Kakkar Joins UF/IFAS Extension as Invasive Insect Specialist

Daniel Cooper Pests, Research

by Robin Koestoyo, UF/IFAS koestoyo@ufl.edu Garima Kakkar is joining the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to help the state fight invasive pests. Kakkar, an expert in invasive insects, is a multi-county Extension agent based in St. Lucie County. Kakkar has a diverse range of experience in managing pest insects, and will now serve growers in the …

seed

UF/IFAS Extension Faculty Win Seed Money Through New Shark Tank-Style Program

Daniel Cooper Research, Technology

By: Samantha Grenrock, grenrosa@ufl.edu   Facial recognition software is no longer a thing of the future. But what if similar technologies could one day help farmers identify pests in the field? Steve Futch, multi-county citrus agent with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension (UF/IFAS), thinks it’s possible. And thanks to the new UF/IFAS Extension Entrepreneurship Program, …

Common Crop Chemical Leaves Bees Susceptible to Deadly Viruses

Daniel Cooper Industry News Release, Research

By Sara LaJeunesse, Penn State University A chemical that is thought to be safe and is, therefore, widely used on crops — such as almonds, wine grapes and tree fruits — to boost the performance of pesticides, makes honey bee larvae significantly more susceptible to a deadly virus, according to researchers at Penn State and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. …

HLB

Coordinating Citrus Research and Regulatory Issues

Ernie Neff Genetic Engineering, Regulation, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) has discussed having national experts educate citrus researchers about the regulatory issues that could impact possible solutions to citrus problems. CRDF Chief Operations Officer Harold Browning explains the need for such education. “It’s a changing world, and researchers are being asked not to just do the experiment and write the paper and give …