GAINESVILLE — A University of Florida specialist recently received an award from the American Council on Consumer Interests for her research on Social Security survivors benefits.

Presented at the annual conference in April, the ACCI awarded Martie Gillen, an assistant professor in the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, and co-author Jason Hans the Applied Consumer Economic Award. They were recognized for their identification of an important consumer issue, descriptions of practical solutions and strong communication of the findings’ immediate implications.

Gillen and Hans, an associate professor at the University of Kentucky, examined attitudes about the eligibility of posthumously born children for Social Security survivors benefits.

Five types of eligibility were examined: normal births, posthumous births, cryopreserved embryos, cryopreserved gametes and posthumous gamete retrieval. Their findings indicated broad support for the eligibility of normal and posthumous births for benefits, but significantly less favorable attitudes toward the other three.

Gillen, a family and consumer economics for older adults specialist, received her doctorate in family studies from the University of Kentucky. She came to UF in 2011, and divides her time between extension work and teaching.

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Contacts

Writer: Andrew Kays, 352-392-2411, apkays@ufl.edu

Source: Martie Gillen, 352-392-0404, mgillen@ufl.edu

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences celebrated science at its annual Florida Agricultural Experiment Station research awards ceremony, held April 25 at the Harn Museum on campus.

It was the sixth year for the event in which dozens of faculty members and graduate students from around the state of Florida are lauded for their scientific achievements.

UF/IFAS scientists’ work includes such projects as working toward the development of a natural sweetener, the evaluation of sea-level rise and land development’s effects on an endangered mammal and the study of termites’ gut environment as an aid to improved energy production, said Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources.

“Every day of the year, our researchers are working toward scientific solutions to global problems, as well as those closer to home,” he said.

John Hayes, IFAS dean for research, said since becoming dean last year, he’s been constantly impressed by the quality of work he’s seen.“IFAS scientists are advancing the frontiers of science, and providing critical knowledge to help our communities and industries thrive in the face of an ever-changing world,” he said. “The breadth and creativity of their work is truly incredible.”

Early Career Scientists

Twenty UF/IFAS researchers were awarded Early Career Scientist “seed funding” to support work that could help shape their careers: Barry Alto of the Florida Medical Entomology Lab-Vero Beach, for “Effects of larval competition on vectcorial capacity of Dengue vectors,” Stephanie Bohlman of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, for “Modeling species and carbon dynamics of tropical forests at landscapes scales by integrating remote sensing and functional traits,” Randall Cantrell, Family, Youth and Community Sciences, for “Practices for accelerating behavior modification in home occupants through assessment of minor home-conservation measures,” Soonkyu Chung, Food Science and Human Nutrition, for “Effectiveness of ellagic acid on obesity: novel regulation of obesity by epigenetic modification,” Nicolas DiLorenzo, North Florida Research and Education Center-Marianna, for “Effects of chemical treatment of forages with alkali on beef cattle performance and greenhouse gas emission,” John Driver, Animal Sciences, “Natural Killer T (NKT) cell control of pandemic swine influenza infection: A novel pig model,” Robert Fletcher, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, “Large-scale land clearing and oil palm production in Borneo: Biodiversity effects and sustainability strategies,” Salvador Gezan, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, “Improving the output of breeding programs through advanced software for generating optimal experimental designs,” Erica Goss, Plant Pathology, “Understanding the evolution of the potato late blight pathogen in the Andes and its global impact,” Jiri Hulcr, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, “Understanding beetle-fungus symbioses through new technologies,” Kwang Jeong, Animal Sciences, “Underlying mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in cows with uterine diseases,” Christopher Martinez, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, “Resolving the Pan Paradox: Using evapotranspiration as an indicator of climate,” Anne Mathews, Food Science and Human Nutrition, “Using media to improve fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary school lunch programs,” Robert McCleery, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, “Biodiversity, ecosystem services and valuation of conservation in the rapidly changing landscapes of Swaziland, Africa,” Eric McLamore, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, “PhysChip: a non-invasive biochip technology for physiological sensing in agricultural sciences,” Christine Miller, Entomology and Nematology, “Social networks in an agricultural pest, the squash bug,” Mathews Paret of the North Florida Research and Education Center, for “DNA-Directed metal nanoparticles against plant pathogenic Xanthomonas perforans on tomato,”  Kelly Rice of Microbiology and Cell Science, for “saNOS Regulation of Staphylococcus aureus physiology and virulence,” Stephanie Wohlgemuth of Animal Sciences for “Effect of the gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide on cellular stress responses and its interaction with autophagy,” and Lincoln Zotarelli of Horticultural Sciences for “Alternative irrigation systems for water saving and enhanced fertilizer use efficiency for vegetable crops – an integrated approach.”

