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UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center News, Harvest Edition, 2022 UF/IFAS-IRREC Director Dr. Ronald D. Cave (center, tan cap) hosts UF/IFAS-CREC researchers in the Millennium Block, an active citrus grove experiment. Dr. Jude Grosser, (first row, far right, blue cap), Dr. Fred Gmitter (second row, right, white shirt) and Dr. John Chater, (second row, tan coat and hat)

From the Director's Desk

Dr. Ronald D. Cave, IRREC Professor and Director

It’s harvest time at IRREC. We will harvest fruit, but our cornucopia of offerings comes in data sets, scientific advancements, and hope for the future of agricultural production worldwide.

Our yield includes published journal articles, new data, the promise research findings can bring, and team bonding events that faculty, staff, and graduate students enjoy together.

Over the next few months, our citrus horticulture team will collect much-anticipated data that may help heritage citrus growers decide what to plant in their groves. The new citrus variety rootstock and scion combination experiment—The Millennium Block—has begun to show early results that point to a few new varieties that appear to tolerate citrus greening. In case you don’t know, citrus greening has reduced Florida’s citrus production by more than half of what we are used to when the show was “good.” UF/IFAS scientists work tirelessly to get growers back to the work they love. If our researchers reap consistent outcomes with the same varieties over the next few years, we could have some fruit that will stand up to citrus greening.

I call that a good harvest. And the results will continue to be gathered for the next four to six years.

As you review this newsletter, scroll down to the news from Dr. Liliana Cano’s laboratory. A second Ph.D. graduate student, Daniela Cárdenas, participated in a world-class Chateaubriand Fellowship in France. The opportunity placed the high-performing and newly minted Ph.D. among world leaders researching a specific, economically significant crop disease. Dr. Cano’s Google Scholar h-Index is exceptionally high, well above her peers. Also, Cano’s faculty landing page on the IRREC website gets the most hits. Look at the facts. Her passion is evident.

In this edition, we list more than 50 faculty and researcher publications. We celebrate the first publication of data from the Millennium Block, written by recent IRREC MSc Graduate Martín Zapien. Recent Ph.D. graduate Ricardo Lesmes-Vesga’s dissertation publication yielded the cover story of a scientific journal. Our faculty research appears in high reputable scientific journals and the UF/IFAS Electronic Data and Information Source, or now the “Ask IFAS” platform anyone may access for highly credible resources. Also, take in the number of stories published in trade journals, news, and blog posts.

Please enjoy the IRREC 2022 Harvest Edition. And watch for our year-end Holiday Edition to be released with a beautiful gift announcement—a celebration of our 75th anniversary in providing research, teaching, and Extension to the agricultural and natural resources industries we serve.

It’s a real privilege to share with you the IRREC's bountiful accomplishments -- Dr. Ronald D. Cave

The UF/IFAS-IRREC Millennium Block features more than 5,500 citrus trees as part of an active experiment to evaluate new citrus varieties for disease tolerance.

The UF/IFAS "Millennium Block," News and results for Florida's Legendary citrus industry

  • In October, citrus growers, corporate leaders, and researchers joined for a field day in the Millennium Block. To read more about the event, click here.
A pummelo, or grapefruit-like fruit variety bred by UF/IFAS-CREC Professor and Plant Breeder Dr. Fred Gmitter, imparts remarkable flavor. Its flesh is pink and is safe for consumers who use blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications. Additionally, the new variety tolerates citrus greening.
Heritage Indian River District citrus grower and UF/IFAS-CREC Professor and Citrus Plant Breeder, Dr. Fred Gmitter, discuss the new varieties' performance in the Millennium Block.
Top left, IRREC Director Dr. Ronald D. Cave interviews with WPTV-Channel 5 out of Palm Beach. Top right, citrus managers from Lykes Bros. Inc. in Highlands County drive thru the Millennium Block using a color-coded map. Bottom image, Dr. Ronald D. Cave interviews with Gannett economic reporter, Lamaur Stancil.

News from DR. Lisa Krimsky, Regional Water Resources Extension Agent for the UF/IFAS Southeast district

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Krimsky for her selection as the 2021 UF Water Institute Distinguished Faculty Fellow

Dr. Krimsky honored as a UF 2021 Water Institute Faculty Fellow.

Dr. Krimsky provides leadership for the development, implementation, and evaluation of water resources Extension programs, with an important and timely focus on coastal water resources, specifically water quality and harmful algal blooms.

"Ask IFAS" Publications Published by Dr. Krimsky

IRREC Postdoctoral Research Associate Dr. Xiaoping Xin and Ph.D. Candidate Jaya "Jay" Nepal work in their experimental vegetable research field.

National Postdoctoral week, September 19-23, 2022

IRREC Postdoctoral Research Associate Dr. Flavia Zambon presents her research for the MAC Project

IRREC Postdoctoral Research Associate in Entomology, Dr. Salman Alshami presents his research for pest and beneficial insects found in screenhouses

IRREC Postdoctoral Research Associate Dr. Xiaoping Xin presents her work with nanoparticles applied to crop soils

Dr. Telma Telmadarrehei, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Dr. Carey Minteer's Laboratory

We honored Dr. Telma Telmadarrehei during National Postdoctoral Week. Dr. Telmadarrehei is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Dr. Carey Minteer's Laboratory.

