February 2026 Meeting - Russell Fielding - Breadfruit

February Meeting - Russell Fielding - Breadfruit

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, February 9th, 2026, 7pm

Location: Harlee Building/County Fairgrounds, 1303 17th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221

Our February speaker will be Russell Fielding, an environmental geographer whose research focuses on sustainable food systems in coastal and island settings. He earned graduate degrees in geography from Louisiana State University and the University of Montana, as well as an undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. Currently an Associate Professor at Coastal Carolina University with a joint appointment in the Department of Anthropology and Geography and the HTC Honors College, he also holds a research position with the Ocean Nexus Program at the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Fielding has a special interest in breadfruit, one of the tropical world’s staple crops, and the topic of his book, Breadfruit: Three Global Journeys of a Bountiful Tree, recently published by the Columbia University Press. His presentation will discuss these three journeys: first, from its origins in Southeast Asia across the Pacific; second, its transplantation to the Caribbean; and a third journey that is currently taking place, one that is spreading breadfruit throughout the world. And he will include a special focus on breadfruit cultivation in Florida.

January 2026 Meeting at Palma Sola Botanical Park - Caitlin Sollazzo - Common Pests and Diseases in Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Plants

January Meeting - Caitlin Sollazzo -  Common Pests and Diseases in Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Plants

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, January 12th, 2026 7pm

Location: Palma Sola Botanical Park, 9800 17th Ave NW, Bradenton, FL 34209

Our January speaker at Palma Sola Botanical Park will be Caitlin Sollazzo, the Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent with UF/IFAS Extension in Manatee County. She grew up locally and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Entomology and Nematology and a Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) from the University of Florida. In her role, she supports nursery and ornamental producers with a focus on sustainable practices, integrated pest management, and plant health.

Caitlin’s topic will be Common Pests and Diseases in Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Plants. It will focus on problems relevant to rare fruit growers, including pests like the lychee erinose mite and the ambrosia beetles that carry the laurel wilt fungus, as well as diseases like anthracnose, root rots, and Ganoderma. It will include management tips as well. This is the second in a series of three talks on plant pests, diseases, and management strategies for the home grower, but for this presentation it is not necessary to have attended the first talk last September.

Link to presentation slides