High Impact Research Publications

Eight projects were singled out as “high impact” research publications. The UF/IFAS researchers involved include: Chunxian Chen and Fred Gmitter (Human Health) for “Characterization of Furanocoumarin Profile and Interitance Toward Selection of Low Furanocoumarin Seedless Grapefruit Cultivars”; Rudolf Scheffrahn (Energy Production) for “High-Resolution Analysis of Gut Environment and Bacterial Microbiota Reveals Functional Compartmentation of the Gut in Wood-Feeding Higher Termites”; Robert McCleery, Jennifer Seavey and Susan Cameron Devitt (Ecosystem Health) for “Impacts of a Half Century of Sea-Level Rise and Development on an Endangered Mammal”; Denise Tieman, Peter Bliss, Lauren McIntyre, Adilia Blandon-Ubeda, Dawn Bies, Asli Odabasi, Mark Taylor, Charles Goulet, Melissa Mageroy, Thomas Colquhoun, Howard Moskowitz, David Clark, Charles Sims and Harry Klee (Food Quality) for “The Chemical Interactions Underlying Tomato Flavor Preferences”; Patrick Minogue, Masato Miwa, Donald Rockwood and Cheryl Mackowiak (Water Quality) for “Removal of Nitrogen and Phosphorus by Eucalyptus and Populus at a Tertiary Treated Municipal Wastewater Sprayfield”; Steven MacKenzie and Natalia Peres (Agricultural Sustainability) for “Use of Leaf Wetness and Temperature to Time Fungicide Applications to Control Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry in Florida”; Laurie Trenholm, Bryan Unruh and Jerry Sartain (Landscape Management) for “Nitrate Leaching and Turf Quality in Established ‘Floratam’ St. Augustinegrass and ‘Empire’ Zoysiagrass” and Luke Flory, Kimberly Lorentz and Lynn Sollenberger (Invasive Plants) for “Experimental Approaches for Evaluating the Invasion Risk of Biofuels Crops.”

Research Professor Emeritus Award

After Paul Lyrene’s retirement in 2009, he stayed on part-time to help ease the transition for his successor. He has since continued his blueberry-breeding work, including sparkleberry – a Florida native, non-commercial berry being introduced to commercial blueberry to obtain its favorable traits.

Graduate Research Awards of Excellence

Best Master’s Thesis: Jason Scott Entsminger, food resource and economics, for “Implications of Developed-Nation Standards Regimes for Agro-Food Trade and Rural Development: Case Investigations of Welfare Impacts in Vegetative Crops.” Jeffrey Burkhardt and John VanSickle co-chaired Entsminger’s supervisory committee.

Best Doctoral Dissertation: Kofikuma Adzewoda Dzotsi, agricultural and biological engineering, for “Rainfall Variability Effects on Aggregated Crop Model Predictions.” Jim Jones chaired Dzotsi’s supervisory committee.

Richard L. Jones New Faculty Research Award

Vance Whitaker of the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center is the 2013 Richard L. Jones New Faculty Research Award winner for his work to improve strawberry breeding. His recent work includes development and release of the new strawberry cultivar Winterstar.™

Plant Patents

Brent Harbaugh,  Zhanao Deng, caladium ‘UF 331’; Jose Chaparro, peach tree ‘UFSHARP’; Richard Henny, Jianjun Chen, aglaonema ‘UF-808-4’;  Paul Lyrene, blueberries ‘C97-41’ and ‘C00-09.

Utility Patent

Barry Tillman and Dan Gorbet, peanut ‘UFT113.’

