Friday, March 14, 2025

UF/IFAS News Digest, Week of March 10: National Nutrition Month; Aquaculture's economic contributions; Spring gardening tips


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For the week beginning March 10, 2025

TIMELY NEWS

March 20 marks the first day of spring. Green thumbs: Prepare your gardening strategy by consulting the UF/IFAS Florida Gardening Calendar. It provides a monthly guide for what to plant as well as activities to complete in the dirt. There are also links to useful gardening resources and information based on University of Florida research and expertise. 

Recent research, programs, events and more.

We can help you cover and localize news to your area; just use the contact links below or reply to this email.

March is National Nutrition Month, an opportunity to reflect on diet and its impact on overall health. A powerful but often-overlooked contributor to diet’s effect on wellness is dental health. Laura Acosta, instructional associate professor in the UF/IFAS food science and human nutrition department, explains the interconnectedness of food, dental health and overall wellness.

Many youth don’t feel connected with the food they eat or how it’s grown, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To combat this issue, Florida 4-H has partnered with the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair Expo to present Howdy Days – a hands-on, educational initiative that has engaged students for over 20 years. This annual, two-day program offers students in grades K-8 an opportunity to learn where their food comes from and the professions that make it happen.

On March 27, the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center will host the 2025 South Florida Turfgrass Field Day and Exposition in Davie. The event, co-sponsored with the South Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, offers a day of sessions and tours in English and Spanish, morning snacks, lunch and a vendor show.

Florida’s thriving aquaculture industry is a vital part of the state’s economy, generating more than $165 million in sales annually and supporting jobs across rural and coastal communities. Overseen by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS), the industry includes an estimated 1,500 varieties of food fish, bait fish, mollusks, aquatic plants, alligators, turtles, crustaceans, amphibians, caviar and ornamental fish. 

University of Florida researchers have developed an app that will help farmers reduce the risk of over- or under-watering their crops. Scientists from UF/IFAS, Auburn and the University of Georgia designed and are refining the app, courtesy of a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Innovation program.

Termite Awareness Week, which started this Monday, is a national event that aims to spotlight the destructive potential of these tiny invaders and educate residents on preventive measures. March is the start of termite mating season, the time when these bugs swarm in search of new places to build colonies.

From Around IFAS

News from across the UF/IFAS network.

Rick O'Connor, Sea Grant Extension agent for Escambia County, profiles red algae, perhaps the most diverse type of seaweed found in the northern Gulf. Of the 20 types of seaweed found in Florida, 13 are red algae.

Tia Silvasy, a residential horticulture Extension agent in Hillsborough County, explains succession planting, a gardening technique to maximize production with space and time. Succession planting ensures a continuous harvest by staggering  planting schedules.

An internship in graduate school may not always be the norm, but Ravinder Singh landed the opportunity to serve as an intern for Bayer Crop Science. The journey wasn’t without challenges, but with the support of faculty and staff in the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences, he navigated the process. Now, he’s applying the skills he gained in field imaging and remote sensing to enhance his Ph.D. research.

Best of the rest.

Alternative story formats created or supported by UF/IFAS Communications.

Our blogs share knowledge: A kalanchoe by any other name

There are many types of kalanchoe in cultivation with more than 125 species available. While some are invasive, there is one that most people are fairly familiar with, the Christmas kalanchoe or Madagascar widow’s-thrill.  Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is the scientific name of this plant and the flower colors are insanely bright.  Although they start to bloom around Christmas time, they are still in full flower in a garden center near you.

Beekeeping is both an art and a science, and having the right tools makes all the difference. Whether you’re a backyard beekeeper or managing hundreds of colonies, the Honey Bee Pest and Disease Guide is an essential resource to keep your hives healthy and thriving. This newly released, spiral-bound pocket guide is laminated for durability, making it perfect for use in the field.

Visual learning: What is a mushroom?

In addition to serving as a food source, mushrooms support the ecosystem by acting as nature's recyclers. They also remove pollution from the environment and exchange nutrients with plants. Learn more about the mighty mushroom.

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UF/IFAS Communications

News and Media Relations Team





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