By Jamie D. Burrow and Michaela Ivy
Since the spring, planning has been underway for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus Extension team booth to be on display at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event is Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The booth will be in the same location as last year, opposite the seminar exit or right of the dining areas.
The UF/IFAS booth this year will be an interactive display with live insects and plant materials. Visitors will have an opportunity to see various cover crops, soil sensors and trunk-injection demonstrations. The root rhizotrons will be on display to give an inside view of a citrus tree’s root system. Along with root health, there will be a model depicting the effectiveness of landscape fabric to disrupt the diaprepes life cycle.
For the first time, the booth will include a citrus transformation exhibit. This is an opportunity to see the research process used to improve plant genetics to develop engineered citrus. There will be petri dishes and test tubes from the lab showing the steps of citrus transformation and illustrating the time needed to develop the plants.
The 2024–25 UF/IFAS Florida Citrus Production Guide will be available along with the new research summaries book of ongoing UF/IFAS citrus research. A new handout will be a booklet of grove management resources that growers can use now in their production practices. The updated quick guides for insecticides, miticides, foliar fungicides and herbicides will also be available.
Didn’t get to see the 50 years of growing citrus historical diorama from the UF/IFAS booth last year? There will be another opportunity to view the diorama as you enter the booth. Stop by to reminisce and visit with UF faculty, Extension agents and staff.
Look for the blue UF/IFAS banner when you enter the trade show and make sure to come by to get the latest information.
Learn more about the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo in the July episode of the All In For Citrus podcast.
Jamie D. Burrow is an Extension program manager, and Michaela Ivy is a University of Florida agricultural education and communication intern, both at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred.
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