As part of the Brazilian peppertree team, Dr. Telmadarrehei works on examining the effects of of abiotic factors on the survival and development of Brazilian peppertree (BP) thrips to better understand the ecology and biology of thrips.

One of Dr. Telmadarrehei's focuses on the performance of BP thrips feeding on Brazilian peppertree exposed to water with different salinities to predict BP thrips' establishment success in Florida's coastal regions and mangrove forests affected by this serious invasive species.

Dr. Telmadarrehei is also very passionate about employing biological control and sustainable integrated pest management techniques to manage invasive plant species, which both prevent further damage to the environment and help restore natural balance without relying heavily on pesticides and herbicides.

Dr. Guilherme Locatelli, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Dr. Lorenzo Rossi's Plant Root Biology Laboratory

Dr. Guilherme Locatelli is a postdoctoral research associate, working under the direction of Dr. Lorenzo Rossi in the UF/IFAS-IRREC Plant Root Biology Laboratory. Dr. Locatelli's current work involves molecule delivery to Florida citrus crops.

"All my work is to support Florida's citrus industry. Citrus is Florida's heritage crop and has been in decline in the HLB-era (citrus greening). We work to bring the crop industry back," said Dr. Locatelli.

A native of Brazil, Locatelli's undergraduate work was with temperate fruits, such as apples, peaches, and blackberries. His work in Brazil was to expand the range of the fruit to other regions. Through this work, Locatelli realized the value of cultivars suited to specific regions.

"Florida citrus growers need new solutions to citrus greening," said Locatelli. "UF/IFAS researchers are on the approach to identify new ways to keep producing high quality fruit while tolerating disease pressure."

Dr. Locatelli notes Dr. Rossi's role as a mentor for success for the entire laboratory team. Dr. Locatelli realizes the value of scientific publications and their importance for his goal to work in agricultural production.

NEWS FROM THE IRREC CANO PLANT PATHOLOGY LABORATORY

Dr. Liliana Cano, IRREC Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology leads inventive research.
Dr. Cano's graduate students participate in opportunities as international fellows and perform groundbreaking work. Dr. Cano maintains an exceptional Google Scholar rank and her faculty landing page is the most accessed page on the IRREC website.
  • Dr. Cano collaborates at the highest levels of plant pathology research on a global level. Dr. Cano's h-index in her Google Scholar rank is 35. The average rank for researchers who have worked for six years in 15-20.
  • Dr. Cano's citation number of 9,959 (5,829 since 2017) is revealing. The average number of citations for assistant professors who have worked for six years is 400-500. Her work is consistently published in high-profile scientific journals.

New Ph.D. Graduate, Daniela Cárdenas

Daniela Cárdenas works in a greenhouse with sugarcane plants
Dr. Daniela Cárdenas, a recent Ph.D., whose work was supervised by Dr. Cano, is a member of a global team of scientists who perform genomic transcriptomics for a worldwide sugarcane infection.
Dr. Daniela Cárdenas presents her Ph.D. dissertation to members of her graduate committee and the IRREC community.
Cano Plant Pathology team members on the day Daniela Cárdenas became Dr. Cárdenas. From left to right are: Intern Douglas Douglas Stuehler, Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology, Dr. Liliana Cano, the all-new Dr. Daniela Cárdenas, Melissa Velazquez, former OPS and current OPS in Dr, Ritenour's Laboratory, Yisel Carillo, volunteer bioinformatrician, and Biological Scientist and Laboratory Manager, Edinson Diaz

New Ph.D. Graduate, Dr. Egem Özbudak

Dr. Liliana Cano and her Ph.D. Candidate, the all-new Dr. Egem Özbudak
Dr. Egem Özbudak's research, "Transcriptome analysis of the strawberry fungal pathogen Collectotrichum nymphaeae," a fungus that infects strawberries, an important crop in Florida

Publications from Cano Plant Pathology Laboratory

Ritenour, M.A., Cano, L.M. and Dewdney, M.M., 2022. 2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Decay Control of Florida Fresh Citrus: CPG ch. 43, CH081/CIR359A, rev. 3/2022. EDIS.

Lesmes-Vesga, R.A., Cano, L.M., Ritenour, M.A., Sarkhosh, A., Chaparro, J.X. and Rossi, L., 2022. Rootstocks for Commercial Peach Production in the Southeastern United States: Current Research, Challenges, and Opportunities. Horticulturae, 8(7), p.602.

NEWS FROM THE GUZMÁN SMART IRRIGATION AND HYDROLOGY LABORATORY

Dr. Sandra Guzmán was featured by UF/IFAS Communications Manager Lourdes Mederos for HIspanic Heritage Month. To read the story, click the button below.

Akshara Athelly, a Ph.D. student pursuing a doctorate in Agricultural Engineering. Akshara recently completed work as a graduate assistant in Dr. Sandra Guzmán’s SMART Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory.

