Florida has long held a special place in America’s fruit bowl. With its subtropical climate, the state remains one of the few parts of the continental United States where exotic fruits — from mangoes and avocados to papayas and dragon fruit — can flourish year-round, supporting an industry valued at over $137 million annually.
Despite this promise, Florida’s growers face mounting threats, from disease outbreaks like papaya ringspot and laurel wilt to crop losses exacerbated by weather extremes and pest and disease pressures. Enter Jugpreet Singh, a breeding and genetics scientist whose global training now fuels local solutions at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
Growing up in Punjab, India, Singh was immersed in agriculture from a young age. His father earned a degree in agricultural sciences, and the conversations around their dinner table often revolved around yield, quality and the potential for new crop varieties. It was this environment and his early exposure to breeding and genetics during his undergraduate studies in horticulture that set his path, leading to a master’s in vegetable breeding at Punjab Agricultural University and a Ph.D. in horticultural sciences at UF, specializing in bean genetics.
Now, as an assistant professor at UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Singh is helping connect scientific innovation with real-world solutions to support Florida’s tropical fruit growers and consumers with crops that are flavorful, healthy and resilient.
“Tropical fruit breeding has a direct impact on everyday consumers,” he said. “When people bite into a mango or papaya, they care most about flavor and freshness. My goal is to make sure tropical fruits not only taste better but also carry more nutritional value, so consumers can enjoy fruits that are delicious, healthy and last longer on their tables.”
In his laboratory, a powerful blend of traditional breeding and cutting-edge genetic tools galvanizes the creation of stronger, more flavorful fruit varieties. Strong analysis quantifies traits like flavor and nutritional composition, and DNA-based markers help pinpoint the most promising cultivars. Current projects include improving mango and papaya, expanding the pool of dragon fruit varieties by collecting and preserving valuable plant genetics and confronting urgent threats such avocado laurel wilt and papaya ringspot virus.
These efforts extend far beyond the greenhouse. Recently, Singh’s team worked with growers to screen papaya seedlings for virus contamination using DNA markers, enabling early detection and helping ensure healthy, productive plantings. Future plans include teaming up with UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County to set up demonstration plots that will test the impact of organic compost on papaya production.
“Florida’s tropical fruit growers are battling major challenges, from papaya ringspot virus, mango anthracnose to laurel wilt in avocado and also their adaptability to constantly changing climate,” Singh said. “Through breeding and genetics, we’re working to deliver varieties that can withstand these threats and giving growers more resilient crops while keeping production costs down.”
His research outcomes carry through to the consumer.
“Hardier, high-yield crops reduce costs for growers, helping lower prices at the store,” he said. “And by enhancing flavor, nutrition and shelf life, new cultivars offer fruits that are not just more affordable, but also more enjoyable and healthful.”
Beyond the fields, Singh is committed to nurturing the next generation of plant breeders. He mentors graduate students and equips them with expertise not just in genetics, but also in data analysis.
“Modern crop improvement efforts generate massive datasets,” he says. “Teaching students how to analyze and interpret this data prepares them to solve the agriculture and food challenges of tomorrow for growers and consumers alike.”
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By Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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