October Meeting - Muaaz Hassan - Containers Gardening and Sub-irrigated Planters

October Meeting: Muaaz Hassan - Containers Gardening and Sub-irrigated Planters

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

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

Muaaz Hassan has been cultivating a 1.5 acre permaculture-inspired food forest in Bradenton, since 2018. He is passionate about subtropical fruit trees, and is an advocate of sustainable and natural farming practices focusing on soil health.

Muaaz propagates a selection of high quality nursery stock tailored for central Florida at his backyard
nursery. His favorite fruits are mangos, annonas, jaboticabas, mulberries and loquats. He is available by appointment at 941-538-2959.

Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.
A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.
Meetings are not recorded. First time visitors are welcome! Become a member for only $12. Join online or at a monthly meeting. https://www.mrfc.org/p/become-member.html 

September 2026 Meeting - Raleigh Barnes - Organic Vanilla Growing, Tutor Tree Importance and Simple Clonal Propagation

September Meeting - Raleigh Barnes - Organic Vanilla Growing

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, September 14th, 2026, 7pm

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

Our September Speaker

From the Program Committee:

Our September meeting will feature another longstanding member of the MRFC, Raleigh Barnes. He is a graduate of the Tropical Tropical Fruit Production Course (perhaps better known as “Jonathan Crane’s course”) at the Tropical Fruit Research and Education Center in Homestead. More recently, Raleigh has studied horticulture in Central America and Asia, and now ranks as one of Florida’s well-known tropical fruit experts. His multifaceted business, Third Insight Design (thirdinsightdesign.com), continues to be one of the top vendors in our annual tree sale.

Raleigh has volunteered for the MRFC in many capacities, and last spoke to us in 2022. His topic this time will be Organic Vanilla Growing, Tutor Tree Importance and Simple Clonal Propagation. He will have vanilla plants, tudor trees and ice cream beans for sale.

August Meeting - Darryl McCullough - Growing Avocados in Southwest Florida

Link to Presentation

August Meeting - Darryl McCullough - Growing Avocados in Southwest Florida

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, August 10th, 2026, 7pm

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

Our August Speaker

From the Program Committee:

Our speaker for the August meeting will be MRFC member and treasurer Darryl McCullough. Darryl retired from academia in 2012 and moved to a 2-acre property in north Sarasota County, where he grows avocados, mangos, jaboticabas, and other fruits. He became treasurer of the MRFC in 2013, and is also volunteer treasurer of the local non-profit organization Sunshine Community Harvest, which supports local food producers and businesses, charity harvesting, and community composting.

The presentation, Growing Avocados in Southwest Florida, will include some advantages and disadvantages of growing avocados; avocado ecotypes; buying, planting and caring for avocado trees; pests and diseases; variety selection; and some of Darryl’s favorite varieties.

July Meeting - Caitlin Sollazzo - Pesticide Best Practices

Link to Presentation

July Meeting - Caitlin Sollazzo - Pesticide Best Practices: Application, Timing, and Safety

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, July 13th, 2026, 7pm

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

Our July speaker 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 Pesticide Best Practices: Application, Timing, and Safety. She will provide an overview of pesticide types, how and when to apply them effectively, common missteps, and how to protect pollinators and beneficial insects.

This is the third 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 either of the first two talks last September and January.

June Meeting - Amanda Adams - Common Edible and Medicinal Plants in Southwest Florida

June Meeting - Amanda Adams - Common Edible and Medicinal Plants in Southwest Florida 

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, June 8th, 2026, 7pm

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

Our June speaker will be Amanda Adams, a Florida native and longtime gardener/farmer. Amanda is a Master Naturalist and a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, where she co-founded the Food Forest project in 2011.

Amanda will speak about the most common edible and medicinal plants in Southwest Florida-- plants that you likely already have growing in your yard or neighborhood! Topics covered will include best practices for foraging, identifying native and non-native plants, and how to use them for food and medicine.

Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.
A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.

Meetings are not recorded. First time visitors are welcome! Become a member for only $12. Join online or at a monthly meeting. https://www.mrfc.org/p/become-member.html 

Slides from presentation 

May Meeting - Har Mahdeem - Annonas

May Meeting - Har Mahdeem - Annonas

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, May 11th, 2026, 7pm

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

Our May Speaker

From the Program Committee

Noted tropical fruit expert Har Mahdeem returns to our club with a presentation on annonas. Bring your questions about this fascinating family of rare fruits-- the one on the MRFC logo!