American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) Fellows

James Jones, Agricultural and Biological Engineering; Karen Koch, Horticultural Sciences, and Lena Ma, Soil and Water Science

National Academy of Sciences

Harry Klee, Horticultural Sciences

Wetland Lifetime Achievement Award

Ramesh Reddy, Soil and Water Science

University of Florida Research Foundation Professors

Fredy Altpeter, Agronomy; David Clark, Environmental Horticulture; Matias Kirst, School of Forest Resources and Conservation; Bill Pine, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation; Max Teplitski, Soil and Water Science; Alan Wright, Soil and Water Science

Contacts

Writer:  Mickie Anderson, 352-273-3566, mickiea@ufl.edu

Source: John Hayes, 352-392-1784, hayesj@ufl.edu

Photo cutline: UF/IFAS Dean for Research John Hayes addresses the audience at the 2013 F,lorida Agricultural Experiment Station awards ceremony, held April 25 at the Harn Museum on campus. (Photo by Tyler L. Jones)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Project Learning Tree program had a successful year in 2012 with more participation and activities, according to recently released figures.

The program, which is housed in the University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conservation, is a partnership between UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida 4-H, the Florida Forest Service and the Florida Forest Association.

It offers environmental education curricula and tools that can be integrated into lesson plans for all grades and subject areas. Its parent organization is the American Forest Foundation.

The figures show the program had a 1,400 percent increase in volunteer hours from 3,100 hours donated in 2011 to 46,500 in 2012.

There was a nearly 9 percent increase in number of educators trained, from 847 in 2011 to 921 in 2012.

Youth and adult participation rose from 10,084 people in 2011 to 23,070 in 2012, a nearly 129 percent increase. Outreach activities went from 26 in 2011 to 41 in 2012, a nearly 58 percent increase.

However, participation and outreach numbers may be higher than cited as the program improves its reporting procedures, said Nancy Peterson, Florida PLT coordinator with UF/IFAS.

The numbers became available in the Project Learning Tree 2012 annual report released in March.

Project Learning Tree teaches critical thinking skills and responsible citizenship to youth, Peterson said.

“It gets youth and adults outside, reconnecting with nature,” she said. “By using the forests as a jump-off topic, it educates Floridians about our forests and related ecosystems.”

“The emphasis is on teaching kids how to think, not what to think,” she said.

Peterson attributes the increase in volunteering, training and participation to hard work from those closely involved with the program.

For more information on Florida Project Learning Tree: http://sfrc.ufl.edu/plt/index.shtml.

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Contacts:

Writer: By Robert H. Wells, 352-273-3569; rhwells@ufl.edu

Source: Nancy Peterson, 352-846-0848; njp@ufl.edu

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Downloadable broadcast video available at https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10837916/20130502_PETPOISON.zip

By Tom Nordlie, 352-273-3567, tnordlie@ufl.edu

Contact: Matthew E. Smith, 352-273-2837, trufflesmith@ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Dogs are notorious for eating just about anything, and the nastier, the better – which is why a University of Florida expert is advising canine owners to keep an eye out for poisonous mushrooms as summer approaches.

One particularly common species is known scientifically as Chlorophyllum molybdites and often called the false parasol, said mycologist Matthew E. Smith, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The large, light-colored fungus grows in grassy areas such as lawns throughout the Eastern United States and in California.

“Mushrooms can grow very quickly, so it’s important to be observant,” Smith said. “If you have a puppy or a dog, you should check the yard before you let the dog out, or supervise it when it goes outside.”

Though poisoning cases are rare, the false parasol causes intense gastrointestinal distress in people and may be deadly to dogs and horses. Puppies and adult dogs that like to chew are especially at risk for ingesting the fungus.

The false parasol is easy to spot against a grassy background. White or tan, it has a domed or flat cap and a thick stem; at maturity it may be several inches tall. Colonies often grow in circles, called “fairy rings.”

Smith suggests that animal owners learn to identify the species, check their property often and destroy the mushrooms if they appear where animals might eat them.

When a veterinarian suspects mushroom poisoning, Smith is sometimes called upon to identify any fungus fragments that have been recovered.

It’s not an easy or pleasant task. But Smith said he’s glad when he can give owners helpful information. He’s been involved in 10 to 15 cases of suspected mushroom poisoning in dogs since arriving at UF about 18 months ago.

Photographs can aid identification, he said, especially if they show intact specimens and the area where the fungus grew.

False parasols are responsible for more human poisonings than any other U.S. mushroom species, but they are seldom cited in animal poisonings, said Michael Beug, a professor emeritus with The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., and a noted mushroom expert.

Hard statistics on dog poisoning cases are kept by the North American Mycological Society, and their records from 1980 to the present include just three cases with the false parasol.