Akshara's work involved irrigation management and stakeholder engagement in the laboratory and the field.

The link below is to an interview during which Akshara shares her experience as a graduate student at IRREC) and how the opportunity will serve her career interests.

Akshara Athelly won Second Place in a 3-minute thesis competition hosted by the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department. Akshara's presentation was entitled: "Improving Data-Driven Irrigation Management Adoption in Sweet corn- Essential to Attain Agricultural Sustainability.” Image credit: UF/IFAS ABE Department

Dr. Sandra M. Guzmán and Zoë Stroobosscher attend the Phosphorus Forum and Sustainable Phosphorus Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina, during Phosphorus Week, November 1-4, 2022.

Engineering technician Zoë Stroobosscher presents at the Sustainable Phosphorous Summit. Her work is "Assessing Relationships Between Precision Irrigation Sensing Technologies and Phosphorous Transport in Southeast Florida Soils.”

Publications from the Guzmán SMART Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory

Quinn-Ivey, B. and Guzman, S.M., 2022. Your Farm as a Water Storage System: Steps to Establish an Agreement with the Water Management Districts: AE577/AE577, 9/2022. EDIS, 2022(4).

Bayabil, H.K., Guzman, S.M., Zazueta, F.S. and Haman, D.Z., 2022. Potential Impacts of Improper Irrigation System Design: AE73/AE027, rev. 8/2022. EDIS, 2022(4).

Kadyampakeni, D.M., Morgan, K.T., Zekri, M., Schumann, A.W., Guzmán, S., Alferez, F. and Obreza, T.A., 2022. 2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Irrigation Management of Citrus Trees: CPG ch. 15, CG093/CPG12, rev. 4/2022. EDIS.

Clyde Fraisse, Yiannis Ampatzidis, Sandra Guzmán, Wonsuk Lee, Christopher Martinez, Sanjay Shukla, Aditya Singh, Ziwen Yu. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Crop Yield Forecasting: AE571/AE571, 4/2022.

Valipour, M., Guzmán, S.M. Identification of the Meteorological Variables Influencing Evapotranspiration Variability Over Florida. Environ Model Assess 27, 645–663 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-022-09828-3

Brandon Quinn-Ivey, a Ph.D. student in the Guzmán SMART Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory

Industry publications from the Guzmán SMART Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory

Groundcovers Promote Water-Use Efficiency and Pest Management, Sandra M. Guzmán, Larry Duncan, John Santiago, and Lorenzo Rossi; Citrus Industry, Nov. 16, 2022; https://citrusindustry.net/2022/11/16/groundcovers-promote-water-use-efficiency-and-pest-management/

Maximizing the Use of Soil Moisture Sensors, Davie Kadyampakeni, Ajia Paolillo and Sandra Guzmán; Citrus Industry; Oct. 17, 2022; https://citrusindustry.net/2022/1https://citrusindustry.net/2022/10/17/maximizing-the-use-of-soil-moisture-sensors/

Smart Irrigation Apps at Your Fingertips, Vivek Sharma, PhD, Sandra Guzmán, PhD, Haimanote Bayabil, PhD, Kati Migliaccio, PhD, PE, and George Vellidis, PhD; Irrigation Today, Summer, 2022; https://irrigationtoday.org/features/smart-irrigation-apps-at-your-fingertips

Presentations from the Guzmán SMART Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory

Mayer, A.S., Padilla, I.Y., Anderson, B.J. and Guzman, S., 2022, June. Let's Get Real About Diversity and Inclusion in the Hydrologic Science Community I Oral. In Frontiers in Hydrology Meeting 2022.

Effect of Soil Salinity on Growth and Anatomy of Grapefruits Cultivars Grafted on ‘US-942’and ‘US-802’Rootstocks, NA Bou, S Guzman, L Rossi - 2022 ASHS Annual Conference, 2022.

TEAM BUILDING FUN--THE HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR 2022

Hosted by the IRREC GUZMÁN Smart Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory

Today, we join for an afternoon of fun!
Each Halloween season, IRREC labs compete with door decor and scary and not-so-scary costumes

Vote on a Halloween Spooktacular Door Decor

Your choices are death or the Spooky Door Decor of Your Preference
  1. Dr. Ritenour's Postharvest Laboratory of Homicide
  2. Dr. Rossi's Plant Root Biology Laboratory Friendly Ghost 2nd and last doors combined
  3. Dr. Guzman's SMART Irrigation and Hydrology Laboratory Adorable Witch
  4. Dr. Cano's Plant Pathology Loose Eyes
  5. Dr. Avery's Recycled Candy

Winners for the Spooky Door Decor Competition:

1. Dr. Ritenour's Postharvest Laboratory of Homicide

2. Dr. Avery's Recycled Candy

We present Halloween Spooktacular Costume Competition in this Video

NEWS FROM THE IRREC WRIGHT SOIL, WATER AND ECOSYSTEM LABORATORY

Publications from the Wright Soils, Water and Ecosystem Laboratory

Hallman, Lukas M., Davie M. Kadyampakeni, Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi, Alan L. Wright, Mark A. Ritenour, Evan G. Johnson, and Lorenzo Rossi. 2022. "Impact of Ground Applied Micronutrients on Root Growth and Fruit Yield of Severely Huanglongbing-Affected Grapefruit Trees" Horticulturae 8, no. 9: 763. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8090763

Schumann, A.W., Singerman, A., Wright, A.L., Ritenour, M., Qureshi, J. and Alferez, F., 2022. 2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Citrus under Protective Screen (CUPS) Production Systems: CPG ch. 22, HS1304/CMG19, rev. 4/2022. EDIS.

