Tropical Fruit Crops
The Tropical Fruit Crops Extension program includes horticultural practices (e.g., planting, nutrient and irrigation management, tree training and size control, cultivar selection, pest control, etc.,) for commercial tropical fruit producers and dooryard fruit enthusiasts. Crops include avocado, mango, lychee, longan, guava, banana, carambola, pitaya, mamey sapote, Annona, passion fruit, papaya, and sapodilla.
The Extension programs include seminars, workshops, training sessions, field days, publications and electronic media. The research component is mostly in collaboration with other scientists in the fields of entomology, plant physiology, soil and water science, plant pathology, biological and agricultural engineering (hydrology), agricultural economics, postharvest physiology, and food science.
The research effort includes nutrient and water management, pruning practices, plant selection/breeding and pest management. The teaching component includes a bi-annual intensive summer course (even years only) on tropical fruit crops management.