Har has an entire lifetime of experience with tropical fruit. He grew up in the Amazon region consuming rare jungle fruits and later worked with the famous Zill nursery on their annona breeding program and various germplasm collection trips. Currently he owns a tropical fruit grove and dooryard consulting business specializing in plant nutrition, pruning, grafting/top working and education. Elsewhere in this newsletter is some additional biographical information about Har, gathered by our energetic article writer Claude.

Be sure to check out Har’s many Youtube videos that provide extensive practical advice on tropical fruit horticulture.

🌱🌺🍍🌿

Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.

A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.

Meetings are not recorded. First time visitors are welcome! Become a member for only $12. Join online or at a monthly meeting. https://www.mrfc.org/p/become-member.html

April Meeting - Mark Bailey - Mulberries

April Meeting - Mark Bailey - Mulberries

Meeting Date/Time: 

Monday, April 13th, 2026, 7pm

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

Our April Speaker

Our planned speaker on mulberries for April had to cancel her presentation. MRFC member Darryl McCullough was planning to fill in, speaking on avocados. However, friend of the club Mark Bailey has agreed to speak to us Monday about mulberries. And he plans to bring some mulberry cuttings for us! Darryl will speak on avocados later in the year.

Mark is the Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Extension agent for Marion County. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelors in Entomology and Nematology, and received a Masters in Plant Protection and Pest Management from the University of Georgia. An extension agent for more than ten years, he works to develop sustainable local food systems. His specializations include entomology, plant pathology, edible landscaping, and agricultural entrepreneurship. At home he grows hundreds of fruit trees, which include varieties of citrus, persimmons, passion fruit, and mulberries.

Mark gave us an excellent presentation on persimmons last November. Don’t miss Monday's talk on another cold-tolerant species that grows well in our region.

March 2025 Meeting - Mack Lessig - Community Gardens in Manatee County

March Meeting - Mack Lessig - Community Gardens in Manatee County

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

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

Mack Lessig serves as the Residential Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County. A proud Manatee County native, Mack earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Florida. His professional expertise is grounded in vegetable and fruit production, with a specialized emphasis on vegetable entomology and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Beyond his official duties, Mack is an advocate for sustainable living, channeling his personal passions for beekeeping and backyard food production into helping residents cultivate productive, resilient landscapes.

Mack will speak on the Community Gardens Program in Manatee County, in particular the development and management of the community gardens program in Manatee County over the last eight years. This includes community gardens, which provide shared land for residents to grow fresh produce, and school gardens, which serve as outdoor laboratories for student education. He will explain the "Manatee Model" of operation—focusing on site sustainability, the integration of food forests for low-maintenance perennial production, and the technical support provided by the Extension. He will also discuss future expansion goals, and a guide for how we can support these initiatives 
through volunteering or mentorship.

🌱🌺🍍🌿

Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.

A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.

Meetings are not recorded. First time visitors are welcome! Become a member for only $12. Join online or at a monthly meeting. https://www.mrfc.org/p/become-member.html

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

Slides from presentation

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

Holiday Potluck Dinner

Our next meeting will be our annual Holiday Potluck Dinner, Monday, December 8 at our usual location in the Harllee Building on the Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1303 17th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221. The general arrival time is 6:30 pm. At 7:00, a very brief business meeting will precede the potluck dinner.

Please bring a dish to share, and to help save on waste, bring your own plates and utensils. We will provide water and some non alcoholic drinks.

For this meeting there will be no fruit tasting table or raffle table, just loads of great food and fun with our fellow club members. If you have not yet signed up and would like to attend, please either

1. Contact Sarah Mitchell at 941-725-1568, no later than December 4th, and let her know what you would like to bring and how many will be attending, or

2. Complete this brief online form with that same information: Holiday Potluck RSVP Form.

Setup begins at 5:00pm, and If you would like to arrive early to help, that would be welcomed.

If you would like to participate in our white elephant gift exchange, please bring one wrapped gift, value under $10. Be creative and fun in your gift choice. We will draw numbers to determine the order and then the fun begins. The first player picks a gift and shares with the group. Following players can either pick a new gift or take a previous player’s gift.

We hope to have several other fun activities, and will certainly have great food and companionship. We hope you can join us!

Palma Sola Winter Nights Under the Lights
The annual Winter Nights Under the Lights event at Palma Sola Botanical Park will be December 18, 19, 20, and 21 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Admission is free, with donations accepted to support the Park. There will be acres of lights, Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday music, gift market, hot cider and cocoa, food trucks, decorated trees, crafts, Toys for Tots and more. More details are here. The MRFC is a proud sponsor of this event.