NEWS FROM THE IRREC Dr. ZhenlI He Soil, Water and Ecosystem LABORATORY

Ph.D. Candidate, Jaya "Jay" Nepal, "Bayer Crop Science Encompass Fellow, 2022-2023"

Jaya "Jay" Nepal Nepal was named a prestigious “Bayer Crop Science Encompass Fellow, 2022-2023” by members of the Agronomy, Crop Science, and Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA). Nepal was chosen for his work with carbon nanoparticle crop nutrients, his aim to protect soils and water resources, and his leadership role in society and the scientific community.
The annual Agronomy, Crop Science, and Soil Science Society of America Meeting opened in Baltimore, Maryland, the first week in November. UF/IFAS-IRREC Ph.D. Candidate Jaya "Jay" Nepal was installed as a "Bayer Crop Science Encompass Fellow 2022-2023 and recognized in the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Hall of Fame.

IRREC Ph.D. Candidate Jaya "Jay" Nepal was named a prestigious "Bayer Crop Science Encompass Fellow, 2022-2023" by members of the Agronomy, Crop Science, and Soil Science Society of America at the organization's annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, in early November.

"The overarching goal of my project is to evaluate the performance of carbon nanoparticles as a crop and soil enhancer. Through field and greenhouse trials, we are studying its performance on crop growth and evaluating its influence on soil quality."

Dinner with colleagues at Baltimore's world-famous Phillip's Seafood.

IRREC Ph.D. Candidate and newly appointed "Bayer Crop Science Encompass Fellow" Jay Nepal celebrates with IRREC MSc graduate and Texas A&M Ph.D. student Dinesh Phuyal.

Jaya "Jay" Nepal garners the 5th award in 2022

For his "outstanding performance as a Ph.D. student in the UF/IFAS Soil, Water and Ecosystem Sciences Department

IRREC Ph.D. Candidate Jaya "Jay" Nepal is honored with the Sam Polston Scholarship Award

A soil, water and ecosystem research meeting led by Associate IRREC Director Dr. Zhenli He

A research meeting about soil and water science at IRREC. From left to right are Dr. Shenjia He, Dr. Jahidul Shohag, Dr. Xiaping Xin, Dr. Zhenli He, Dr. Yang Deng, Professor at Montclair State University in New Jersey, and Ph.D. Candidate, Jaya "Jay" Nepal.

Dr. Shohag, a Visiting Scientist in Dr. Zhenli He's Soil, Water and Ecosystem Sciences Laboratory. Dr. Shohag's work at IRREC involves nanoomics, an intersection of soil and plant research.

Nanoomics is an emerging technology that integrates nanotechnology and omics together.

Publications from He Soil, Water and Ecosystem Laboratory

  • Cui, X., Wang, J., Wang, X., Khan, M.B., Lu, M., Khan, K.Y., Song, Y., He, Z., Yang, X., Yan, B. and Chen, G., 2022. Biochar from constructed wetland biomass waste: A review of its potential and challenges. Chemosphere, 287, p.132259.
  • Chen, Z., Liu, Q., Chen, S., Zhang, S., Wang, M., Munir, M.A.M., Feng, Y., He, Z. and Yang, X., 2022. Roles of exogenous plant growth regulators on phytoextraction of Cd/Pb/Zn by Sedum alfredii Hance in contaminated soils. Environmental Pollution, 293, p.118510.
  • Sahito, Z.A., Zehra, A., Chen, S., Yu, S., Tang, L., Ali, Z., Hamza, S., Irfan, M., Abbas, T., He, Z. and Yang, X., 2022. Rhizobium rhizogenes-mediated root proliferation in Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii and its effects on plant growth promotion, root exudates and metal uptake efficiency. Journal of hazardous materials, 424, p.127442.
  • Zhang, J., Wang, Y., Wang, X., Wu, W., Cui, X., Cheng, Z., Yan, B., Yang, X., He, Z. and Chen, G., 2022. Hydrothermal conversion of Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator (Sedum alfredii) for heavy metal separation and hydrochar production. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 423, p.127122.
  • Xin, X., Zhao, F., Judy, J.D. and He, Z., 2022. Copper stress alleviation in corn (Zea mays L.): Comparative efficiency of carbon nanotubes and carbon nanoparticles. NanoImpact, 25, p.100381.
  • He, S., Wei, Y., Yang, C. and He, Z., 2022. Interactions of microplastics and soil pollutants in soil-plant systems. Environmental Pollution, p.120357.
  • Silva, R.D.S., Jalal, A., Nascimento, R.E.N.D., Elias, N.C., Kawakami, K.C., Abreu-Junior, C.H., Oliveira, F.C., Jani, A.D., He, Z., Zhao, F. and Filho, M.C.M.T., 2022. Composted sewage sludge application reduces mineral fertilization requirements and improves soil fertility in sugarcane seedling nurseries. Sustainability, 14(8), p.4684.
  • Nadeem, M., Anwar-ul-Haq, M., Saqib, M., Maqsood, M. and He, Z., 2022. Ameliorative effect of silicic acid and silicates on oxidative, osmotic stress, and specific ion toxicity in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, pp.1-12.
  • Lian, J., Cheng, L., Zhai, X., Wu, R., Liu, W., Pan, J., Shohag, M.J.I., Xin, X., He, Z. and Yang, X., 2022. Foliar spray of combined metal-oxide nanoparticles alters the accumulation, translocation and health risk of Cd in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 440, p.129857.
  • Lin, Q., Hamid, Y., Yin, X., Hussain, B., He, Z. and Yang, X., 2022. Screening of low-Cd accumulating early rice cultivars coupled with phytoremediation and agro-production: Bioavailability and bioaccessibility tests. Science of The Total Environment, 844, p.157143.

