Artificial Intelligence for Detecting Citrus Pests, Diseases and Disorders

Tacy CalliesTechnology

By Arnold Schumann, Laura Waldo, William Holmes, Gary Test and Tim Ebert Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly common in electronic devices at home or work, in social media, video streaming services, electronic commerce, and in internet search engines. Now, AI is rapidly entering the farming scene. Growers using modern precision agriculture tools and techniques often face a barrage of high …

pests

Robots May Soon Detect Grove Pests and Diseases

Ernie NeffDiseases, Pests, Technology

It may not be long before a grower sips coffee and works on the computer while a robot roams the grove checking for HLB-spreading psyllids and other pests and diseases. That’s thanks to machine vision software. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences scientist Arnold Schumann tells about research he has been conducting. Schumann says researchers have developed …

Sneak Peek: July 2017 Citrus Industry Magazine

Tacy CalliesResearch, Sneak Peek, Technology

Technology and equipment are the main themes of the July issue of Citrus Industry magazine. Not to be missed in this issue is a cover story on University of Florida citrus breeder Fred Gmitter, written by senior correspondent Ernie Neff. The article explores the genetic technologies Gmitter is using to create improved citrus varieties. You’ll also learn some surprising facts …

seed

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

Daniel CooperResearch, 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, …

Citrus Nursery Tour Showcases New Technology

Josh McGillTechnology

Citrific Nursery president Mathew Konrad recently gave a citrus nursery tour to show a culture process and automated nursery system that could be beneficial to the citrus industry. “I got into this industry because I felt like the industry was lacking a lot of common technologies and more sophisticated nursery operations,” said Konrad. He explained that he wanted to make …