Palma Sola Survey – Take it and share it please
The fruit tree collection at Palma Sola is a major effort of this club, and since the damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, we need to redesign and replant much of the collection. But we, the Palma Sola sub-committee need your feedback on how to make it better. What trees do you want to see? How do we inspire more people to plant fruit trees? Click here to take the survey, it only takes a few minutes: https://forms.gle/qEZdNGcQmGd9ebN27

2026 Dues
We are now accepting 2026 dues (which are still only $12), please click here for more information about dues and to pay online. You may also pay with cash or check (made payable to MRFC) at this or a future meeting. If you are not sure whether you have paid yet, please ask at the membership table at the meeting, or email a query to MRFCemail@gmail.com.

November Meeting - Mark Bailey - Persimmons

November Meeting - Mark Bailey - Persimmons

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, November 10th, 2025 7pm

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

Mark Bailey is the Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems

Extension agent for Marion County. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelors in Entomology and Nematology, and received a Masters in Plant Protection and Pest Management from the University of Georgia.

Mark has served as an extension agent for more than ten years, and works to develop a sustainable local food system. His specializations include entomology, plant pathology, edible landscaping, and agricultural entrepreneurship. He is currently engaged in the research and development of passion fruit as a crop in Florida.

At home he grows hundreds of fruit trees, which include varieties of citrus, persimmons, passion fruit, and mulberries. He will speak on Persimmons, an underutilized fruit in Southwest Florida.

Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.
A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.

Meetings are not recorded. First time visitors are welcome! Become a member for only $12. Join online or at a monthly meeting. https://www.mrfc.org/p/become-member.html 

October Meeting - Muaaz Hassan - The Essence of Grafting

Slides from Presentation

October Meeting - Muaaz Hassan - The Essence of Grafting

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, October 13th, 2025 7pm

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

Muaaz Hassan has been cultivating a 1.5 acre permaculture-inspired food forest in Bradenton since 2018.  He is passionate about sub-tropical fruit trees, and is an advocate for sustainable and natural farming practices focusing on soil health.

Muaaz propagates a selection of high quality nursery stock tailored for central Florida at his backyard nursery. He will present on the essence of grafting.  

His favorite fruits are mangos, annonas, jaboticabas, mulberries and loquats. He is available for appointment at 941-538-2959.

Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.

A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.

Do you have a suggestion for a topic or a specific speaker? Let the Program Committee know by completing this online form: Suggestions for Program Topics and Speakers.

MRFC members are encouraged to bring a dish for the tasting table or a plant for the raffle table if you can. Please sign the registers at these tables so that our editor can credit you in next month's newsletter.

We are now accepting 2025 dues (still only $12), please click here for more information about dues and to pay online.You may also pay with cash or check (made payable to MRFC) at this or a future meeting. If you are not sure whether you have paid yet, please ask at the membership table at the meeting.

September Meeting - Caitlin Sollazzo - Plant Pests and Diseases

September Meeting - Caitlin Sollazzo - Plant Pests and Diseases

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, September 8th, 2025 7pm

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

Our September Speaker

from the Program Committee 

Caitlin Sollazzo is 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.

Her topic will be An Overview of Plant Pests and Diseases. How to tell
the difference between insect, mite, nematode, bacterial, fungal, and
viral issues—plus tips for recognizing common symptoms and knowing
what to look for. This is the first in a series of three talks on
plant pests, diseases, and management strategies for the home grower.
The remaining two presentations will be in 2026.

Slides from Presentation

August Meeting - Eric Henson - Dragon Fruit

August Meeting - Eric Henson - Dragon Fruit

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, August 11th 2025 at 7pm.  

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

Our August Speaker

from the Program Committee 

Our August speaker, Eric Henson, is the owner and operator of Casting Kayaks, a Sarasota enterprise that provides kayaks and fishing gear for enthusiasts in the Sarasota area. An expert tournament fisherman, he writes articles and creates videos for many magazines and fishing companies. Eric is also a horticulturalist focusing on dragonfruit, as featured on his Instagram site bigechronicles. He will speak to us about this exotic Florida fruit.

ON THE TRAIL OF TROPICAL FRUIT Exploring the Manatee Rare Fruit Council’s collection at Palma Sola Botanical Park

Here is a link to the article in Horticulture Magazine about the MRFC Fruit Tree garden at Palma Sola Botanical Park. 

 https://mcusercontent.com/7286ca37dd7e41932ea6f1795/files/91a6f4a1-8b47-a520-a832-5fb212388853/Hort_Magazine.pdf

July Meeting - Sean Patton - Creating Healthier Ecosystems, Starting in Our Own Backyards

July Meeting - Sean Patton - Creating Healthier Ecosystems, Starting in Our Own Backyards

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, July 14th, 2025 at 7pm.  