MORE FUN!!--IT'S IMPORTANT and builds teams

FRIENDSGIVING 2022, AN IRREC TRADITION

Golden-fried Turkey

Friendsgiving culinary team members Georgia Martinez, Dr. Sandra Guzman, Martin Newman, and Velma Spencer carve up the holiday fried turkey. Not pictured is Dr. Lorenzo Rossi.

Exceptional Pumpkin Pound Cake from scratch by our resident pastry chef, Georgia Martinez
Our "Friendsgiving" offerings, delicious desserts, hot food and side dishes, gorgeous table settings and extended IRREC family members, such as "JR," Georgia Martinez's son.

News from the entomopathogenic fungi research laboratory

Emily Duren was promoted from an OPS Special Projects position to a Laboratory Technician I, and is now a full-time IRREC employee.

Stetson University Biology Professor, Dr. Ray, along with senior biology student, Maral Paleski, visit the IRREC Entomopathogenic Fungi Research Laboratory to learn about invertebrate pathology or biopesticides.

Publications from the Entomopathogenic Fungi Research Laboratory

Kariuki, E.M., Lovo, E.E., Price, T., Parikh, V., Duren, E.B., Avery, P.B. and Minteer, C.R., 2022. The consumption and survival rate of Lilioceris cheni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on air potato leaves exposed to Cordyceps javanica (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). Florida Entomologist, 105(3), pp.258-261.

Pick, D.A., Avery, P.B., Qureshi, J.A., Arthurs, S.P. and Powell, C.A., 2022. Field persistence and pathogenicity of Cordyceps fumosorosea for management of Diaphorina citri. Biocontrol Science and Technology, 32(2), pp.151-162.

Arnoldi, M., Duren, E.B., Avery, P.B. and Rossi, L., 2022. Assessing the Endophytic Potential of a Commercially Available Entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana Strain in Various Citrus Rootstocks. Applied Microbiology, 2(3), pp.561-571.

Olabiyi, D.O., Duren, E.B., Price, T., Avery, P.B., Hahn, P.G., Stelinski, L.L. and Diepenbrock, L.M., 2022. Suitability of Formulated Entomopathogenic Fungi Against Hibiscus Mealybug, Nipaecoccus viridis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), Deployed Within Mesh Covers Intended to Protect Citrus From Huanglongbing. Journal of Economic Entomology, 115(1), pp.212-223.

Avery, P.B., George, J., Markle, L., Martini, X., Rowley, A.L., Meagher, R.L., Barger, R.E., Duren, E.B., Dawson, J.S. and Cave, R.D., 2022. Choice behavior of the generalist pentatomid predator Podisus maculiventris when offered lepidopteran larvae infected with an entomopathogenic fungus. BioControl, 67(2), pp.201-211.

Entomopathogenic fungus applied to a leaf to observe fungal spores as they grow on the surface. Entomopathogenic Fungi controls pest insects that carry disease causing pathogens to crops.

Presentations made by members and collaborators of the IRREC Entomopathogenic Fungi Research Laboratory

Arnoldi, M., Muschweck, L., Duren, E. B., Avery, P. B. and L. Rossi. Methods to inoculate citrus rootstocks with Beauveria bassiana as an entomopathogenic fungal endophyte. Proceedings of the 135th Meeting of the Florida State Horticultural Society 2022, Sarasota, FL, Jun 5-7, 2022.

Duren. E. B., Demard, E.P., Avery, P. B., Qureshi, J. and R. D. Cave. Efficacy of entomopathogenic fungus-based products applied against the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae), under laboratory conditions. Annual meeting of Florida Entomological Society 2022 – SYMPOSIUM: Microbial -based pest control. Gainesville, FL, Jun 19-22, 2022.

Duren, E., Demard, E., Avery, P., Qureshi, J. and R. Cave. Laboratory evaluation of entomopathogenic fungal-based products tested against the citrus red mite in leaf disk bioassays. Southeastern Branch Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America 2022 SYMPOSIUM: Emerging pest mites and mite-transmitted diseases in the Americas. San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mar 26-30, 2022.

