Tag: Vance Whitaker

Two UF/IFAS-bred strawberries better at resisting nasty pest

by Brad Buck
March 5, 2025

Chilli thrips plague farmers worldwide, but new research from the University of Florida has found two strawberry varieties that show less harm from these pests. The finding comes through research funded in part by the USDA National Institute ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Chilli Thrips, Cultivars, Entomology And Nematology, Florida Brilliance, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Host Plant Resistance, Integrated Pest Management, Kenneth Parker, Lovely Adhikary, Sriyanka Lahiri, Strawberries, Sweet Sensation, UF/IFAS Strawberry Breeding, Vance Whitaker

Following Hurricane Milton, Florida growers show resilience in ensuring fresh Florida strawberries are available this season

by Brad Buck
November 13, 2024

Florida strawberry growers are a resilient bunch. They’ve survived the back-to-back punches from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Through hard work and efficient problem-solving, they have planted the fruits you’ll enjoy from December through ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: Cultivars, Disease Resistance, Ember, Encore, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Hurricane Milton, Hurricanes, Kenneth Parker, Phytophthora Root Rot, Resilience, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, Strawberry Growers, Vance Whitaker

El inicio de la época de máxima producción de fresas en Florida llena sus mercados con sabrosas frutas

by Luz Bahder
January 22, 2024

Creado por Brad Buck, especialista sénior en relaciones públicas de UF/IFAS. Estamos en el apogeo de la temporada de cosecha de fresas en Florida, un momento en el que los productores se esfuerzan al máximo por asegurar que los consumidores ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asociación De Productores De Fresas De Florida, Calidad, Consumidores, Cosecha, Cultivares, Enfermedades, Español, Fitomejoramiento, Florida, Florida Brilliance, Florida Pearl, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Fresas, GCREC, Kenneth Parker, Medallion, Mercado, Plagas, Practicas De Manejo, Productores´, Sabor, Sensation, Spanish, UF-IFAS, Vance Whitaker, Wael Elwakil

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

by Brad Buck
January 18, 2024

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

It’s a first: UF scientists find ethyl vanillin in a UF/IFAS-bred strawberry

by Brad Buck
November 14, 2023

University of Florida scientists have found ethyl vanillin -- an aroma compound in many artificial vanilla-flavored food products -- in a UF/IFAS-bred strawberry. This is a key finding for the food and beverage industry and for the UF/IFAS ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Citrus Research And Education Center, Ethyl Vanillin, Food And Beverages, Medallion, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Vance Whitaker, Vanilla, Yu Wang

UF scientists see bright future as they seek savory strawberries – and high yield

by Brad Buck
June 8, 2023

Strawberry consumers love the fruit’s sweet flavor, and University of Florida scientists are trying to meet that desire, while also helping growers produce high yields. But genes and volatile compounds that control flavor are difficult ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: AI, Aroma, Artificial Intelligence, Flavor, Genetics, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Kevin Wang, Mark Porter, Plant Breeding Ph.D. Program, Precision Ag, Seonghee Lee, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, Strawberry Genome, Taste Panels, Vance Whitaker

White strawberry from UF/IFAS among many plant-breeding successes across southeast

by Ruth Hohl Borger
April 11, 2023

Southern U.S. agricultural researchers are improving agriculture one crop at a time. From rice and peanuts to soybeans and strawberries, plant breeders from land-grant universities across the southern U.S. are finding ways to bring new plant ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Pineapple Aroma, Plant Breeding, Southern Association Of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors, UF/IFAS Plant Breeding, Vance Whitaker, White Strawberries

UF researchers find genes responsible for several flavor compounds in strawberries

by Brad Buck
August 10, 2022

In their quest to improve strawberry flavor, University of Florida scientists have found the genes behind several aromatic chemicals that enhance the fruit’s taste. These findings will help UF/IFAS researchers Vance Whitaker and Seonghee ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness
Tags: Aroma, Compounds, Consumers, Flavor, Genetics, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Plant Breeding, Seedlings, Strawberries, Taste, Vance Whitaker, Zhen Fan

Strawberry growers globally could benefit from UF/IFAS research into dangerous disease

by Brad Buck
May 11, 2022

Strawberry farmers worldwide may get help from new University of Florida research that shows a way to battle one of the fruit’s fiercest foes. The key: combine genomic data with phenomics. The genome amounts to all the DNA in an organism. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Detection, Disease, Genes, Genomics, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Phenomics, Plant Breeding, Powdery Mildew, Ronald Tapia, Sensor, Seonghee Lee, Strawberries, Vance Whitaker

UF/IFAS awarded 1st Ph.D. plant breeding program in Florida, one of few in USA

by Brad Buck
July 13, 2021

Working in labs and fields across Florida, a new generation of students will start earning a Ph.D. in plant breeding from the University of Florida – the first program of its kind in Florida and one of a few in the nation. The UF/IFAS College ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Citrus, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, Corn, Crops, Elaine Turner, Environmental Benefits, Fiber, Forage, Gene Editing, Genetics, Global Food Security, Hunger, Lettuce, New Program, Peanuts, Ph.D., Plant Breeding, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Vance Whitaker

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