However, Beug noted that when he hears about a case of mushroom poisoning in an animal from Florida, it invariably involves the false parasol.

“C. molybdites can be pretty devastating,” Beug said. “Especially if it’s eaten raw, which is the way dogs eat them.”

There’s generally not much that veterinarians can do for afflicted dogs except provide intravenous fluids and palliative care to reduce distress and discomfort.

Fido isn’t the only animal potentially in danger: Livestock are at risk, too.

Grazing animals such as horses may consume wild mushrooms accidentally as they browse on grass and other forages. Horses suspected of consuming false parasols should receive immediate veterinary care.

Smith’s overall advice: Discourage dogs from investigating wild mushrooms.

“And don’t let your dog eat any mushrooms, even supermarket ones,” he said.

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Contacts

Writer: Tom Nordlie, 352-273-3567, tnordlie@ufl.edu

Source: Matthew E. Smith, 352-273-2837, trufflesmith@ufl.edu 

Photo cutlines

(Photo with dog) University of Florida mushroom expert Matthew E. Smith and his dog Pica encounter a mushroom from the species Chlorophyllum molybdites in a grassy field on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville — Monday, April 29, 2013. The fungus is toxic to dogs and horses, so Smith cautions property owners to destroy the mushroom if found in areas these animals visit. Smith is an assistant professor of plant pathology with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. UF/IFAS photo by Tyler L. Jones

(Photo with lone mushroom) In this undated file photo, a mature Chlorophyllum molybdites mushroom, commonly called the false parasol mushroom, grows in a field on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville. One of the most commonly seen wild mushrooms in Florida, the false parasol is toxic to people, dogs, horses, and possibly other mammal species, said Matthew E. Smith, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. UF/IFAS photo by Marisol Amador

(Photo with multiple mushrooms) Six examples of the mushroom Chlorophyllum molybdites, also called the false parasol, lie arranged in a field on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville — Monday, April 29, 2013. The middle specimen in the bottom row is an upturned cap, showing the greenish gills unique to this species. Mushroom expert Matthew E. Smith, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, cautions that this common species is toxic to people, dogs and horses. UF/IFAS photo by Tyler L. Jones

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — There is no evidence that pollutants from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill contributed to the “unprecedented” decline in recent Apalachicola Bay oyster populations, according to a report this week by the University of Florida.

Instead, the report by UF’s Oyster Recovery Team cites drought, insufficient rainfall and increased salinity in the bay as factors contributing to the dramatic drop-off in oyster landings beginning in September 2012 and continuing through the year, said Karl Havens, task force leader and director of Florida Sea Grant.

“There was a whole chain of circumstances that led to this situation, some of which are beyond human control,” Havens said. “Our report makes recommendations for many things that can be done to help the oyster population through management and restoration.”

Havens and other recovery team members discussed the report and findings with a crowd of about 60 residents and seafood workers Wednesday at the Apalachicola Community Center.

The full report and a summary are available at the UF/IFAS Franklin County Extension office or its website, http://franklin.ifas.ufl.edu.

One concern locally is the lack of small oysters in the bay, which could mean reduced harvests of legal-sized oysters in 2013 and 2014, Havens said.

“Naturally, everyone would like to see oyster populations bounce back very soon,” he said. “We don’t know at this point whether there’s been a failure of mature oysters to reproduce, or if something has been killing larval oysters.”

The report recommends more research on this issue. A related finding: Computer modeling suggests it could take as long as a decade for the population to recover unless large-scale oyster-bar restoration projects occur.

“The task force will continue to work with the local community through grant proposals to fund further restoration, research and community-development efforts,” Havens said.

Other major findings from the report:

*The Apalachicola River and the two rivers that feed it have experienced exceptional drought during the past three years.

*Water quality data indicate that 2012 was a year of high salinity throughout the bay.

*Recent declines in oyster landings and juvenile oyster numbers are unprecedented for the bay, at least for the time detailed records are available, 1986 to the present.

*Numerous seafood species – including oysters, shrimp, crab and several popular finfish – tested clean when checked for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, contaminants associated with crude oil.

Report recommendations include more research on oyster population dynamics and harvesting practices; expanded oyster reef monitoring; and strict observance of current harvest and sale regulations.

The report also suggests that alternative seafood products be evaluated that might diversify the local industry. One candidate species is the crown conch, a native mollusk recently approved for commercial development.