Rhodes, E., Avery, P., Hyte, K., and O. Liburd. Efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi for use against two major blueberry pests, spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, and southern red mite, Oligonychus ilicis. Southeastern Branch Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America 2022. San Juan, PR, Mar 26-29, 2022.

Duren, E., Demard, E., Avery, P., Qureshi, J., and R. Cave. 2022. Evaluating entomopathogenic fungus-based products against the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae), with a novel leaf-disk bioassay. 70th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America – virtual oral presentation

NEWS FROM THE rossi Plant root biology laboratory

Members and associates of the Rossi Plant Root Biology Laboratory
Dr. Lorenzo Rossi leads a Plant Root Biology Laboratory where, in 2022, a biological scientist, two undergraduate interns, a visiting scientist, two postdoctorate research associates, two laboratory technicians, and five graduate students have worked, studied, and advanced their careers and plant root biology.

The American Society for Horticultural Science, Chicago, Illinois, 2022

Rossi Plant Root Biology Laboratory team members attend the American Society of Horticultural Science in Chicago. From left to right are Ph.D. student John Santiago, Ph.D. student Johnathan Clavijo, Dr. Lorenzo Rossi, Ph.D. student Neus Alcón Bou, Ph.D. student Lukas Hallman, Post Doctoral Research Associate Guilherme Locatelli, and IRREC recent MSc graduate and Martin Zapien, current Ph.D. student in Gainesville.

Highlights for Rossi Plant Root Biology team conference participation

  • Dr. Rossi served a final year of a 4-year commitment as Chair of the Graduate Student Activities Committee during the event.
  • Each of the student and postdoctoral team members made either an oral or poster presentation at the event.
  • ASHS provided a travel grant for Martin Zapien to attend the conference. Zapien is now a Ph.D. student in Dr. Gerardo Nunez's laboratory, in the Horticultural Sciences Department in Gainesville.

Second International Congress of The International Society for Citrus Huanglongbing and Phloem-Colonizing Bacterial Pathosystems

The Rossi Plant Root Biology Laboratory Team
"Enthusiasm within the plant biology, microbiology, and plant pathology research teams to solve HLB, is overwhelming," said Dr. Lorenzo Rossi. "Presentations made at the International Congress of The International Society for Citrus Huanglongbing and Phloem-Colonizing Bacterial Pathosystems meeting were commendable."

Publications from the Rossi Plant Root Biology Laboratory

Hallman LM, Kadyampakeni DM, Fox JP, Wright AL, Rossi L. 2022. Root-shoot nutrient dynamics of Huanglongbing-affected grapefruit trees. Plants 2022. 11(23), 3226; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11233226

Martin-Zapien JM, Castle WS, Gmitter FG, Grosser JW, Ferrarezi RS, Rossi L. 2022. Early performance of recently released rootstocks with grapefruit, navel orange, and mandarin scions for Florida fresh market. Horticulturae 2022, 8(11), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8111027

Hallman LM, Kadyampakeni DM, Ferrarezi RS, Wright AL, Ritenour MA, Rossi L. 2022. Uptake of micronutrients in severely HLB-affected grapefruit trees grown on Florida Indian River flatwood soils. Accepted. Journal of Plant Nutrition

Hallman LM, Kadyampakeni DM, Ferrarezi RS, Wright AL, Ritenour MA, Johnson EG, Rossi L. 2022. Impact of ground applied micronutrients on root growth and fruit yield of severely Huanglongbing-affected grapefruit trees. Horticulturae, 8(9), 763; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8090763

Arnoldi M, Duren EB, Avery PB, Rossi L. 2022. Assessing the endophytic potential of a commercially available entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana strain in various citrus rootstocks. Applied Microbiology 2(3), 561-571; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol2030044

Lesmes-Vesga RA, Cano LM, Ritenour M, Sarkhosh A, Chaparro JX, Rossi L. 2022. Rhizoboxes as rapid tools for the study of root systems of Prunus seedlings. Plants 11(16), 2081; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11162081

Lesmes-Vesga RA, Cano LM, Ritenour M, Sarkhosh A, Chaparro JX, Rossi L. 2022. Rootstocks for commercial peach production in the southeastern United States: current research, challenges, and opportunities. Horticulturae 8(7), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8070602

Ph.D. Dissertation featured on a journal cover

Editors for Horticulturae selected a publication by recent Rossi Plant Root Biology Laboratory Ph.D. Graduate, Dr. Ricardo Lesmes-Vesga, as the cover of their Volume 8, Issue 7, July 2022 edition. The title of the selected article is: "Rootstocks for Commercial Peach Production in the Southern United States."

Citation: Lesmes-Vesga RA, Cano LM, Ritenour M, Sarkhosh A, Chaparro JX, Rossi L. 2022. Rootstocks for commercial peach production in the southeastern United States: current research, challenges, and opportunities. Horticulturae 8(7), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8070602

IRREC Plant Root Biology Ph.D. student Nues Alcón Bou

Ph.D. student Neus Alcón Bou attended the Southeastern Professional Fruit Workers Conference in Lake Alfred, Florida, and successfully presented her research on the effect of soil salinity in different Florida grapefruit varieties.

