UF/IFAS News: Native wasps help regulate invasive leafhopper; pollen season and much more

A message from UF/IFAS Communications | Reply For the week beginning March 16, 2026 TIMELY NEWS With today officially starting spring, few activities bring the outdoor satisfaction of  growing produce in your backyard. If this will be your first vegetable garden, you may find Getting Started with Your Vegetable Garden very helpful. Spring crops include sweet corn, cucumber, tomato, watermelon and several kinds of beans.  Need an expert? Contact us. 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. Can two native wasps help regulate invasive leafhopper populations attacking Florida’s crops? Most people retreat at the sight of a wasp, yet University of Florida researchers’ discovery of two newly identified tiny native wasps targeting an invasive pest that threatened Florida agriculture may be a hopeful sign for growers. Contact > EN ESPAÑOL: ¿Pueden dos especies de avispas nativas ayudar a regular las poblaciones de chicharritas invasoras que atacan los cultivos de Florida? Contacto > How Florida’s changing weather impacts tropical, subtropical fruit crops in your landscape Do you ever wonder how things like temperature changes, overly wet soils or salty irrigation water affect your fruit trees at home?University of Florida scientists at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have those answers. A newly released UF/IFAS publication offers science-based insights to help all Floridians, whether you are a backyard grower or commercial producer, understand the environmental factors that shape the success of your fruit trees and crops. Contact > EN ESPAÑOL: Cómo el clima cambiante de Florida influye en los cultivos de frutas tropicales y subtropicales en diferentes paisajes. Contacto > The unwelcome dust that won’t quit: Pollen season hits with full force Pollen season in Florida, which peaks from January to June, is in full bloom. Its density varies by location, due to tree species, local climate and elevation. It starts in North Florida and creeps south from there, peaking in South Florida from February to May. Contact > EN ESPAÑOL: El polen imparable: la temporada que pone a prueba sus alergias. Contacto > UF/IFAS and FAMU expand Small Farm Start-Up School to empower Florida’s next generation of farmers The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), in partnership with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), is expanding its Small Farm Start-Up School to be statewide and include more resources for burgeoning farmers. Contact > Nuevo contenido en español para esta semana. Tenemos una variedad de publicaciones de UF/IFAS que ahora se traducen al español para darle un mejor servicio a nuestras comunidades de habla hispana. A continuación encontrarás nuestras publicaciones e infográficos más recientes. La protección de los trabajadores agrícolas será el enfoque del Día de la Seguridad Agrícola Multicondado 2026 en Sebring, Florida Las oficinas del servicio de Extensión de UF/IFAS de los condados de DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands y Manatee se enorgullecen de anunciar el Día de la Seguridad Agrícola 2026, programado para el miércoles 25 de marzo del 2026 en el Centro Cívico Agropecuario del Condado de Highlands. Contacto > From Around IFAS News from across the UF/IFAS network. Dr. Xiaoya Zhang discusses AI in Family, Youth and Community Sciences research at the UF/IFAS AI Summit At the UF/IFAS AI Summit, Assistant Professor Dr. Xiaoya Zhang presented her innovative, AI-powered research that investigated a support program for high-risk families. Her study examined the effectiveness of the Family Check-Up Online Program, a program designed to reduce emotional problems in youth. A new approach to propagating the 'world’s most valuable' spice In a recent study led by horticultural sciences professor Dr. Wagner Vendrame, researchers investigated whether a technique known as cross-cutting could increase saffron propagation under controlled environmental conditions. RELATED ARTICLE: Florida scientists champion ‘Food Is Medicine’ movement to tackle national health crisis. Ladies and gentlemen, the Beetles: SFFGS faculty lead major beetle taxonomy paper It’s immense. School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences researchers — along with international scientists and experts from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Michigan State University and the University of Texas — recently published the first comprehensive taxonomic checklist of bark and ambrosia beetle species in 34 years. Video stories: How to: Read food labels This video will give you advice on how to read food labels. You'll find out what's important to know, what's important for your health and why the labels are there. RELATED ARTICLE: Demystifying food labels. Visual learning: What are microplastics? Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than 5 millimeters or 1/5 of an inch. These could be tiny pellets called nurdles that fill toys, or microbeads that were once commonly included in personal care products. Download >  |  More infographics >  |  Contact > EN ESPAÑOL: ¿Qué son los microplásticos? Use este enlace para acceder al contenido > Contacto > Visit the UF/IFAS Newsroom Find B-roll, photos and more for your coverage needs at ifas.ufl.edu/newsroom. UF/IFAS Communications News and Media Relations Team

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