At the Apalachicola meeting, seafood specialist Steve Otwell, a professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, displayed a crown conch shell and large pieces of fresh crown conch meat. He said test-marketing of the delicacy had been highly successful in restaurants.

Task force activities were supported by funding from UF/IFAS, Florida Sea Grant and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

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Contacts

Writer: Tom Nordlie, 352-273-3567, tnordlie@ufl.edu

Source: Karl Havens, 352-392-5870, khavens@ufl.edu

Photo cutline

Seafood expert Steve Otwell, a professor with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, displays a crown conch shell and crown conch meat during a discussion of alternative seafood species that may help diversify the Apalachicola Bay seafood industry – Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Otwell was at a meeting held by the UF Oyster Recovery Task Force to issue its findings on Apalachicola Bay’s recent oyster population crash. UF/IFAS photo by Tom Nordlie

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Art and science aren’t always birds of a feather, but a new University of Florida project has them flocking together.

Students from UF’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences recently worked with UF’s Harn Museum of Art to identify Brazilian birds and plants illustrated by famed naturalist painter Jean-Theodore Descourtilz.

A website detailing their work was launched earlier this year. It can be found here: http://descourtilz.wordpress.com/.

“The museum needed to know the names of the birds and plants depicted, whether they were accurately rendered, and if they were biologically realistic,” said Emilio Bruna, an associate professor in UF’s Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation.

Bruna and John Blake, a professor in the department, co-taught the graduate-level class that led the project. Both are members of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Students in the class, An Introduction to Tropical Ecology and Conservation, examined five prints – each portraying three to five birds and a plant species upon which the birds are perched. And while some of the birds were labeled by Descourtilz, none of the plants had identification.

The students were asked to accurately classify the birds and plants using modern taxonomic nomenclature and to prepare a report that outlined what the birds eat, where they live and in which part of the tropical forest canopy they reside.

Blake said one of the interesting findings from the project was that some of the birds portrayed together are not from the same part of Brazil.

“Some would be from the far corner of the Amazon and others would be from southern Brazil, and yet they’re all posed together on the same plant,” Blake said.

For example, in one print, the scarlet-headed blackbird, sharpbill and the pampas meadowlark are pictured on the same plant. However, the three birds do not share a similar habitat range and would not likely be found together.

On the same print, the birds sit on a ficus branch. And while the sharpbill may eat the plant’s fruit, the other three birds pictured eat mainly insects.

Bruna said he suspects that rather than being drawn from nature, the prints were drawn from memory or from museum specimens.

The artwork is part of Harn’s growing natural history collection of about 400 prints from the 16^th to the 19^th century by European and American artists that depict birds, rocks, mammals, plants, shells and more from Asia, the Americas and Europe.

Eric Segal, the museum’s education curator of academic programs, said once information is obtained about artwork, it is kept for later use when writing wall labels or essays.

“It’s very powerful information for us,” Segal said. “Everything that the students have done for this project is really useful and will come back again when those prints are shown.”

These works arrived at the museum in 2010 as part of an acquisition program initiated with generous loans from Graham Arader, a prominent dealer whose specialties include natural history prints.

They are from Descourtilz’s four-part book of 164 species of Brazilian birds titled “Ornithologie brésilienne ou Histoire des Oiseaux du Brésil, Remarquables par leur Plumage, leur Chant ou leurs Habitudes,” published between 1852 and 1856.

Descourtilz produced them through chromolithography, a process by which an image is drawn in reverse onto stone using special markers, ink is applied to the image and then paper is placed firmly against the stone using a press to make a print. The prints were then hand colored.

The Harn’s work with CALS is part of a larger effort to continue to weave the museum into the academic fabric of UF, Segal said.

“The museum is a world-class art museum, but it’s also a resource for the university,” he said. “We have a long history of working with a wide range of disciplines across campus.”

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Contacts

Writer: Robert H. Wells, 352-273-3569; rhwells@ufl.edu

Sources: Emilio Bruna, 352-846-0634; embruna@ufl.edu

John Blake, 352-846-0591; john.blake@ufl.edu

Eric Segal, 352-392-9826, ext. 2115; esegal@harn.ufl.edu

By Robert H. Wells, 352-273-3569; rhwells@ufl.edu

Photo cutline:

Emilio Bruna, an associate professor in the University of Florida department of wildlife ecology and conservation; Leah Henderson, a graduate student in UF’s department of anthropology; John Blake, a professor in the department of wildlife and ecology and conservation; and Eric Segal, education curator of academic programs for UF’s Harn Museum of Art, are pictured in front of natural history prints by artist Jean-Theodore Descourtilz. Graduate students in a class led by Bruna and Blake, both members of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, recently worked to identify birds and plants pictured in the prints. UF/IFAS photo by Tyler L. Jones.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Plant Diagnostic Center, one of the top facilities of its kind, is a front-line defender against invading pathogens that threaten plants in Florida and around the nation.