Industry Magazine publications:

Hallman LM, Santiago JM, Rossi L. 2022. Oak mulch to increase citrus soil health: an update. Citrus Industry, Vol. 103(6), pp. 14-16.

Guzmán SM, Duncan L, Santiago JM, Rossi L. 2022. Groundcovers promote water-use efficiency and pest management. Citrus Industry, Vol. 103(11), pp. 10-13.

First publication for new citrus variety research in IRREC Millennium Block

Martin-Zapien JM, Castle WS, Gmitter FG, Grosser JW, Ferrarezi RS, Rossi L. 2022. Early performance of recently released rootstocks with grapefruit, navel orange, and mandarin scions for Florida fresh market. Horticulturae 2022, 8(11), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8111027
Recent IRREC MSc graduate and current Ph.D. student at UF CALS in Gainesville, Martin Zapien

NEWS FROM THE MINTEER BIOLOGICAL CONTROL RESEARCH LABORATORY

Recent IRREC Ph.D. Graduate Kelly Carruthers honored with an International Organization for Biological Control Nearctic Region Section Award.

"Recent IRREC Ph.D. graduate Dr. Kelly Carruthers is an exceptional scientist," said Dr. Carey Minteer. "An international award so early in a career is an outstanding achievement and indicates that she will achieve great things.”
Dr. Kelly Carruthers is honored with the 2022 IOBC-NRS Robert O'Neil Award for Outstanding Ph.D. Student in Biological Control at the International Congress of Entomology in Vancouver.

Minteer Laboratory Conferences and Presentations:

Emily Le Falchier, a Master’s student in The Minteer Laboratory, presented her research on “Ecological host range and potential non-target impacts of Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) on plants native to Australia and the United States” at the joint meeting of the Entomological Society of America and the Entomological Society of Canada.

Dr. Carey Minteer presented “Biological Control of Earleaf Acacia in Florida” at the 30th Annual Conference of the North American Invasive Species Management Association in Kissimmee, FL.

Minteer Laboratory Outreach Events:

Emily Le Falchier led the event to educate local youth about entomology and biological control

The Minteer lab hosted a 4-H Insectathon Workshop on October 5th. This workshop was attended by 35 children from St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Martin, and Indian River counties who wanted to learn about collecting, pinning, and identifying insects for the 4-H State Insectathon.

The Minteer lab hosted a booth at the 2022 Indian River Lagoon Science Festival. The lab had informational displays on some of Florida’s worst invasive plant species and their biological control agents. The festival was attended by over 5,000 people!
The Minteer Lab presented a short workshop and an informational booth on biological control of invasive species at the 2022 UF/IFAS St. Lucie County Ag-Xtension Fall Fest in October.

Grants:

Emily Le Falchier an MSc. student in Carey Minteer’s lab, was awarded the Florida Invasive Species Council’s Julia Morton Research Grant to work on assessing the influence of microclimate on the establishment and persistence of Pseudophilothrips ichini on Brazilian peppertree in Florida.

Dr. Carey Minteer and collaborators at the USDA-ARS Invasive Plant Research Lab, Dr. Melissa Smith, and The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Dr. Matt Purcell were awarded funding from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to develop biological control agents for the invasive earleaf acacia in the amount of $131,397.

Publications from Minteer Biological Control Laboratory

Prade, Patricia, James P. Cuda, and Carey R. Minteer. "Investigating the potential for plant-mediated interactions between two biological control agents for Brazilian peppertree." Biocontrol Science and Technology 32, no. 6 (2022): 731-740.

Kariuki, E.M., Lovo, E.E., Price, T., Parikh, V., Duren, E.B., Avery, P.B. and Minteer, C.R., 2022. The consumption and survival rate of Lilioceris cheni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on air potato leaves exposed to Cordyceps javanica (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). Florida Entomologist, 105(3), pp.258-261.

Wheeler, G.S., Minteer, C., Rohrig, E., Steininger, S., Nestle, R., Halbritter, D., Leidi, J., Rayamajhi, M. and Le Falchier, E., 2022. Release and persistence of the Brazilian peppertree biological control agent Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) in Florida. Florida Entomologist, 105(3), pp.225-230.

Bowers, K., Hight, S.D., Wheeler, G.S. and Minteer, C.R., 2022. Ecological host range of Pseudophilothrips ichini (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), a biological control agent of Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia. Biological Control, 172, p.104976.

news from the IRREC ritenour postharvest fruit quality laboratory and postharvest facility

New publications from Dr. Mark Ritenour

Hallman, Lukas M., Davie M. Kadyampakeni, Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi, Alan L. Wright, Mark A. Ritenour, Evan G. Johnson, and Lorenzo Rossi. 2022. "Impact of Ground Applied Micronutrients on Root Growth and Fruit Yield of Severely Huanglongbing-Affected Grapefruit Trees" Horticulturae 8, no. 9: 763. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8090763

Schumann, A.W., Singerman, A., Wright, A.L., Ritenour, M., Qureshi, J. and Alferez, F., 2022. 2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Citrus under Protective Screen (CUPS) Production Systems: CPG ch. 22, HS1304/CMG19, rev. 4/2022. EDIS.

