Tag: Southwest Florida Research and Education Center

Herbicide plus fertilizer equals fewer weeds and, thus more tomatoes

by Brad Buck
October 24, 2024

A combination of herbicide and fertilizer can prevent the nasty nutsedge weed from harming tomatoes, new University of Florida research shows. That, in turn, should mean more of the fruit going to the grocery store and your kitchen. An increase ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS
Tags: Control, Fertilizer, Herbicide, Horticultural Sciences Department, Nutsedge, Plastic Mulch, Pre-emergence Herbicide, Ramdas Kanissery, Ruby Tiwari, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Weed Scientist

AI may help kill weeds, preserve peppers, tomatoes

by Brad Buck
October 3, 2024

First, University of Florida scientists developed technology to kill weeds, instead of strawberries. Now, UF/IFAS researchers are designing a machine that can surgically eliminate weeds while preserving the tomatoes and peppers around them, ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: #aiatuf, Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Algorithm, Computer Vision, Detection, Doctoral Student, Peppers, Plastic Beds, Precision Ag, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Tomatoes, Vinay Vijayakumar, Weed Sprayer, Yiannis Ampatzidis

Southern scientists use artificial intelligence to reduce costs, labor on farms

by Brad Buck
September 17, 2024

Scientists throughout the South are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help growers save labor costs and time, spray with precision, detect diseases, control food quality, maintain animal health and help grow wheat. University of Florida ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: #aiatuf, Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Agroview, Arnold Schumann, Citrus Research And Education Center, Daniel Lee, Drones, Fort Valley State University, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Land-grant Universities, Nathan Boyd, Oklahoma State University, Precision Ag, Precision Agriculture, Precision Weed-spraying, Soil, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Strawberries, Tree Canopy, University Of Georgia, Variable-rate Fertilizer, Virginia Tech, Water, Yiannis Ampatzidis

Aspiring food entrepreneurs can call UF/IFAS specialist for more information on food safety

by Brad Buck
September 10, 2024

Want to make cheesecake from home and sell it? You’re hardly alone, but that’s a tricky prospect. “People love cheesecake. But it doesn’t meet Florida’s Cottage Food Law. You can’t make it from your home. If you have to refrigerate ... READ MORE

Category: Food Safety
Tags: Entrepreneurs, Florida Cottage Food Law, Food Safety, Food Science, Guidance, Office Hours, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Stephanie Brown, UF/IFAS Extension Collier County, UF/IFAS Extension Statewide Specialized Agent In Food Science, Virtual Office Hours

Mesh bags protect citrus against greening, may improve tree health and fruit quality later

by Brad Buck
August 22, 2024

You may have seen small trees in white shrouds on hills along the highways. They protect citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid and therefore, citrus greening disease. New University of Florida research shows the trees grown under the ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: Asian Citrus Psyllid, Brix, Citrus Greening Disease, Fernando Alferez, Fruit Quality, Growth, Individual Protective Covers, IPC, Mesh, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Ute Albrecht

When pricing produce to sell directly to consumers, farmers urged to know their costs

by Brad Buck
August 14, 2024

Instead of taking what the broker or retailer feels like paying, small- and medium-sized farmers who sell directly to consumers should track costs, determine what they want to earn and set their own produce prices, University of Florida experts ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, UF/IFAS
Tags: Consumers, Costs, Customers, Farmers, Farmers Markets, Jessica Ryals, Kim Morgan, Marketing, Mid-sized Farmers, Niche Market, Price, Retail, Small Farmers, Social Media, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS Extension Collier County

UF scientists plan to study whether cover crops or compost can increase the efficiency, resiliency of tomatoes, other produce

by Brad Buck
July 2, 2024

Growers are always looking for ways to maintain or increase their yields and boost the ability of their crops to resist pests, diseases and heat brought on by climate change. That’s particularly the case when you grow crops in a high-intensity ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Climate, Compost, Cover Crops, Fertilizer, Fumigation, Grant, High-intensity Production System, National Institute Of Food And Agriculture, Sarah Strauss, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Tomatoes

New statewide Extension agent will teach stakeholders about food safety

by Brad Buck
June 26, 2024

Growing up in rural Douglas, Georgia (pop. 11,000), Stephanie Brown actively participated in Future Farmers of America. She also liked to watch cooking shows on TV, and she enjoyed science. But she wasn’t sure how to combine food with science. Flash ... READ MORE

Category: Food Safety
Tags: Entrepreneurs, Food Industry, Food Safety Modernization Act, Food Science, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, State Specialized Agent, Stephanie Brown, UF IFAS Extension

@SWFLVegMan McAvoy earns place in the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame

by Brad Buck
January 31, 2024

You ask most Southwest Florida farmers who they turn to for science-based agricultural information, and they’ll say, “Gene McAvoy.” It’s no accident the growers know him. “When I first started to work in Southwest Florida, ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Caribbean, Florida Agricultural Hall Of Fame, Florida Farm Bureau, Gene McAvoy, Induction, New Jersey, Rutgers University, South Florida Pest And Disease Hotline, Southwest Florida, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, UF IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Hendry County, Vegetables

Full steam ahead: Warm vapor and a low-dose herbicide control harmful citrus weed

by Brad Buck
December 19, 2023

Weeds have the potential to reduce Florida’s citrus crop by up to 30% annually. They compete with citrus trees for resources like water, light and nutrients, which can significantly reduce yield and fruit quality. Goat weed, a native perennial, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Citrus, Goat Weed, Herbicide, Horticultural Sciences, Paraquat, Ramdas Kanissery, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, STEAM, Yiannis Ampatzidis

UF/IFASWhat's Happening Around Florida

Subscribe For More Great Content

UF/IFAS
What's Happening Around Florida