The Gainesville-based center, part of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 25 to celebrate its new headquarters, which opened in January.

The ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. with speeches by Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources; Mike Irey, director of research for sugar cane and citrus for U.S. Sugar Corp. and Southern Gardens Citrus in Clewiston; and Rosemary Loria, a professor and the chair of the UF/IFAS plant pathology department— followed by tours of the facility and teaching gardens. The building, No. 1291, is located at 2570 Hull Road, directly behind Fifield Hall. Those interested in attending should RSVP to Lauretta Rahmes at lrahmes1@ufl.edu or 352-273-4635.

The center’s job is to diagnose submitted commercial, homeowner and extension plant disease samples from turf, ornamentals, fruits, vegetables and other plants. It’s a service of UF/IFAS Extension and is overseen by the UF/IFAS plant pathology department. More than 2,500 samples pass through the center annually.

“There is a huge benefit to Florida agriculture to have a reliable laboratory to send samples to,” Loria said. “For a grower, getting an accurate and timely diagnosis and disease control recommendation can mean the difference between losing the crop and being able to sell it.”

Florida’s agricultural industry contributes more than $100 billion to the state’s economy each year.

Carrie Harmon, director of the center, said the service gives growers access to proven disease-management strategies.

“We’re an extension laboratory, and field-tested, Florida research is going into our management recommendations, so we know that those things work,” she said.

The center is part of the Florida Plant Diagnostic Network that includes diagnostic laboratories at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm and the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead.

UF/IFAS’ plant diagnostic network is one of the top in the country because of its direct linkage with the department’s large number of plant pathology experts who specialize in areas that range from tropical ornamentals and fruits to row crops, tomatoes, strawberries and watermelons.

The center also houses the Rapid Turfgrass Diagnostic Service, which provides a fast turnaround for disease diagnosis in high-value turfgrass.

Additionally, it is one of the few plant diagnostic labs in the country that has a containment facility that can process highly regulated samples infected with pathogens considered a threat if released, as well as a molecular lab that allows for cutting-edge research and DNA diagnosis.

And since most of the plants that come into the U.S. are imported through Miami, the UF plant disease labs are often the first places that detect new diseases and threats, Loria said.

“With the volume and the opportunity to bring pathogens and pests right from field situations through the airport and into the country, we need to be among the best to keep agriculture as safe as possible,” she said.

Harmon has conducted training programs in the Caribbean and in Central and South America so diagnosticians there can detect and treat the latest plant diseases before they can reach the U.S.

The new building is 6,000 square feet —1,000 more than the previous —and features a larger classroom for professional training as well as a work room for students in the UF/IFAS doctor of plant medicine program, who often work in the clinic.

For more on the center: http://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/clinic/.

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Contacts

Writer:  Robert H. Wells, 352-273-3569; rhwells@ufl.edu

Sources: Rosemary Loria, 352-273-4634; rloria@ufl.edu

Carrie Harmon, 352-273-4645; clharmon@ufl.edu

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Anne Vitoreli (front), laboratory manager, and lab assistants John Bonkowski and Chris Kerr, work in the new University of Florida Extension Plant Diagnostic Center. The center is part of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and serves the state and region by diagnosing commercial, homeowner and extension plant disease samples submitted to the laboratory for turf, ornamentals, fruits and vegetables and other plants. The new center, which is one of the top facilities of its kind, opened in January 2013. UF/IFAS photo by Marisol Amador.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Exotic pets can be fun, but if animals become too big, too costly or too difficult to manage, the enjoyment may disappear and owners may start looking for ways to make the animals do the same.

Unfortunately, some of these pet owners turn their critters loose in the wild – that’s one reason Florida has more invasive reptile and amphibian species than any other place on Earth. In fact, the Sunshine State is now home to so many Burmese pythons that earlier this year officials held a competition to capture and remove the huge constrictors, which are blamed for decimating native wildlife.

