IFAS News
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences – University of Florida
Blue light discourages molds that spoil citrus fruit, UF researcher says
October 20, 2011
Topic(s): Agriculture, Citrus, New Technology
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — One species of Penicillium fungus gave humanity the miracle drug penicillin; some of its cousins give the citrus industry headaches.
Commonly known as green mold and blue mold, respectively, the fungi Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum spoil recently harvested fruit. But researchers with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have found an environmentally friendly way to address the problem—using blue light to activate natural defenses within the fruit.
A study published in the current issue of the journal Postharvest Biology and Technology showed that tangerines inoculated with P. digitatum spores had a 100 percent infection rate when kept in constant darkness or constant white light for six days. When kept in constant blue light the rate was 50 percent. And when kept on a schedule that alternated 12 hours of blue light exposure with 12 hours of darkness, the infection rate was only 25 percent.
These preliminary findings suggest that certain light wavelengths activate an enzyme called phospholipase, which kick-starts the tangerine’s immune response, said Jackie Burns, director of UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred and one of the study authors.
UF technique to help pine forests adapt to climate change, bioenergy use
October 6, 2011
Topic(s): Announcements, Biofuels, Conservation, Crops, Economics, Environment, IFAS, New Technology, Research
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A breakthrough in pine tree breeding will lead to forests better adapted to climate change and bioenergy use, University of Florida researchers report.
The improved forests will stem from a genetic technique the researchers have developed that can create new tree varieties in half the time it takes current breeding methods.
The technique, detailed in a study published online Wednesday by the journal New Phytologist, is expected to increase the security and competitiveness of the U.S. forestry industry.
To develop pine-based biofuels, UF research team receives $6.3 million federal grant
October 4, 2011
Topic(s): Agriculture, Crops, Cultivars, Environment, Green Living, New Technology
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A University of Florida-led research team has won a three-year, $6.3 million grant to develop genetically improved loblolly pine trees that yield greater amounts of terpene biofuels for transportation fuels.
The grant, announced yesterday, was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy, or ARPA-E. It’s part of a $156 million funding package dedicated to 60 innovative clean-energy projects.
The researchers hope to bring about a five-fold increase in the amount of terpene produced by loblolly, making it cost-competitive with petroleum-based fuels.
Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, said the grant award demonstrates the university’s leadership in biofuel research.
“Loblolly pine is economically important throughout the Southeast because it’s widely used for lumber and wood pulp,” Payne said. “By developing loblolly’s potential as a sustainable biofuel source, we can add a new dimension to its value. That has long-term benefits to the entire region and will provide greater economic security for our residents.”
Bacteria can aid toxic environmental cleanups, may boost ag production, UF researchers report
October 4, 2011
Topic(s): Environment, IFAS, New Technology, Pollution, Research
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Remarkable bacteria that resist arsenic could greatly enhance cleanups of toxic environments and potentially boost agricultural production, according to a new University of Florida study.
The bacteria were isolated from arsenic-contaminated soil surrounding the Chinese brake fern, a plant known for its ability to remove arsenic from the environment.
The carcinogen contaminates soils around the world and is deadly to most organisms.
UF researchers use acoustic tools to detect underground insects that attack grapes
August 29, 2011
Topic(s): Agriculture, Crops, IFAS, New Technology, Pests
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida researchers are finding new ways to thwart crop-devouring pests — by being good listeners.
High-tech acoustic equipment makes it possible for them to listen in as insects gnaw on grapevine roots, making it much easier for vineyard owners to know where to focus their efforts against the pest called the grape root borer.
Will Sanders, a former UF entomology graduate student, conducted much of the research and outlines the project in the current issue of Florida Entomologist. Using sound to target the pest could one day save vineyard owners money and pay off for consumers in lower costs for grapes and wine, he said. Grapes are a $20 million annual industry for Florida.
UF nature trail project enables smartphone users to hear insect sounds
August 18, 2011
Topic(s): Entomology and Nematology, New Technology
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Visitors to University of Florida nature trails can now hear an ancient form of communication — insect songs — using one of the latest communication technologies.
Seven educational stations in UF’s Natural Area Teaching Laboratory now feature signs marked with QR codes, the square, black-and-white patterns that are starting to appear in print advertising. By scanning the signs with a mobile device, visitors can access digital recordings of katydids and crickets native to the area.
UF review suggests new approaches needed if biological control of termites to succeed
July 22, 2011
Topic(s): Entomology and Nematology, Environment, Families and Consumers, Household Pests, IFAS, Invasive Species, New Technology, Pests
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It sounds like a pest control technician’s dream come true—eradicating hard-to-reach underground termite colonies by introducing small quantities of a pathogen or parasite, a practice called biological control.
But after 50 years of research, scientists have yet to deliver a successful method. Researchers’ efforts have been hindered by flawed experiments and lack of field testing, according to experts with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Their findings appear in a review article published online this week by the journal Biological Control.
UF researchers find bacterial imbalances linked to deadly disease that strikes infants
June 30, 2011
Topic(s): IFAS, New Technology, Research, Safety
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New findings by the University of Florida may help lead to a cure for a deadly disease that primarily afflicts premature newborns.
Necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC, is the death of tissue in the bowels that causes inflammation, abdominal distention, bleeding, and in about 25 percent of the cases, mortality. It most often occurs in newborns during the first weeks of life.
Current treatments for NEC depend on the severity and include surgical and non-surgical techniques. Medical care for infants with NEC is estimated to cost up to $1 billion each year in the United States.
University of Florida-led teams awarded $6.9 million for climate change projects
June 30, 2011
Topic(s): Agriculture, Crops, Environment, New Technology, Weather
Two University of Florida-led teams have been awarded federal grants totaling $6.9 million for projects to develop heat-resistant corn and develop extension programs to help farmers cope with climate variability and climate change.
The grants, for $5 million and $1.9 million, were announced today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Both projects are led by faculty members with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and involve personnel from other institutions.
The projects were supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grants from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as part of a program on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Papaya plants reduce the need for pesticides on tomatoes in Florida, new UF study finds
June 29, 2011
Topic(s): Agriculture, Biocontrols, Crops, Entomology and Nematology, Environment, IFAS, New Technology, Pests, RECs
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Whiteflies can be biologically controlled in Florida greenhouse tomatoes, according to a new University of Florida study, which helps reduce the need for pesticide applications.
Biological control, or biocontrol, is the mitigation of pests using natural means rather than synthetic ones. Florida is the country’s top producer of fresh tomatoes, and sales of the state’s crop for 2009-2010 exceeded $402 million.
Lance Osborne, an entomology professor and associate director of UF’s Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, led the study that found that papaya plants can be used to host a wasp that attacks silverleaf whiteflies, an insect that is a major pest of tomatoes. The findings are published in the current issue of the journal Biological Control.
