A Case for Durational Research: Space Plants Co-Investigators Robert Ferl and Anna-Lisa Paul
University of Florida co-investigators Robert Ferl and Anna-Lisa Paul are no strangers to suborbital research. They’ve been conducting plant research in microgravity since the late 1990s—first on the Space Shuttle and then on the International Space Station (ISS) and parabolic flights, many of which have been facilitated by Flight Opportunities. More recently, the pair have […]
Feed the Future – UF Researcher Featured on Cade Museum Podcast
Technology and farming always have mixed well in the United States, but in many other countries, particularly in the underdeveloped world, it’s a different story. Why does it matter, and what can be done about it? Richard Miles, Radio Cade host, interviews University of Florida researcher Adegbola Adesogan, Ph.D., director of the Livestock Systems Innovation […]
Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications Northrop Grumman CRS-13 Experiments and Payloads
Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications (SLPSRA) enables human spaceflight exploration to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space and pioneers scientific discovery in and beyond low-Earth orbit to drive advances in science, technology, and space exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, and economic vitality. Dr. Anna-Lisa Paul and Dr. […]
Oak Leaves Contain Potential Cure for Citrus Greening Disease, Researchers Say
Scientists in Florida have confirmed what some citrus growers suspected for years — that oak trees could inhibit citrus greening disease, which has brought the once-thriving Florida industry to the brink of collapse. Oak leaves represent “the first potential organic cure” for the destructive tree sickness, said Lorenzo Rossi, a UF/IFAS biologist and co-author of […]
Seeking a New Pest Solution, UF Scientists Study Fruit Fly’s Gut Bacteria
In the home, they seem to appear out of nowhere. A piece of fruit is placed on the kitchen counter, and suddenly there’s a fruit fly. But the bug commonly referred to as a fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, may more accurately be called a vinegar fly, with an appetite for rotting fruits. Instead, it’s a […]
US Biologic/Caes Report Field Trials of Orally Delivered Anti-Lyme Vaccine Targeting the Field Mouse
Florida homeowners have some relief from pests which makes it perfect to shop for a pest control service, according to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experts. “Florida’s pest pressure tends to be higher due to multiple factors including our climate, rainfall and more,” Faith Oi, UF/IFAS Extension entomology and nematology […]
Drone Images Detect Two Tomato Diseases With 99% Accuracy
New technology being developed by University of Florida scientists identifies two dangerous tomato diseases with 99 percent accuracy. This finding is critical because diseases can cost growers millions of dollars annually in the state’s third most valuable crop. Thus, the earlier farmers detect those ailments, the better their chances of treating them before the diseases […]
Specifying Irrigation Needs for Container-Grown Plants
A study at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences examined the efficiency of irrigation schedules used for container-grown plants to determine if they could be improved with specific daily adjustments. Jeff Million and Tom Yeager conducted two experiments to monitor the effect of irrigation schedules on plant growth and water usage. […]
Exotic New Crop Could Put Florida on World Spice Map
Vanilla has an undeserved reputation for being blah, as in plain vanilla, the flavor for people who consider chocolate too daring. The truth is a vanilla bean is an exotic thing — the only edible fruit of the orchid family — and an essential ingredient in a host of everyday favorites. Most natural vanilla comes […]
Inner to Outer Space: Studying Biological Changes With Plants on Rockets
What happens to the genes of organisms as they travel from the ground, through Earth’s atmosphere, and into space? Does their expression change? Are the changes subtle or dramatic? Do they happen quickly or gradually? Answering such fundamental research questions is essential to our understanding of the impact of space travel on humans and other […]