Category: Agribusiness

UF/IFAS Growing Market Opportunities for Florida Persimmons

by Eva Sailly
November 19, 2025

As Florida growers look for profitable alternatives that can compete with California and other global markets, persimmons are emerging as a strong option for those seeking reliable yields, consumer appeal, and steadily increasing potential. ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Dr. Muhammad Adnan Shahid, Extension, Field Day, Fruit Crops, Horticultural Sciences, NFREC, NFREC Fruit Physiology Lab, Persimmon Field Day, Persimmons, Quincy, Stress Physiology

Alumni Spotlight: Breeding Climate-Resilient Cacao for Mars

by Eva Sailly
October 15, 2025

Dr. Ashley DuVal, an alumna of UF/IFAS with a Ph.D. in Horticultural Sciences, has built a career devoted to ensuring that chocolate has a sustainable future. Now a Senior Scientist and cacao breeder with Mars Wrigley, Dr. DuVal works ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Forests, Horticulture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: Agroforestry, Alumni, Alumni Feature, Cacao, Climate Resilience, Food Science, Horticultural Sciences, Mars, Plant Breeding, Sustainable Food Systems, Teaching

Dr. Jeffrey Brecht Retires After 40 Years in Postharvest

by Eva Sailly
September 16, 2025

When Dr. Jeffrey Brecht arrived at the University of Florida in 1984, fresh out of graduate school, he stepped into what would become his lifelong career. What began as a first job turned into four decades of research that advanced postharvest ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Dr. Jeffrey Brecht, Horticultural Sciences, Horticultural Sciences Department, Mango, Postharvest And Handling, Tomato

Disease–Resistant Vinifera Grapes Signal New Era for Florida Wine

by Eva Sailly
September 10, 2025

In a milestone for Florida agriculture, researchers in the University of Florida’s UF/IFAS Department of Horticultural Sciences have successfully grown and harvested Pierce Disease–resistant winegrape varieties. The effort, led ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Dr. Ali Sarkhosh, Food Trend, Horticultural Sciences, Plant Breeding, UF Fruit Crop Lab, Wine

Dr. Paul M. Lyrene’s Legacy of Science and Stewardship – and the UF Facilities Named in His Honor

by Eva Sailly
August 20, 2025

I met Dr. Paul M. Lyrene, University of Florida Emeritus Professor of Horticultural Sciences, at the Alachua Conservation Trust’s (ACT) Prairie Creek property, where he had invited me to see its native wildlife garden. In 2022, Lyrene installed ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Community Volunteers, Crops, Events, Horticulture
Tags: Blueberry, Blueberry Research Building, Horticultural Sciences, Lyrene, Paul M. Lyrene, Plant Breeding

Blackberry Field Day showcases what’s ahead for this superfruit

by Eva Sailly
June 30, 2025

Just under 100 registrants attended UF’s first-ever Blackberry Field Day at the North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) in Quincy, marking a major step in expanding blackberry production in the state. The event showcased current ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Cultivars, Field Day, Fruit Crops

Alumni Spotlight with Dr. Finegan: Data-Driven Breeding at Bayer

by Eva Sailly
June 25, 2025

As a double Gator, Dr. Christina Finegan earned both her bachelor’s and Ph.D. through UF’s Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology program, where she honed her interests in plant genetics and breeding. Her time in research labs within the ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: Alumni, Alumni Feature, Bayer, Cotton, Harry Klee, Horticultural Sciences, Marcio Resende, Matias Kirst, Plant Breeding, Plant Molecular And Cellular Biology, R&D, Student, Teaching

New Systems bring Stronger yields to Florida Peaches: Stone Fruit Field Day

by Eva Sailly
June 9, 2025

Held each year at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU), the Stone Fruit Field Day brings together growers, breeders, and stone fruit enthusiasts to exchange the latest research and practical innovations shaping Florida’s ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Chaparro, Dr. Ali Sarkhosh, Dr. Jose Chaparro, Field Day, Florida Landscaping, Horticultural Sciences, Peach, Peaches, Plant Breeding, Sarkhosh, Stone Fruit, UF/IFAS PSREU

Phytomining: Growing a U.S. Solution to the Nickel Supply Crisis

by Eva Sailly
April 16, 2025

Dr. Jeongim Kim, associate professor and head of the Biochemical Genetics Lab for the Horticultural Sciences Department, is leading a new project providing an alternative solution to the United States’ growing demand for nickel, a pressing ... READ MORE

Category: Academics, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Horticulture, Invasive Species, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: ARPA-E, Biochemical Genetics, Biodiversity, Dr. Jeongim Kim, Horticultural Sciences, Hyperaccumulator, Nickel, Nickel Farming, Phytomining, Plant Breeding, Student, Teaching, The Department Of Energy

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