Pruning in blackberry and grape plants improves air circulation, sunlight exposure, and fruit quality. Our postdoc Dr. Iqbal is teaching how to do pruning in grapes and blackberry. UF IFAS NFREC

We just arrived at New Orleans LA to attend annual meeting of American Society of Horticultural Sciences 2025. Our two postdocs and graduate students are presenting.

Drone-based hyperspectral imaging capture precise data collection in blackberry BMP project - enabling targeted fertilization, improved yield prediction, and early deficiency detection for efficient, data-driven nutrient management throughout the growing season UF IFAS NFREC

Our team is attending #ASHS2025 in New Orleans. It’s good opportunity to connect, learn, and share ideas with fellow horticulture professionals.

Tip of the Week: Emerging Trends in Nutrient Rate Studies tinyurl.com/ydtrx8k6 #AllInForCitrus Water & Nutrient Management Lab UF/CREC

Our lab received the Best Education Material Award at ASHS 2025 for our innovative Blackberry Trellis System Guide, recognizing excellence in horticultural education and outreach to growers and educators nationwide. UF IFAS NFREC UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences UF IFAS Solutions

We're starting a USDA-NIFA funded multi-state project to improve organic citrus production through innovative nutrient management, enhancing plant health, fruit quality, and soil microbial biodiversity for sustainable organic citrus production.

We have established a new citrus variety evaluation block featuring 15 early-maturing mandarins and mandarin-like hybrids from our citrus breeding program, aimed at diversifying and extend harvest-window for cold-hardy citrus industry in North Florida.

It was a great event Thanks Gary England

Join us at UF/IFAS NFREC–Quincy for Persimmon Field Day, taste diverse varieties, learn from experts, explore orchards, and discover the potential of persimmons in North Florida. All are welcome! UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences UF IFAS NFREC

Dr. Shahid delivered a talk at Citrus Expo on silicon use in citrus production. Great to share research and see strong grower interest in silicon’s role in sustainable citrus health and productivity.

Graduate student Alaiha Asif and Dr. Iqbal are investigating how brassinosteroids and silicon enhance citrus freeze tolerance using OJIP, chlorophyll fluorescence, and multi-omics to reveal underlying mechanisms.

Muhammad A. Shahid, Shahid Iqbal, and Ali Sarkhosh won an ASHS Extension Division Education Materials Award for the factsheet "How to Build a Blackberry Trellis System: A Complete Guide" edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS…

Our postdoc Carlos and Shahid has initiated research projects on cold tolerance in kiwi and avocado to support sustainable cultivation and evaluate variety hardiness under North Florida’s conditions as fruit crop diversity interest grows. UF IFAS NFREC

Congratulations to our graduate student Alaiha Asif on publishing her research in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, revealing key insights into cold tolerance in citrus through grafting and cold acclimation. Well done! doi.org/10.1016/j.plap…

🐊 GATOR IN SERBIA 🇷🇸 Graduate student Alaiha Asif is presenting her citrus freeze tolerance research using silicon in Belgrade, Serbia, while competing in the Best Student Poster Competition. Go Gators!🐊 UF IFAS NFREC UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences UF IFAS Solutions

Congratulations to Alaiha Asif, KeAndre Leak, Dr. Shahid Iqbal, and Dr. Carlos Perez on our new publication—advancing understanding of scion–rootstock roles in mandarin cold tolerance. Great work, Fruit Physiology Team! UF IFAS NFREC UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences

Kicking off our Annual Cold Hardy Citrus Field Day 2025 at NFREC Quincy.

PERSIMMON FIELD DAY: Join us October 23, 2025, in Quincy, FL to taste ripe persimmons, explore varieties, and learn from experts about growing, harvesting, and evaluating this delicious fruit.

Florida citrus growers face more frequent freezes, but UF/IFAS researchers are finding solutions. New research shows that rootstock choice can make citrus trees more resilient to cold stress. 🔗 Read the research: tr.ee/p9xz5wDRV_ 🐊 In the News: tinyurl.com/UF-CitrusFreez…