UF IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center

Let's go wasps! 🥴

Most people run from wasps, but these tiny insects could be a big win for Florida agriculture.

UF IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center researchers have identified two native parasitic wasps that attack the invasive two-spot cotton leafhopper, a pest threatening crops like okra, cotton, eggplant, and hibiscus.

These wasps target the pest at the egg stage, helping stop damage before it starts. That means a potential chemical-free, sustainable solution for growers through integrated pest management.

The discovery could reduce reliance on insecticides and help protect both crops and the environment.

Read more here tr.ee/QeXcLN_pIv

During , we want to recognize the Florida growers who are changing how they feed the world to help protect Florida.

By adopting best management practices developed by our statewide team of scientists, these growers are reducing the amount of fertilizers, pesticides, animal waste, and other pollutants entering our water resources while maintaining a steady food supply for Florida and beyond.

In south Florida, this means introducing underutilized but highly nutritious crops that are well adapted to our tropical climate and have strong potential to support community health.

For example, we are evaluating edamame as a locally grown, plant-based complete protein — testing varieties, production practices, and market potential to ensure it is agronomically feasible, nutritionally impactful, economically profitable for growers, and accessible and affordable for our local communities.

Food isn’t just nourishment, it’s medicine.

To advance the University of Florida’s Food is Medicine Initiative, our leadership has awarded $349,250 in seed funding to six interdisciplinary research teams exploring how nutrition can help prevent and manage chronic disease.

Projects include breeding healthier crops, expanding family nutrition education and even studying velvet beans for potential Parkinson’s disease therapies.

Learn more about the funded projects 🔗 tr.ee/6UWmQ6Wdmh

Florida panthers are more active this time of year 🐆

As breeding season begins and females prepare hidden dens for their kittens, panthers may travel farther, sometimes near roads and neighborhoods. That’s why awareness matters.

A new Ask IFAS guide from UF IFAS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation is sharing key facts about panther behavior, habitat, and how Floridians can help protect this endangered species:

🐾 Drive slowly in panther habitat
🐾 Stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk
🐾 Report sightings to FWC

Learn more about Florida’s only breeding puma population 🔗 tr.ee/yk2EZlLDsw

Heather Moehling: Leads farm bureau while advocating for agricultural issues Heather Moehling: Leads farm bureau while advocating for agricultural issues by at MiamiTodayNews.com.

A lasting legacy for tropical agriculture 🌱

A $1 million gift has created the Dr. Carlton G. Davis Scholarship Endowment, supporting Ph.D. students whose research at the UF IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center will advance food security and agricultural innovation across Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

The endowment honors Dr. Davis’ lifelong commitment to mentoring students, strengthening and developing economies, and building global research partnerships—ensuring future scholars can carry that work forward.

To learn more, click the link tr.ee/W1aUxlwtvV

Join my partner and I for our annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on Saturday, January 31st. This will be a marine debris removal event at Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park. For full information and registration, please visithttps://volunteercleanup.org/event/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-day-of-service-at-biscayne-national-park

Note: each individual participant must be age 18.

A muchos nos encanta el sabor de la , pero ¿sabías que no tienes que ir a la tienda para conseguirla?

UF IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department investigadores en el
UF IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center han publicado una nueva guía bilingüe que lleva a los lectores paso a paso por el proceso de transformar la vainilla de la orquídea al extracto, incluyendo instrucciones sobre cómo hacerlo en casa.

Para saber más, haz clic en el enlace https://go.ufl.edu/dly9lfy

Valentine’s Day inspiration doesn’t have to come from the store. 💕

UF IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department has released a new Ask IFAS guide that walks readers through how vanilla goes from orchid to extract, including how to make your own at home. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s most prized spices, with tips for gardeners, growers, and anyone curious about what’s inside that familiar brown bottle.

To learn more, click the link 🔗 tr.ee/pJvPCz1EOv

Valentine’s Day inspiration doesn’t have to come from the store. 💕

UF IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department has released a new Ask IFAS guide that walks readers through how vanilla goes from orchid to extract, including how to make your own at home. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s most prized spices, with tips for gardeners, growers, and anyone curious about what’s inside that familiar brown bottle.

To learn more, click the link 🔗 tr.ee/pJvPCz1EOv