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

Our speaker on July 14 will be Sean Patton, a graduate of New College of Florida, where he studied Marine Biology and Ecology. After graduation, he became an aquatic biologist working in the swamps, lakes, and other bodies of water found in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Concerned about the traditional, costly, impermanent, and ineffective systems within the private sector of environmental management, he began researching alternative methods of restoring Florida's landscapes to their most balanced and natural forms. He created his own company, Stocking Savvy  to utilize naturally-occurring biological systems, native plant species, harvesting, and a coalition of green businesses to restore habitat across our state. He believes every backyard can be a flourishing habitat and every pond a paradise.

With co-author Kendall Southworth, Sean recently published a book, Florida’s Aquatic Butterfly Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful Backyard Habitat for Attracting 70+ Species with 100+ Native Plants, a guidebook for creating aquatic butterfly gardens in Florida.

Sean will speak about how we can create healthier ecosystems, starting in our own backyards.

June Meeting - John Dawson - Citrus Care in the Home

June Meeting - John Dawson - Citrus Care in the Home Landscape

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, June 9th, 2025 at 7pm.  

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

from the Program Committee

Our June speaker will be fellow MRFC member John Dawson. John is a Master Gardener with 20 years of experience in horticultural education. 

John has grown citrus in Manatee and Dade Counties, and has years of experience at the Manatee County Extension Office diagnosing citrus problems. He will speak on Citrus Care in the Home Landscape, including the history of Citrus in Florida and here in Manatee County, and how to select, plant, maintain and protect citrus in your landscape.

Slides from John's presentation 

May Meeting - Josh Jamison - Ongoing Experiments With Lesser Known Crops at Cody Cove Farm and Nursery

May Meeting  - Josh Jamison - Ongoing Experiments With Lesser Known Crops at Cody Cove Farm and Nursery

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, May 12th, 2025 at 7pm.  

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

Our speaker will be tropical edible plant expert (and MRFC Fruit Tree and Plant Sale vendor) Josh Jamison. He is the primary grower and horticulturalist at Cody Cove Fruit Farm and Nursery in Babson Park, FL. Cody Cove is a small family farm whose goal is to provide nutritious food to the community and promote sustainable agriculture through offering high quality plants and produce. Its focus is on collecting elite edible plant varieties from around the world and making them available to home gardeners, small farms and beyond.

Josh’s presentation will be “Ongoing Experiments With Lesser Known Crops at Cody Cove Farm and Nursery.” He will bring plants for sale, a rare opportunity to acquire these edibles.

🌱🌺🍍🌿

Please bring fruit for the tasting table and/or plants to donate for the raffle (no citrus plants, please). Don’t forget to collect a free raffle ticket for your

donation. Your participation is very much needed and appreciated.

A friendly reminder: If you bring a plant, please label what it is. Also, write your name and the plant on the Raffle list. If you win a plant, please put your name next to the plant on the Raffle list.

Do you have a suggestion for a topic or a specific speaker? Let the Program Committee know by completing this online form: Suggestions for Program Topics and Speakers.

MRFC members are encouraged to bring a dish for the tasting table or a plant for the raffle table if you can. Please sign the registers at these tables so that our editor can credit you in next month's newsletter.

We are now accepting 2025 dues (still only $12), please click here for more information about dues and to pay online. You may also pay with cash or check (made payable to MRFC) at this or a future meeting. If you are not sure whether you have paid yet, please ask at the membership table at the meeting.

April Meeting - Jonathan Crane - Climate change: Opportunities and risks for tropical fruit production in Florida

Meeting Date/Time: Monday, April 14th, 2025 at 7pm.  

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

from the Program Committee

Dr. Jonathan Crane is a Professor at the University of Florida, Associate Director of the Tropical Reseach and Education Center, and Tropical Fruit Crop Specialist for IFAS Extension. The recipient of numerous awards for professional achievements and grants for his research and extension work, he is a well-known and highly respected expert in tropical fruit horticulture. His areas of specialization include tropical and subtropical fruit production systems, mitigation of environmental plant stress, plant physiology, enhanced flowering and fruit set/pollination, and sustainable production practices.

Several of our local tropical fruit experts are graduates of Dr. Crane’s annual summer course on Tropical Fruit Production and Research, and over the years he has given numberous informative presentations in our area, including his July, 2023 presentation to the MRFC on Pollination. At our April meeting, his topic will be Climate change: Opportunities and risks for tropical fruit production in Florida.

Slides from the presentation