UF IFAS Small Fruit and Vegetable IPM Laboratory

Liburd Lab 2026 ✨
Grateful for another year of science!

📸: Lyle Buss

Updates on Organic Vegetable Production Field Day Field day with updates on production of organic vegetables in north central Florida.

Please note that the two-spot cotton leafhopper, Amrasca biguttula, has been seen infesting eggplants at UF's Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra, Florida. This pest can cause significant damage to cotton, okra, roselle, sunflowers, and eggplant.

🎉 Please join us in congratulating our very own Kendi Muthomi on receiving the Marjorie A. Hoy Graduate Award for Molecular Entomology this Spring! This prestigious recognition celebrates excellence in research and dedication to advancing the field. Well done, Muthomi – we’re proud of you! 👏🐛🔬

We would love to welcome Dr. Jasleen Kaur to the liburd lab as our new postdoctoral associate!

Her research will focus on developing sustainable solutions for invasive species management, particularly chilli thrips in blueberry orchards. 🫐

Welcome Dr. Kaur!

Meet the newest addition to the Liburd Lab, Monique Raymond! Monique came to us from New Hampshire and is starting her PhD with us looking at the management of the Southern Red Mite in blueberries here in Florida. Go Monique! 🥳

Our lab got an updated photo for 2024! What a great team ☺️

We’re looking for an undergraduate for a paid summer internship! Interns will gain hands on experience in blueberry IPM research. See flyer for details, please share! 🫐

Introducing new students starting this semester!

First up is Stella Ruber! Stella was an intern in our lab while studying agronomy at EARTH University. She is joining us again to complete her MSc and will be focusing on blueberry IPM while here! 🫐

Long-time lab member Joey Gonsiorek is also starting his PhD program this semester! Joey will be continuing his work on the management of the silverleaf whitefly in organic cucurbit crops. 🍈

We would like to give a big congratulations to Dr. Maricé Lopéz on the acceptance of her new position in Puerto Rico!

"I am so excited to be accepting an Entomologist Postdoctoral Fellowship at the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. I will be developing efficient and sustainable moniotring and control methods for key pests of tropical and sub-tropical fruit crops, as welll as identifying key biocontrol agents and evaluating their suitability in orchard settings."

Congratulations to Dr. Oscar Liburd for winning the Diversity Difference Maker Award for this year! 🥳

UF Entomology & Nematology Department

The Liburd Lab went out with James Brown to help him release parasitoids for his biological control project! A lot of team work went into getting the parasitoids ready- so this was a rewarding experience. ☺️🫐