Category: Agriculture

New MREC faculty member to expand urban horticulture efforts in central Florida

by Stella Canfield
September 28, 2026

Horticultural scientist Seunghyun Choi has joined the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) to lead an urban horticulture research program focused on ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Food Is Medicine, Horticulture, Plant Propagation, Plant Propagation Laboratory, Seunghyun Choi, Urban Agriculture

Expert entomologist inducted into Integrated Pest Management Hall of Fame

by Stella Canfield
July 13, 2026

Lance Osborne at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center has been inducted into the 2026 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Hall of Fame by the Southern IPM Center. As one of three selected for the honor, the award recognizes Osborne’s ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Award, Biological Control, Integrated Pest Management, IPM, IPM Hall Of Fame, Lance Osborne, Southern IPM Center

From greenhouse to patent: Two new pothos cultivars take root

by Stella Canfield
June 4, 2026

After years of breeding and evaluation at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC), two new pothos cultivars, Snowy Stream and Green Isle, have been patented for their distinctive foliage characteristics in one of the world’s ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Breeding, Cultivars, Horticulture, Indoor Foliage, Jianjun Chen, National Horticulture Foundation, Patents, Pothos, Richard Henny

Papaya banker plant system strengthens biological control of whiteflies

by Stella Canfield
March 24, 2026

A new study finds that papaya banker plants can strengthen control of the sweet potato whitefly, one of the most damaging pests in ornamental crop production. Published in the journal “Biological Control,” the research highlights a promising ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Banker Plants, Biological Control, Cindy McKenzie, Lance Osborne, Papaya, Pests, Poinsettias, Whiteflies, Whitefly

New MREC faculty member will focus on greenhouse management and Extension

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
December 8, 2025

Horticultural scientist Uttara Samarakoon has joined the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) to focus on researching protected agriculture practices. As ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research

UF/IFAS Researcher Recognized for Patented Pothos Varieties

by Stella Canfield
June 11, 2025

Jianjun Chen, environmental horticulture professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, was recently recognized with a Plant Patent and Variety Protection Certificate at the Florida Agricultural Experiment ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Cultivars, Environmental Horticulture, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Research Awards Ceremony, Indoor Foliage, Indoor Plants, Jianjun Chen, National Horticulture Foundation, Pothos

UF/IFAS researchers work to advance grapevine health, helping California’s wine industry

by Stella Canfield
January 15, 2025

UF/IFAS researchers are tackling a critical challenge: protecting California’s $73 billion wine and wine grape industry. Grapevine red blotch disease (GRBD) and grapevine leafroll disease (GLD), caused by complex insect vector-borne viruses, ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, MREC, National Academy Of Sciences, Ozgur Batuman, Research, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Wine

Halloween with a Horticultural Twist: Spider Mites and Poison Ivy

by Stella Canfield
October 31, 2024

Halloween is a time for ghosts, ghouls and goblins, but the real fright might be lurking right under your nose. From destructive pests to dangerous weeds, these formidable foes can transform your greenery into a gruesome graveyard. Fangs ... READ MORE

Category: HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Chris Marble, Entomology, Halloween, Herbicide, Horticulture, Lance Osborne, Landscape Weeds, Pests, Poison Ivy, Spider Mites, Weed Identification, Weeds

Master Weed Management with MREC Expert in Greenhouse Training Online Course

by Stella Canfield
October 1, 2024

Weeds pose a persistent challenge in nurseries and greenhouses, making weed management and control crucial components of such operations. To help professionals master weed management, the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department’s Greenhouse ... READ MORE

Category: Farm Management, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Chris Marble, Greenhouse, Greenhouse Weed Management, Herbicides, Nursery, Weed Management, Weeds

Kayak Lunch & Learn at Rainbow River

by Yilin Zhuang
September 20, 2024

Join us for an unforgettable journey on one of Florida's most pristine and beautiful rivers, Rainbow River. This is your chance to immerse yourself in nature while learning about our precious water resources and how to protect them. Event Highlights ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Recreation, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Education, Extension, FFL, Kayak, Landscape, Lunch And Learn, Nutrient Loadings, Rainbow River, Septic Systems, Springs

Subscribe For More Great Content