Testing industrial hemp, growing vanilla, coming up with the best pumpkin and calabaza varieties for South Florida are among some of the tasks research scientists are working on at the Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) in Homestead.
In 1929, when the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) was founded in Homestead, their objective was to help Florida farmers grow crops in subtropical Florida, including mangos, papayas, avocados, corn and tomatoes.
Over 90 years, researchers have collaborated with farmers and growers to keep South Florida agriculture thriving. Today, TREC is recognized as a leading research and educational institution for tropical and subtropical horticulture. Their mission encompasses coastal restoration and soil and water research studies, pest management aimed at protecting crop varieties of the future, and the effects of climate change on South Florida agriculture. Some of the work is done by graduate students at the core of advancing agricultural research at TREC, learning from the scientists who mentor them in the areas of grower’s needs.
On Dec. 4, the doors open to the public for a special open house to celebrate nine decades of TREC’s essential work. The community is invited to engage with the scientists and learn more about how they’re helping shape agriculture for today and tomorrow.
90th Anniversary Celebration Open House
WHEN: Dec. 4, 10:30am-4pm
WHERE: UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center
18905 SW 280 St, Homestead
MORE INFO: Admission is free, but sign up here.
Program
11am-noon: Speakers include TREC Center Director Dr. Edward “Gilly” Evans, Dr. Jack Payne, Dr. Nick Place, Dr. Jonathan Crane, Commissioner Daniella Levine-Cava, Florida State Senator Anitere Flores
1pm-4pm: Open House where the public can learn about the research conducted by the faculty in each laboratory. Faculty includes Elias Bassil, Molecular Plant physiologist; Haimanote Bayabil, Water Resources; Daniel Carrillo, Entomologist,Tropical Fruits; Young Gu Her, Hydrologist; Yuncong Li, Soil and Water Science; Catherine Mannion, Entomologist – Ornamental; Geoffrey Meru, Genetics – Plant Breeding, Vegetable; Dak Seal, Entomologist – Vegetable Crop; Ashley Smyth, Biogeochemist/Ecosystem Ecologist; Wagner Vendrame, Ornamental Horticulture – Bioreactors; Shouan Zhang, Plant Pathologist – Vegetable Crop.
Tours
Field Tour with Drs. Crane and Brym
1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Visit field research plots and groves, fruit collections, hemp and cover-crop projects, ornamental/whitefly-ficus work, and vegetable-crop field work.
Plant Physiology Tour with Dr. Bassil
2pm, 3pm
See how plants grow and respond to changes in their environment in real time using high-tech, state-of-the-art equipment.
Plant Clinic Tour with Dr. Gazis
1:30pm, 2pm, 2:30pm
Get a demonstration of sample submission, diagnosis process, common plant diseases found in our area and tests available at the Plant Clinic.
Vanilla Tour with Drs. Schaffer and Chambers
1pm, 2pm, 3pm
Learn about the physiology, development and plant breeding research conducted to support vanilla cultivation in southern Florida.
