomology Lab, Everglades Research And Education Center, Hemiptera, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive, Leafhoppers, News, Pests, Plant Diseases, Planthoppers, Samira Daroub, Thrips, Thrips Parvispinus, Thysanopterans, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Whiteflies

A Guide to Growing Tomatoes in Central Florida: Tips for Success

by Julia Sirchia
March 19, 2024

Tomatoes - they’re a staple in many home gardens, and for good reason. But if you're gardening in Central Florida, you might need to tweak your approach a bit to ensure a successful harvest. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you grow ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables
Tags: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruit, Gardening, Growing Conditions, Horticulture, Pests, PH, Plant Disease, Seasonal, Smart Irrigation, Soil, Soil Amendment, Soil Test, Tomatoes, UF/IFAS Pasco Extension Office

Plant Disease Update for Commercial Plant Producers

by Liz Felter
February 21, 2023

Cercospora leaf spots are a common issue affecting many ornamental crops like hostas, hydrangea, hibiscus, pansy, verbena, gardenia, and others. However, starting in the Fall of 2022, an increase in damage caused by the pathogen in Spathiyphyllum ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Cercospora Leaf Spots, Gardenia, Hibiscus, Hostas, Hydrangea, Ornamental, Ornamentals, Pansy, Pest, Pest And Disease, Plant Disease, Spathiyphyllum, Verbena

MEDIA ALERT: Come to Florida Ag Expo; learn about hops, other emerging crops and artificial intelligence

by Brad Buck
October 27, 2022

WHAT: Tour a hops yard. Find out how artificial intelligence helps farmers. Discover how UF/IFAS will help growers use fewer nutrients. Find out how plant breeding can help growers avoid diseases – all at this year’s Florida Ag Expo. The ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: #aiatuf, Artificial Intelligence, Blackberries, Florida Ag Expo, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Hops, Jack Rechcigl, Plant Breeding, Plant Disease, Precision Agriculture, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Weeds
image - conk sample of ganoderma butt rott disease

UF/IFAS scientist develops detection method for lethal palm disease that saves time, money, property

by Lourdes Mederos
August 7, 2022

Para acceder a esta comunicación en español, por favor utilice este enlace About this series A team of UF/IFAS scientists has reached a milestone in the fight against a widespread disease that affects palms throughout the southeastern ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Braham Dhillon, Department Of Plant Pathology, Ganoderma, Ganoderma Zonatum, News, Palm Disease, Palms, Plant Disease, Seemanti Chakrabarti, SFYL Hot Topic, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, UF IFAS News, UF/IFAS Research

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