Tag: USDA-NIFA

Ph.D. student Sameerika Mudiyanselage (left) and her advisor Samuel Martins (right) sampling mushrooms with bacterial blotch symptoms in a mushroom farm in the Southern United States. Photo credit: UF/IFAS Samuel Martins

DNA analyses uncover what is hiding under the cap plaguing the white button mushroom industry


May 5, 2026

UF/IFAS researchers discovered that bacterial blotch in white button mushrooms is caused by a complex of multiple bacteria, not a single pathogen as previously believed. The disease significantly impacts mushroom growers by reducing ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Bacteria, Bacterial Blotch, Beneficial Microbes, Department Of Plant Pathology, Eco-friendly, Essential Oils, Farming, Food Is Medicine, Growers, Health Benefits, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Kitchen Staple, Microbial Communities, Mushrooms, News, Nutrient-dense Foods, Pathogen, Plant‑based, Romina Gazis, Sameerika Mudiyanselage, Samuel Martins, Specialty Crop, Sustainable Farming, U.S. Department Of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, USDA-NIFA, Vegetables
Un sembradío de plantas de pitahaya.

Taller sobre pitahaya fomenta entusiasmo y colaboración para una industria en crecimiento en Florida


April 21, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. La pitahaya, también conocida como pitaya o fruta del dragón, es un superalimento saludable para el corazón, bajo ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Cactus, Cactus Neotropical, Clinica De Diagnostico De Plantas, Consumidores, Cosecha, Cultivo, Distribuidores, Español, Florida, Fruta, Fruta Tropical, Horticultura, Impulsar La Industria Comercial De La Pitahaya, Industria, Industria Auxiliar, Iniciativa De Investigacion De Cultivos Especiales, Instituto Nacional De Alimentos Y Agricultura Del Departamento De Agricultura De Los Estados Unidos, Jonathan Crane, La Fruta Del Dragon, Mercado, Miami-Dade, Pitahaya, Pitaya, Productores´, Pulpa De La Pitahaya, Romina Gazis, Spanish, Super Alimento, Super Fruta, Taller, Trabajadores De Campo, TREC, USDA-NIFA
Un aguacate cortado sobre una encimera de mármol blanco y negro, con una de las mitades que contiene la semilla.

UF/IFAS recibe una subvención de $5 millones del USDA-NIFA para expandir la producción de aguacate en Florida Central y combatir la marchitez del laurel


April 21, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Científicos de University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) han recibido una subvención ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Events, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Aguacate, Ambrosia, Arboles Nativos, Beneficios Nutricionales, California, Ciientificos, Coleoptera, Desastre Ecologico, Enfermedades, Escarabajo Ambrosia, Español, Especialistas, Estrategias De Mitigación, Florida, Florida Central, Insecto, Instituto Nacional De Alimentos Y Agricultura USDA-NIFA, Investigacion, Jeffrey Rollins, Jonathan Crane, Marchitez Del Laurel, NIFA Grant, Palta, Patrimonio Agricola, Perdidas De Arboles, Perdidas Economicas, Plagas, Seminario, Spanish, Subvencion, Subvención De $5 Millones, Subvencion De USDA-NIFA, Taller, TREC, USDA-NIFA, Variedades Tolerantes Al Frio
Manos aplaudiendo.

USDA, Extensión Cooperativa y APLU galardonan a UF/IFAS CAFÉ Latino mediante el Premio Nacional de Diversidad en Extensión


April 21, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS.  Desde el 2016, un número creciente de profesionales de University of Florida han unido esfuerzos para mejorar el acceso ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, Community Volunteers, Farm Management, Health & Nutrition, Home Management, Livestock, Money Matters, Relationships & Family, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS
Tags: Andra Johnson, APLU, Asociacion De Universidades Publicas Y Con Concesion De Tierras, CAFE Latino, Clases, Coalition Of Florida Extension Educators For Latino Communities, Departamento De Agricultura De Los Estados Unidos, Diversidad, Español, Extension, Hispanos, Inclusion, Informacion, Instituto Nacional De Alimentacion Y Agricultura, John Diaz, Jonael Bosques, Karla Shelnutt, Latinos, Laura Valencia, Manjit Mirra, Poblacion Latina, Premio, Servicio De Extension, Servicios, Sistema De Extension Cooperativa, Spanish, Traducciones, UF-IFAS, USDA-NIFA

UF/IFAS soil and water sciences faculty to address shortage of data scientists


April 13, 2026

A grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will address a shortage of data scientists in the fields of soil and water sciences. The goal is to develop future leaders in soil health research and extension. Members ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Archive, Data Science, Soil And Water Sciences Department, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, USDA-NIFA, Yang Lin
Cluster of unripe green tomatoes on the vine amidst leaves.

UF scientists receive grant to study fumigation impacts on soil health


April 2, 2026

Soil health is an important aspect to strawberry and tomato production. Farmers often apply a type of pesticide called fumigants to the soil months before planting to manage soil health. Fumigants reduce harmful diseases such as Fusarium ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease
Tags: Crops, Fusarium Wilt, Gary Vallad, Grant, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Mary Lusk, Nathan Boyd, Nitrogen, Root-knot Nematodes, Sarah Strauss, Soil Health, Soil Microbes, Soil Microbiome, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Soil-borne Diseases, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Strawberries, Tomatoes, USDA-NIFA
Rows of tomato plants in a greenhouse with both ripe red and unripe green tomatoes.

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


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
A view of several lettuce varities. Español: múltiples variedades de lechuga

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


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
Close-up of a tree with orange fruits and bright green leaves.

UF awarded $5 million in NIFA grants to battle citrus greening disease


March 18, 2026

University of Florida scientists will elevate their efforts to control citrus greening, with about $5 million in grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). NIFA, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, split funding ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Amit Levy, Archive, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus, Citrus, Citrus Greening, Citrus Research And Education Center, Entomology, HLB, Horticultural Sciences, Huanglongbing, Integrated Pest Management, John Chater, Jose Chaparro, Lukasz Stelinski, Microbiology And Cell Science, Microcell, Nian Wang, Nifa, Plant Pathology, UF/IFAS Citrus Research And Education Center, USDA-NIFA
A green tractor with a blue canopy-covered cart on a grassy field, with trees and farm equipment in the background.

UF scientist, veteran wins national award for program connecting military personnel to ag careers


March 11, 2026

A veteran himself, University of Florida plant pathologist Gary Vallad wanted to give back to his comrades-in-arms. So, he and Simon Bollin started the Veterans Florida Agriculture Program (VFAP), which helps train veterans for jobs in that ... READ MORE

Category: Professional Development
Tags: Archive, Department Of Defense SkillBridge Program, Gary Vallad, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Jobs, Military, Research And Education Centers, Simon Bollin, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, USDA-NIFA, USDA-NIFA Partnership Award, Veterans Florida Agriculture Program, Workforce

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