Hallman, Lukas M., Davie M. Kadyampakeni, Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi, Alan L. Wright, Mark A. Ritenour, Evan G. Johnson, and Lorenzo Rossi. 2022. "Impact of Ground Applied Micronutrients on Root Growth and Fruit Yield of Severely Huanglongbing-Affected Grapefruit Trees" Horticulturae 8, no. 9: 763. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8090763

Ritenour, M., 2022. 2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Fresh Fruit Pesticide Residue Limits: CPG ch. 3, HS1301, rev. 3/2022. EDIS.

Ritenour, M.A., Cano, L.M. and Dewdney, M.M., 2022. 2022–2023 Florida Citrus Production Guide: Decay Control of Florida Fresh Citrus: CPG ch. 43, CH081/CIR359A, rev. 3/2022. EDIS.

Lesmes-Vesga, R.A., Cano, L.M., Ritenour, M.A., Sarkhosh, A., Chaparro, J.X. and Rossi, L., 2022. Rootstocks for Commercial Peach Production in the Southeastern United States: Current Research, Challenges, and Opportunities. Horticulturae, 8(7), p.602.

A sample of fruit was submitted to the Ritenour Fruit Quality Laboratory to study. The fruit has a slight case of greasy spot
Cuifung Hu, in the Postharvest Facility, operates the Compaq Invision 9000 grade system to capture single fruit data such as fruit size, color, Brix, and defects.

NEWS from the Quinn Entomology biological control laboratory

Dr. Nicole Quinn Joined UF/IFAS -IRREC this year

Dr. Nicole Quinn is an Assistant Professor of Entomology at the UF/IFAS Norman C. Hayslip Biological Control and Research Laboratory

Publications by the Quinn Entomology Biological Control Research Laboratory

Duan, Jian J; Van Driesche, Roy G; Schmude, Jonathan; Crandall, Ryan; Rutlege, Claire; Quinn, Nicole; Slager, Benjamin H; Gould, Juli R; Elkinton, Joseph S; Significant suppression of invasive emerald ash borer by introduced parasitoids: potential for North American ash recovery, Journal of Pest Science 95 3 1081-1090 2022 Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 

Duan, Jian J; Gould, Juli R; Slager, Ben H; Quinn, Nicole F; Petrice, Toby R; Poland, Therese M; Bauer, Leah S; Rutledge, Claire E; Elkinton, Joseph S; Van Driesche, Roy; Progress toward successful biological control of the invasive emerald ash borer in the United States In: Van Driesche, RG; Winston, RL; Perring, TM; Lopez, VM, editors. Contributions of classical biological control to the US food security, forestry, and biodiversity. FHAAST-2019-05. Morgantown, WV: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: 232-250. 232-250, 2022.

Quinn, N. F., Gould, J. S., Rutledge, C. E., Fassler, A., Elkinton, J. S., & Duan, J. J. (2022). Spread and phenology of Spathius galinae and Tetrastichus planipennisi, recently introduced for biocontrol of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in the northeastern United States. Biological Control, 165, 104794.

Quinn, Nicole F; Duan, Jian J; Elkinton, Joseph; Monitoring the impact of introduced emerald ash borer parasitoids: factors affecting Oobius agrili dispersal and parasitization of sentinel host eggs BioControl 67 4 387-394 2022 Springer.

news from the ohs Aquaculture research Laboratory

The Corazon Damselfish is one of many ornamental fish studied at the IRREC Aquaculture Laboratory

Dr. Ohs hosts tour of the aquaculture research hatchery

Dr. Cortney Ohs hosted Jarred Shellhouse, UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Strategic Communications Manager

Dr. Cortney Ohs provides a tour of the aquaculture greenhouse to Jarred Shellhouse from UF/IFAS CALS.

Publications from the Ohs Aquaculture Research Laboratory

Shopnitz, F.A., Ohs, C.L., Silvy, E.H., Broach, J.S., DiMaggio, M.A., Patterson, J.T. and Collins, A., 2022. Evaluation of Anesthesia Protocols for Handling Hogfish Using Tricaine Methanesulfonate and AQUI‐S 20E. North American Journal of Aquaculture.

Elefante, D.J., Ohs, C.L. and Grabe, S.W., 2022. Egg Hatching, Stocking, Larval Feeding, and Handling Mortality of Guinean Fingerfish Monodactylus sebae. North American Journal of Aquaculture, 84(3), pp.295-303.

Ohs, C.L., Beany, A.H. and DiMaggio, M.A., 2022. Survey of Florida marine baitfish retailers: Assessment of wholesale supply and the market potential for cultured pinfish and pigfish. Aquaculture Economics & Management, 26(1), pp.57-76.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Credits:

Robin Koestoyo, Jaya "Jay" Nepal, Lorenzo Rossi, Velma Spencer, and UF/IFAS file photos.