Tag: Vance Whitaker

First graduates of UF’s plant-breeding Ph.D. use genetics to help growers boost yields, improve shelf life, more

by Brad Buck
January 21, 2026

About four years ago, a small cohort of ambitious young scientists stepped into uncharted territory as the first students in the University of Florida’s new plant breeding Ph.D. program in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, part ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Agronomy, Ali Babar, Anandi Karn, Blueberries, College Of Agricultural And Life Science, Elissar Alam, Estafania Flores, Esteban Rios, Forage, Fusarium Wilt, Graduates, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Jessica Chitwood-Brown, Manuel Gastelbondo, Pablo Sipowicz, Patricio Munoz, Ph.D., Plant Breeding Ph.D. Program, Samuel Ipinyomi, Strawberries, Sudip Kunwar, Tomatoes, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS Plant Breeding, Vance Whitaker, Vanilla, Wheat, Xingbo Wu

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

by Brad Buck
March 9, 2026

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

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

by Brad Buck
March 9, 2026

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

UF study traces complex history of the strawberry

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

If you eat fruits or vegetables, how often do you think about their history? Former University of Florida post-doctoral researcher Zhen Fan did, as he traced the strawberry back over centuries. In a new paper published in the Proceedings ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Tags: Chromosome, Cross, Diseases, DNA, Doug Soltis, Evolution, Florida Museum Of Natural History, Genetic Diversity, Genetics, History, Hybrid, Octoploid, Pam Soltis, Pests, Plant Breeding, Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, Species, Strawberries, Strawberry, Vance Whitaker, Zhen Fan

Florida strawberry season bursts with sweetness

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

Florida’s late fall and winter don’t just bring cooler, less humid weather. The seasons bring the sweet burst of locally grown strawberries. Juicy, vibrant and fresh from the fields, these Sunshine State gems are waiting for you at your ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS
Tags: Aroma, Consumers, Diseases, Ember, Encore, Flavor, Florida Strawberry Season, Genetics, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Pests, Pineberry, Plant Breeding, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeder, Strawberry Season, Vance Whitaker

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

by Brad Buck
March 18, 2026

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
March 18, 2026

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

UF scientists use AI technology to breed better-tasting strawberries

by Brad Buck
April 14, 2026

A tastier strawberry may come from a computer. New University of Florida research shows artificial intelligence can help scientists breed more flavor into the fruit. Consumer panels are the tried-and-true method for UF researchers to gauge ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: #aiatuf, Algorithm, Aroma, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Breeding, Computer, Flavor, Food Science And Human Nutrition, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Sensation, Strawberries, Taste Panels, UF Sensory Lab, Vance Whitaker, Volatiles

Semillas cultivadas en Florida formarán parte de un experimento de agricultura espacial en una misión de SpaceX

by Luz Bahder
April 21, 2026

Creado por Meredith Bauer, especialista sénior en relaciones públicas para UF/IFAS. Aspectos destacados: Investigadores de University of Florida enviarán semillas a la Estación Espacial Internacional para estudiar cómo los vuelos ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Events, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultura, Arabidopsis Thaliana, Banco De Semillas De UF, Berro De Thaliana, Cabo Cañaveral, Cápsula Dragon, Condiciones Extremas, EMBRAPA, Espacial, Espacio, Español, Estrategia Espacial, Fuera Del Espacio, Genes, Genetica, Instituto Espacial Astraeus De UF, Investigadores, Jaguar Space, Laboratorio De Plantas Espaciales, Laboratorio De Plantas Espaciales Del Departamento De Horticultura, Luna, Marte, Microgravedad, Planeta Tierra, Plantas, Producción De Alimentos Y La Purificación Del Aire, Pruebas Genéticas, Resilencia, Resilencia De Plantas, Semillas, Space X, Spanish, Tierra, University Of Florida, Vance Whitaker, Vuelos Espaciales, Wagner Vendrame

La temporada de fresas en Florida llega llena de dulzura

by Luz Bahder
April 21, 2026

Creado por Brad Buck, especialista sénior en relaciones públicas para UF/IFAS. El final del otoño y la temporada de invierno en Florida no solo traen un clima más fresco y menos húmedo, sino también la llegada de las fresas cultivadas ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Consumidores, Cosecha, Cultivares, Ember, Encore, Español, Fitomejorador, Florida Brilliance, Forma Uniforme, Fresas, Fresas Cultivadas En Florida, Fresas De Florida, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pineberry, Plantas, Polk, Rendimiento, Sabor, Spanish, Temporada, Textura, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Vance Whitaker, Variedades, Vibrante

Subscribe For More Great Content