Fighting Food Waste: Researchers Identify Broccoli Genes That Affect Freshness
As soon as a head of broccoli is harvested, an internal freshness clock starts counting down. Eventually, that crisp, green broccoli crown wilts and yellows. A study published in the journal Postharvest Biology and Technology from a team of scientists at the University of Florida, Kansas State University and Virginia Tech offers new insights into not only what makes this freshness clock tick, but also how to slow it down.
UF/IFAS Challenging Conventional Wisdom for the Cattle Industry
One of the jobs of UF/IFAS scientists is to challenge conventional wisdom. You don’t want to bet the ranch on something that only seems true, says Scott Angle, UF VP for Agriculture and head of UF/IFAS. Facts, empirical evidence, and data are a more solid foundation for the truth you need to make decisions about the herd.
Study Predicts These 2 Popular Foods Are Resilient to Climate Change
A new study led by researchers at the University of Florida predicts that the supply chains for two of America’s most popular plant-based foods — French fries and pasta sauce — are surprisingly resilient to climate change.
Why So Much Ugly Algae in Our Springs? A UF Professor Has a Novel Answer
Matthew Cohen suggests that the low flow of chilly oxygen-rich water from the aquifer allows warmer, tannin-darkened, acidic river water to dominate.
Interest Continues To Brew for Hops Grown Fresh From Florida
University of Florida scientists showed off the latest research results from their studies on hops during a field day event held at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Balm. Craft beer connoisseurs want to know about taste and aroma, and UF/IFAS researchers see an increase in alpha acid in the hops they grow. That acid indicates bitterness.
Citrus Industry Seeks To Maintain Funding, Eyes Research
Despite a predicted drop in citrus production across Florida, orange juice sales are tracking up and the industry wants lawmakers to maintain current amounts of state marketing and research funding next fiscal year.
Probing Plant Infections
Sometimes the pathogens that infect plants also affect people—through our pocketbooks. Which is why plant pathologist Erica Goss, a University of Florida professor with the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, spends a lot of time studying microbes that infect tomatoes, peppers and strawberries.
Scientists Zero In on How Termites Coordinate Mating Behavior for Colony Success
By utilizing two of the most invasive termite species in Florida, scientists have gained insights into how animals living in groups—termites particularly—coordinate their leader-follower behaviors to thrive.
Scientists Find New Watermelon Viruses in Florida; Help Available
Florida watermelon growers, the most productive in the nation, face two new viruses. But finding a disease is the first step to managing it, says a University of Florida scientist who helped pinpoint the diseases.
Researchers To Study Using Microbes To Combat Citrus Canker
University of Florida researchers hope to use tiny microbes already in Florida citrus groves to fight the citrus canker.