To discourage future releases of unwanted pets, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has partnered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to present the area’s first Exotic Pet Amnesty Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16.

The event is free and open to the public. Animals will be accepted with no questions asked at the Straughn IFAS Extension Professional Development Center, 2142 Shealy Drive, just off S.W. 16th Ave. near the UF College of Veterinary Medicine.

Simultaneously, there will be an educational display on the J. Wayne Reitz Student Union colonnade.

Organizer Steve Johnson, an associate professor in the wildlife ecology and conservation department, said he hopes to educate local residents on the perils of releasing pets in places where they shouldn’t.

“It’s not good for the welfare of the animal and it’s certainly not good for the Florida ecosystem,” Johnson said.

Jenny Novak, an FWC wildlife biologist who coordinates Exotic Pet Amnesty Day events around the state, said she predicts Gainesville residents will bring in reptiles, fish and possibly invertebrates such as tarantulas and scorpions.

“I expect we’ll see mainly see animals that students could keep quietly in a dorm room or an apartment,” she said.

Donors are asked to have their animals caged or otherwise confined, Novak said.

Pet owners who are unable to attend the event can donate pets by calling FWC’s adoption hotline, 888-IVE-GOT1.

Donated pets are examined by veterinarians, she said. After being certified healthy they are offered to previously screened, knowledgeable adopters.

FWC officials encourage other agencies, universities and conservation groups to consider hosting Exotic Pet Amnesty Day events. Those interested are asked to contact the Exotic Pet Amnesty Program coordinator at 850-617-9554.

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Contacts

Writer: Tom Nordlie, 352-273-3567, tnordlie@ufl.edu

Sources: Steve Johnson, 352-846-0643, tadpole@ufl.edu

                Jenny Novak, 850-617-9554, jenny.novak@myfwc.com

Photo cutline: In this 2007 file photo, Steve Johnson, an associate professor with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, holds a Cuban tree frog, one of many exotic amphibian species now established in Florida. To discourage pet owners from turning loose exotic animals that have become burdensome, Johnson has organized an Exotic Pet Amnesty Day event, which takes place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, April 16 at the UF main campus in Gainesville. Owners can drop off exotic pets with no questions asked; the animals will be checked by a veterinarian and then placed with volunteers. UF/IFAS photo by Josh Wickham

Pigweed, pictured here, poses one of Florida’s biggest weed-management challenges. UF/IFAS photo by Thomas Wright

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Integrated weed management, or IWM, is a management option for crop producers who want to fight weeds using every available technology; it involves three activities – scouting, prevention and control – coordinated to discourage weeds from growing in the first place.

Producers have been slow to adopt IWM, but a team of scientists with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences say it can be a sustainable, affordable choice.

In fact, the team publishes so much research on the subject that they earned UF several top five results in a recent study that assessed the productivity of weed science teams worldwide.

“We’ve sustained a pretty high level of activity,” said Jason Ferrell, an agronomy associate professor who’s been part of the UF weed science team for a decade.

In the current issue of the journal Weed Technology, authors with Lacombe Research Centre in Alberta, Canada, assessed thousands of weed science articles published in peer-reviewed journals and other publications from Jan. 1, 1995 to June 1, 2012.

In the article, UF was mentioned in eight of nine rankings involving research facilities.

UF had three top five finishes, including second place in weed biology articles, a sixth-place tie for weed detection articles and a tie for third in preventative weed management articles.

Each of the top sources for preventative weed management articles was then evaluated for the number of articles it published on six control approaches. UF’s results: second place in alternative control, second in biological control, fourth in chemical control, fourth in cultural control, no mention in mechanical control and a third-place tie for preventative control.

Peter Dittmar, a horticultural sciences assistant professor, said the UF weed science program has been prolific out of necessity – Florida produces about 150 outdoor-grown crops that need weed control, everything from ornamental horticulture to pastures.

To meet the challenges, UF/IFAS routinely employs 10-12 weed scientists, compared with two or three in states with less-diverse agriculture, Dittmar said.

Both are quick to point out that UF’s glowing statistics are the result of an effort that stretches back at least 20 years.

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Contacts

Writer: Tom Nordlie, 352-273-3567, tnordlie@ufl.edu

Source: Jason Ferrell, 352-392-7512, jferrell@ufl.edu