Growers who saw historic cold weather and freezes this year are still recovering from disrupted production and widespread losses. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimates the freeze caused approximately $3 billion ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Jaboticaba: A Unique Fruit Tree for Florida Home Gardeners By Ajay Das and Jianjun Chen Jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora) is a slow-growing, ornamental fruit tree suited to Florida’s climate (Zones 9a–11). It thrives in acidic, consistently ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture
Lauren Goldsby’s path to becoming a UF/IFAS Extension Agent in Bay County, Florida's panhandle, wasn’t linear. During her undergraduate years at UF, she worked in the Forage Breeding and Genomics Lab and the Blueberry Breeding Lab, gaining ... READ MORE
Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life![Triptych of velvet bean related research. [From Left to right] biological scientist pipettes liquids in tray; a group of velvet bean pods at the research plot in Citra; close up of soy beans cooked at home (similar to velvet beans as researchers are attempting to elevate L-DOPA levels).](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/hosdept/files/2026/03/UF-IFAS-Blogs-Feature-Image-36.png)
Mucuna pruriens, or velvet bean, naturally produces L-DOPA, the precursor to dopamine and the primary compound used to manage symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. When neurons lose the ability to produce dopamine, patients ... READ MORE
Category: Academics, Crops, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research
Often referred to as the most expensive spice in the world, saffron has been prized for thousands of years for its vibrant color, distinctive flavor, and aromatic compounds. Extracted from the red stigmas of the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, ... READ MORE
Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research
Newly Translated Publication Achachairu (Garcinia humilis), árbol frutal: botánica y cultivo comercial en el sur de Florida Por Federico W. Sanchez, Jonathan H. Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Ali Sarkhosh, Muhammad A. Shahid, Bruce Schaffer. Este ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, , Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Broccoli is the classic example of a “healthy food”. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, it is linked to a lowered risk of chronic disease. However, as primarily a cool-season crop, broccoli is difficult to cultivate in warmer ... READ MORE
Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Extension From Day One Madelyn Greathouse is the UF/IFAS Extension Commercial Horticulture and Integrated Pest Management Agent serving Sumter and Pasco counties. She works with a wide range of growers, from blueberry and ornamental producers ... READ MORE
Category: 4-H & Youth, Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Leafless and ephemeral, the ghost orchid seems to float in the shadows of South Florida’s wetlands. They’re a mystery that has fueled books, films, and decades of fascination. But behind the mystique is a far more complicated reality. ... READ MORE
Category: Academics, Conservation, Forests, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
For decades, sorghum has quietly disappeared from US fields. Once grown across much of the country, the drought-tolerant grain is now concentrated primarily in the southern Great Plains, especially Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Since the ... READ MORE
Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture