A collage photo of crops that are impacted by the two-spot cotton leafhopper pest. From left to right, Florida commodities include cotton, tropical hibiscus, okra and eggplant.

Can two native wasps help regulate invasive leafhopper populations attacking Florida’s crops?

by Lourdes Mederos
March 19, 2026

Most people retreat at the sight of a wasp, yet University of Florida researchers’ discovery of two newly identified tiny native wasps targeting an invasive pest that threatened Florida agriculture may be a hopeful sign for growers. In ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Crops, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Acarology, Agriculture, Alexandra Revynthi, Anagrus Sp. Near Vulneratus, Anagrus Vulneratus, Beneficial Pests, Biocontrol, Biological Control, Chemical Inputs, Cotton, Eggplant, Entomology And Nematology, High-value Crops, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Integrated Pest Management, News, Okra, Ornamental Entomology, Pest, Roselle, Spanish, Sunflower, Tropical Hibiscus, Two-spot Cotton Leafhopper, UF/IFAS, Wasp
A collage photo of crops that are impacted by the two-spot cotton leafhopper pest and the parasitoid wasp. From left to right Okra, eggplant, wasp (Anagrus vulneratus), tropical hibiscus and cotton.

¿Pueden dos especies de avispas nativas ayudar a regular las poblaciones de chicharritas invasoras que atacan los cultivos de Florida?

by Luz Bahder
March 19, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. La mayoría de las personas retrocede al ver una avispa; sin embargo, el hallazgo por parte de investigadores de ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultores, Alexandra Revynthi, Algodón, Anagrus Vulneratus, Avispas, Avispas Nativas, Berenjena, Centro De Investigación Y Educación Tropical (TREC), Chicharrita De Dos Manchas Del Algodón, Chicharrita Del Algodón, Chicharrita Verde, Control Biologico, Control Natural, El Jassid Del Algodón, Enemigos Naturales, Enfoque De Conservación, Entomología Ornamental, Espanol, Flor De Jamaica, Girasol, Hibisco Tropical, Impactos Sobre El Medio Ambiente Y La Salud Humana, Jassid Del Algodón, Libre De Químicos, Manejo Integrado De Plagas (MIP), Mani, MIP, Okra, Plaga, Practicas De Manejo, Quingombó, Secuenciación Genética, Spanish, Sur De Florida, Tejido Foliar, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Yisell Velazquez-Hernandez
A person wearing a sun hat and a red plaid shirt tending to green corn plants in a field at sunset, viewed through a frame created by large corn leaves in the foreground. The sky is clear with some clouds, and the sun is low on the horizon, casting warm light across the scene.

La protección de los trabajadores agrícolas será el enfoque del Día de la Seguridad Agrícola Multicondado 2026 en Sebring, Florida

by Luz Bahder
March 17, 2026

Creado por Jonael Bosques, agente de Extensión especialista en agricultura para UF/IFAS.  Las oficinas del servicio de Extensión de UF/IFAS de los condados de DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands y Manatee se enorgullecen de anunciar el Día de ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, EVENTS, Farm Management, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 25 De Marzo Del 2026, AEZ, Agente De Extensión De UF/IFAS, Capacitacion, Centro Cívico Agropecuario Del Condado De Highlands, CEU, DeSoto, Día De La Seguridad Agrícola Multicondado, Educacion, Estrés Térmico, FL, Hardee, Highlands, John Diaz, Jonael Bosques, Manatee, REI, Salud, Sebring, Trabajadores, Trabajadores Agrícolas, UF/IFAS, Unidades De Educación Continua
Person mid-sneeze, holding a white tissue up to their nose, with a background of golden bokeh and specks of pollen.

El polen imparable: la temporada que pone a prueba sus alergias

by Luz Bahder
March 17, 2026

Creado por Brad Buck, especialista sénior en relaciones públicas para UF/IFAS.  Prepárese: la temporada de estornudos, picazón en los ojos y polvo amarillo por todas partes ya ha llegado. Para muchos, esto significa lavar su auto más ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Invasive Species, Lawn, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agente De Extension, Aire Libre, Alérgenos, Alergias, Alergias De Temporada, Alergias Estacionales, Alyssa Vinson, árboles, Arbustos, Cedros, Congestión, Espanol, Especies Nativas, Estornudos, Extension, Fatiga, Florida, Lorna Bravo, Ojos Llorosos, Polen, Polinizadores, Recomendaciones, Robles, Robles Vivos, Shannon Carnevale, Spanish, Sur De Florida, Temporada De Polen, Theresa Badurek, Tos, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)
Close-up of a dusty car window on a white vehicle.

The unwelcome dust that won’t quit: Pollen season hits with full force

by Brad Buck
March 17, 2026

Brace yourselves – the sneezing, the itchy eyes, the yellow-dust-on-every-surface season is here. And for most of you, it might mean more trips to the car wash. Pollen season in Florida, which peaks from January to June, is in full bloom. ... READ MORE

Category: Forests, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes
Tags: Allergies, Alyssa Vinson, Archive, Car Wash, Catkin, Clothes, Gardening, Genetic Diversity, Laurel Oaks, Lorna Bravo, Masks, Plants, Pollen, Pollinator-friendly Plants, Shannon Carnevale, Theresa Badurek, Trees, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County, UF/IFAS Extension Polk County, Wind-pollinated, Yellow Powder
Mangos on trees.

Cómo el clima cambiante de Florida influye en los cultivos de frutas tropicales y subtropicales en diferentes paisajes

by Luz Bahder
March 16, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. ¿Sabe cómo los cambios de temperatura, el suelo encharcado o el agua de riego salada afectan a los árboles frutales ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agua Subterránea, Arbol, árboles Frutales Tropicales Y Subtropicales, Cambios Estacionales, Centro De Investigación Y Educación Tropical De UF/IFAS, Clima Variable, Cultivos Frutales, Drenaje, Enfermedades, Espanol, Estres, Haimanote Bayabil, Hidrología E Ingeniería Agrícola, Lluvias, Producción Frutal, Rangos De Temperatura, Riego, Riesgos Hídricos Locales, Salinidad, Sequías, Spanish, Suelos, Temperaturas, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Young Gu Her
Mature avocado trees in South Florida at the Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) in Homestead, Florida. UF/IFAS photo by Tyler Jones

How Florida’s changing weather impacts tropical, subtropical fruit crops in your landscape

by Lourdes Mederos
March 16, 2026

Do you ever wonder how things like temperature changes, overly wet soils or salty irrigation water affect your fruit trees at home? University of Florida scientists at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have those ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Alternative Fruit Crops, Ask IFAS, Avocado, Backyard, Carambola, Community Gardens, Disease Risk, Extension, Fruit Tree, Haimanote Bayabil, Hydrology, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Irrigation, Low-lying Yards, Mango, News, Orchard, Poor Drainage, Salinity, Salty Soil, Small Urban Orchards, Soil Conditions, Soil Moisture, Star Fruit, Subtropical Fruit Production, Temperature, Tropical Fruit Production, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center, Water, Weaken Trees, Weather, Young Gu Her
A man harvesting carrots.

UF/IFAS and FAMU expand Small Farm Start-Up School to empower Florida’s next generation of farmers

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
March 16, 2026

Highlights: UF/IFAS and FAMU are expanding the Florida Small Farm Start-Up School statewide, offering a hybrid course that provides business planning, marketing training, production guidance and farm tours for new and aspiring farmers. ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida Small Farms And Alternative Enterprises Conference, Small Farm Start-up, Small Farm Start-Up School
Row of avocado trees with withered, brown leaves alongside green ones under a clear sky.

Aguacates resistentes al frío buscan transformar la industria frutícola de Florida

by Luz Bahder
March 12, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. ¿Cree que no puede cultivar aguacates en los fríos inviernos del norte de Florida? Piénselo de nuevo. La importante ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Aguacate Cultivado En Florida, Aguacate Hass, Aguacates, Antracnosis, Cascara, Espanol, Fitomejoramiento, Fitomejoramiento De Aguacate, Florida, Hass, Helada De Enero Del 2026, Heladas, Híbridos Guatemalteco-mexicanos, Jose Chaparro, Líneas De Fitomejoramiento, Mayor Resistencia Al Frío, Mejoramiento, Mejoramiento Genetico, Niveles De Resistencia Al Frío, Paltas, Panorama Agrícola, Progenitores, Sobrevivencia, Spanish, Temperaturas Bajas, UF/IFAS, Variedad De Aguacate

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