Category: Forests

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

From Foraging to Farming: Florida’s Feral Fruity Flora

by Shane Teachworth
July 23, 2025

Introduction I am fascinated by the origins of our food. It’s a little absurd to imagine our distant progenitors, searching for food by trying every random plant and mushroom. It's harder still to imagine the investment across generations ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Recreation
Tags: Beautyberry, Blueberry, Elderberry, Foraging

Persimmons: A Florida Fruit Treasure

by Kevin Folta
October 19, 2023

Did you ever feel like you had a burning secret, something that you wanted to scream to the world because it is so good, yet so few people knew about it? This is how I feel about persimmons. I'll scream here. While they are a spectacular ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables
Tags: Diospyros Kaki, Diospyros Virginiana, Fruit, Persimmons

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