Skip to main content

Welcome

The Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida is a team of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to improving fruit and vegetable production for the benefit of farmers and consumers. Florida’s climatic diversity and the facilities at UF provide opportunities for research with temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical crops on a nearly year-round basis. We conduct cutting-edge research in plant breeding & genetics, plant and environmental physiology, fruit & vegetable production, postharvest physiology, biochemistry, and other disciplines. We offer high-quality education and training for undergraduate and graduate students to equip them with the skills needed to be successful in satisfying, high-paying careers. Our diverse faculty is located throughout the state, integrating our research/teaching/extension programs to provide practical experience for our students, technical support for our farmers, relevance for our horticulture industry, and a pipeline to bring leading research from our labs to you.

 
UF/IFAS

From U-pick to the grocery store, Florida’s blueberries make for a tasty treat

As we enter the heart of Florida’s blueberry harvesting season, you can now enjoy the yummy fresh fruit during its finest hours, say University of Florida experts. For about 80 years, many Florida-grown blueberries have been developed through the UF/IFAS blueberry breeding program. The vast majority of blueberry acreage in Florida is planted with UF/IFAS Read More

Agriculture

UF researchers discover missing piece in corn’s evolutionary history

Ancient ears of corn were about two inches long, with only a few tiny kernels and no cob. Domestication transformed them into modern corn, but how that happened is largely a mystery. In a new study, researchers showed that plant hormones called strigolactones helped remodel ancient corn into the large ear we know today. A better understanding of strigolactones in corn sets the stage for the development of corn varieties that can be Read More