Tropical Research and Education Center “Providing excellence in tropical and natural resources research, extension and teaching”

Recent and current research, extension and teaching programming

Elias Bassil*, Molecular Physiologist (New faculty) Understand how cellular and molecular processes that o o Cultivar development for selected tropical fruits (, allow to acclimate to abiotic stresses such as papaya, Vanilla, and passionfruit) salinity, drought, flooding, heat and nutrient imbalance o Establishing marker-assisted selection and candidate o Study how plant nutrient transporters control nutrient gene discovery for improved efficiency homeostasis within the cell and whole plant o Extension programs – Distribution of information and o Root biology and function in plant nutrition and stress planting material for selected species adaptation o Extension program in plant biotechnology and vanilla Jonathan Crane*, Tropical Fruit Crop Specialist, Associate production Director

o Extension programs - cultural practices for tropical fruit Haimanote Bayabil*, Water Resources (New faculty) and BMP’s and Food Safety for tropical fruit crops Improving irrigation management in urban and o o Collaborator on papaya plant breeding and selection, agricultural systems lime scion-rootstock evaluations, pest management o Assessing land and water management practices on practices, annona pollination and development of water quality and quantity using field observations and sustainable irrigation and nutrient management practices model simulations for tropical fruit crops o Integrating field observations with remotely sensed data to better understand and mitigate plant stress Edward Evans, Director of TREC Extension programs - improve irrigation management of o o Leadership the green industries and for urban landscapes o Advocacy Teaching – Irrigation Principles and Management o o Mentoring (AOM6735) o Guidance

o Fund raising Zachary Brym*, AgroEcologist (New faculty) o Day-to-day operations Data-supported adaptive management practices for o o Strategic planning and vision resource conservation and profitability o Sustainable, resilient and biodiverse agroecosystems Romina Gazis*, Plant Pathologist, Plant Diagnostic Clinic (New o Feasibility of sustainable hemp production faculty) Distribution and management of invasive plant species o o Understand biology behind various plant diseases (Fungi, o Extension programs – increase literacy and awareness of Bacteria, Oomycetes, and Viruses) affecting agricultural agroecology and natural systems; sustainable hemp and natural systems production o Biological control of plant pathogens

o Extension - Dir. of Plant Diagnostic Clinic – identification Daniel Carrillo*, Entomologist – Tropical Fruits of biotic and abiotic stresses and recommendations for o Biology and management tactics for ambrosia beetle control and mitigation vectors of laurel wilt on avocado o Biology and control of invasive plants of concern to the Young Gu Her*, Hydrologist (New faculty) tropical fruit industry o Natural resources – watershed monitoring and modeling o Biological control of papaya mite pests and fruit flies of agricultural, natural area and urban boundaries Pitaya and sapodilla insect pests and control o o Sustainable agricultural water management Extension programs – IPM for tropical fruit crop systems o o Effect of change and sea level rise and invasive species preparedness and management o Extension - , urban and environmental water issues – sea level rise, climate change, and fresh water Alan Chambers*, Genetics-Plant Breeding-Tropical Fruit Crops management systems (New faculty) o Trialing of selected tropical fruits and release of cultivars with superior yield and fruit quality Yuncong Li*, Soil and Water Science o Bioreactors – clonal propagation of orchids, bromeliads, o Natural resources – soils and natural area restoration, , and other ornamentals environmental nutrient management and monitoring o Micropropagation of coconut palms o , best management practices – soil o Biofuel crop – jatropha nutrient and water management and quality o Germplasm evaluation, plant selection and breeding o Fertilizer formulation development for sustainable o Effects of microgravity on differential gene expression agriculture o Microgravity studies on diverse plant species o Extension program in plant nutrition management in agricultural and natural systems Shouan Zhang*, Plant Pathologist – Vegetable Crops o Invasive pathogens in vegetable, tropical fruit and herbal Catharine Mannion*, Entomologist – Ornamentals crops o Biology and control of invasive pests in the nursery (field o Biology and integrated management of vegetable and container) and urban landscapes diseases - bacterial spot and tospoviruses on , o Biology and management of key hemipteran pests with phytophthora blight on squash/pepper, downy and emphasis on invasive whiteflies and scale insects in the powdery mildews on squash, halo blight on snap bean, urban landscape and downy mildew on basil o Extension programs – IPM of ornamental plants in o Extension programs – Disease diagnosis and IPM of nursery production and urban landscapes vegetable and alternative crops

Geoffrey Meru*, Genetics-Plant Breeding-Vegetable Crops (New Teaching programs by TREC faculty members faculty) 1. Tropical Fruit Production and Research (HOS5555; at TREC) o Genetic mapping of disease resistance genes for 2. Orchidology (ORH4280 distance ed) – undergraduate improved plant breeding efficiency 3. Orchid Biology and Culture (ORH5282 distance ed) – o Genetic improvement of selected vegetable crops (e.g., graduate watermelon, squash/ pumpkin, and snap beans) 4. Orchid Short Course (in person on main campus) o Development, selection and release of improved 5. Special Topics – Micropropagation (ORH4932; live at TREC) vegetable crops 6. Communication in Academia (distance ed) o Extension programs - client education on plant breeding 7. Irrigation Principles and Management (distance ed) and crop cultivars Collaborating institutions include USDA-ARS, Miami; University of Bruce Schaffer, Ecophysiology of Tropical and Subtropical Miami; Florida International University; Fairchild Tropical Horticultural Crops Botanical ; Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer o Effects of light, drought, wind and flooding stress on Services and numerous other state, national, and international physiology of subtropical and tropical fruit crops institutions o Effect of laurel wilt on physiology of avocado o Prevention of iron deficiency in subtropical and tropical TREC fruit crops • Four major research/extension areas o Effect of cover crops on crop physiology o Ornamental and landscape crops o Vegetable crops Dak Seal*, Entomologist – Vegetable Crops o Tropical Fruit crops Natural Resources o Biology and management of pepper weevil, Thrips palmi, o corn silkfly, melon thrips, nematodes, and whiteflies on • Located in the most populous region of Florida; gateway to peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, lettuce, etc. Latin America and the Caribbean • Florida is one of the most vulnerable states to sea level rise o Extension program – IPM of commercial vegetable production • Located adjacent to major natural areas (e.g., Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Big Cypress, etc.) Ashley Smyth*, Biogeochemist/Ecosystem Ecologist (New • Miami-Dade County is no. 2 of 67 Florida counties in faculty) agricultural receipts (annual $800+ million economic impact) • With 1,200 miles of coast, 79% of Florida’s economy is linked o Aquatic ecology and water quality management to coastal resources o Nutrient dynamics of lakes, wetlands and estuaries

o Impact of a changing climate and nutrient pollution on coastal resources *, Research/Extension appointment Extension programs – climate change, coastal resilience, (c://trec/adm/misc/2016/TREC faculty current research and extension 3-11- o 19.doc) living shorelines, water quality and oyster shell recycling

Wagner Vendrame, Ornamental Horticulture – Plant Tissue TREC Culture 18905 SW 280 St. Homestead, FL 33031 o Micropropagation – ornamentals in general including orchids, foliage, flowering trees, palm trees, and other Tel: 305-246-7000 crops, such as banana, sugarcane, among others. URL: https://trec.ifas.ufl.edu o Cryopreservation – orchids, , jatropha