Crop Transformation Center

Crop Transformation Center in Full Swing

Daniel CooperBreeding, HLB Management

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP About 18 months ago, Matt Joyner, Kyle Story, Morgan McKenna Porter, Emery Smith and other Florida citrus leaders visited me in Gainesville. Together, we shaped an idea to accelerate our search for solutions to HLB. The idea is already reality. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Crop Transformation Center …

growers

Highlands Growers Learn More About Crop Transformation Center

Daniel CooperEvents, HLB Management

The Highlands County Citrus Growers Association hosted its annual meeting and banquet in early March in Sebring, Florida. The event was well attended. Growers were mostly in good spirits, hoping that trunk-injection therapy will be the bridge to the next breakthrough to return citrus production and quality to viable levels. Most believe the ultimate HLB solution will come in the …

Crop Transformation Center

Crop Transformation Center Takes Aim at HLB Resistance

Daniel CooperBreeding, HLB Management, Research

By Frank Giles The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has established itself as a leader in new technological frontiers like artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, the school has the 15th most powerful computer in the world. The HiPerGator, as the computer is called, will assist in AI development and on many other technological fronts. Another …

booth

Visit the UF/IFAS Citrus Extension Booth at the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Daniel CooperCitrus Expo, Tip of the Week

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 …

Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo

Preview of the Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo Seminars

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, Citrus Expo

In the July All In For Citrus podcast, Tripti Vashisth, associate professor of horticultural sciences with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), gave a sneak peek of the citrus educational seminars at the upcoming Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event takes place on Aug. 21–22 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. Vashisth coordinated …

New Center to Accelerate HLB Solutions

Tacy CalliesBreeding, Technology

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP My job is to help you make money. By changing the way the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) does business in pursuing citrus solutions, I hope to change your business for the better. We’ve just launched a UF/IFAS Crop Transformation Center (CTC). It has the potential to speed delivery …

More Details on the Plant Transformation Center

Josh McGillBreeding, HLB Management

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) provided more information about a planned Plant Transformation Center. Foremost among goals for the center is finding citrus varieties that can tolerate or resist HLB disease. UF/IFAS will utilize $2 million from an initiative by UF President Ben Sasse to create the Plant Transformation Center. The center’s objectives include: …

Strong Support for Plant Transformation Center

Josh McGillBreeding, Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) approved almost $1.05 million to support a University of Florida Plant Transformation Center that will develop methodologies and technologies to improve HLB resistance and tolerance in citrus. The approval followed an overview of the center presented by Scott Angle, University of Florida (UF) senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, who oversees the UF …

Enhancing Soil Health With Cover Crops

Tacy CalliesCover Crops, Soil Improvement

By Sarah Strauss, Antonio Castellano-Hinojosa, Davie Kadyampakeni, Ramdas Kanissery and Tara Wade Soil health is generally synonymous with soil quality and refers to the capacity of a soil to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality and promote plant health. Soils are complicated ecosystems, and discussions of soil health must consider the links between soil functions and soil-based ecosystem services, such …

Angle

Positive Changes

Daniel CooperHLB Management

By J. Scott Angle, jangle@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Two and a half years ago, Riley McKenna leveled with his dad. Without a tool that made a noticeable difference in the grove soon, it might be time for dad to retire and Riley to seek a new career. So why was he spending an April day with me and his cousin Morgan McKenna …

june

All In For Citrus Podcast, April 2025

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, PGRs, Soil Health

April is a busy month for citrus events. The Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute was held in Avon Park early in the month followed by a citrus field day at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SFWREC) in Immokalee. These events are the topic of the April episode of the …

consumer

Consumer Perceptions of Citrus Biotechnology Are Critical

Daniel CooperTechnology

Scientists see genetic editing — and in particular CRISPR technology — as a potential way to rescue Florida citrus from HLB disease, but consumer perceptions of the technology are key. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Bachir Kassas is working to assess consumer acceptance of biotechnology. Kassas is an assistant professor in the UF/IFAS Department …

march

Sneak Peek: March 2025 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperDiseases, Sneak Peek, Soil Health

The Citrus Industry section in the March issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine offers timely information citrus growers won’t want to miss. Now is the time for Florida citrus producers to begin thinking about their disease management programs for the season. Megan Dewdney, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant pathologist, offers a foliar disease outlook …

priorities

Top Priorities: HLB Resistance and Hurricane Recovery

Daniel CooperHLB Management, hurricane

With 2024 in the rear view mirror, we asked leaders of key citrus organizations what their priorities are for this year. Here’s what they had to say. TREE OF THE FUTURE “For the last 2.5 years, our research strategy at the Citrus Research and Development Foundation has been to kill the bacteria that causes HLB — Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) …

hlb

Weathering the HLB Storm

Daniel CooperHLB Management

Specialty crop growers might be aware of the disease sweeping through Florida’s citrus industry. Its impact has been tremendous and has tested the survival of the state’s signature crop. This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the official confirmation of citrus greening disease (also known as huanglongbing or HLB) in Florida. In the past two decades, the state’s output …

January

Sneak Peek: January 2025 Citrus Industry

Daniel CooperSneak Peek

Citrus Industry subscribers will now receive their magazine content inside of Specialty Crop Grower. The new home for Citrus Industry begins with the January issue of Specialty Crop Grower magazine, available in print and digitally. On the cover of the January issue of Specialty Crop Grower is a face familiar to many in Florida’s citrus community. Jim Snively of Southern …

june

All In For Citrus Podcast, August 2024

Daniel CooperAll In For Citrus Podcast, Citrus Expo

The August episode of the All In For Citrus podcast features highlights from this year’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo. The event included two citrus educational sessions that covered a wide range of topics, including HLB management, other pest management topics and new varieties. Michael Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus …

science

Supporting Citrus Science

Daniel CooperResearch

By Rob Gilbert, ragilber@ufl.edu, @IFAS_VP Let’s start with the most important thing. Citrus science remains a top priority of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Citrus is special. My goal for citrus is sustainability. That means profitability. Here are a few new ways UF/IFAS has demonstrated its support for citrus science during the past five …

Sneak Peek: February 2024 Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesHLB Management, Sneak Peek

The February issue of Citrus Industry magazine takes a look at efforts to combat HLB. Some strategies are already available for growers to implement in their groves, while others offer hope for long-term solutions. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently launched a new Crop Transformation Center. The goal of the center is to use …

Kistler

Participate in the IRREC Strategic Positioning Session

Daniel CooperEvents, Indian River

Mark Kistler requests the Indian River region’s agricultural and natural resources representatives to attend a strategic positioning session to share their observations on important topics. The session is planned for Dec. 17, from 10 a.m. until noon, at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) at 2199 South Rock Road …