Pursuit Grows for More Avocado Production in Florida

Growing avocados commercially in Florida is primarily isolated to the southern part of the state. Expanding avocado production beyond Miami-Dade County would take some work. Luckily, a team of University of Florida scientists have secured a $5 million grant from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to help with that and more.

The grant will  support the testing of new varieties for their tolerance to cold and disease. In addition, the research aims to improve control of Laurel wilt disease.

Laurel wilt was first detected in Florida’s commercial avocado production area of Homestead in 2012.

“Laurel wilt is the most devastating disease to avocado trees in the world,” says Jeffrey Rollins, principal investigator and a UF/IFAS Professor of plant pathology. “Trees infested with this pathogen die within four to eight weeks.”

The pathogen is transmitted to trees by four to five ambrosia beetle species and through root grafts of adjacent avocado trees. The disease has destroyed more than 350,000 avocado trees in Florida, according to Rollins.

“We are working to avoid what could be an ecological disaster as the beetle also attacks native trees in the Laurel Family as well as avocado trees,” he adds.

This significant funding amount will support a trans-disciplinary research team of 12 scientists across the state, leading efforts for the next five years that is aimed at sustaining the Florida avocado industry and expanding avocado production both in South Florida and into Central Florida to accommodate the increased demand.

Meanwhile, UF/IFAS scientists have developed several mitigation efforts and best practices. The new grant will enable UF/IFAS researchers to explore additional innovative pest-management techniques, plant breeding, modeling, and genetic solutions to mitigate the impact of this disease.

According to UF/IFAS, the research team’s goal is to provide growers, investors and the public with the latest proven tools for disease detection, diagnosis and management.

For more information, visit blogs.ifas.ufl.edu.