Ana I. Vargas
Biological Scientist III – Eco-physiology Laboratory
Ana Vargas is a biologist at the Tropical Research and Educational Center, University of Florida. She has two Bachelor of Science degrees, one in Agronomy from the University of Pinar del Rio, Cuba and a second in Biological Science from Florida International University, Miami. She also has a Masters of Engineering degree from Florida International University, Miami. She worked as an extension agent in agronomy and a research technician in entomology prior to her current position as a biological scientist in ecophysiology of subtropical and tropical plants.
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Education
- M.S. Engineering Management, Florida International University, 2012
- B.S. Biology, Florida International University, 2011
- A.A. Miami Dade College, 2006
- B.S. Agronomy, University of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, 1998
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Publications
Refereed (Peer-Reviewed) Journal Articles
- Castillo-Argaez, R., A. Vazques, J.L. Konkol, A.I. Vargas, E. Exteberria, R.C. Ploetz and Schaffer. 2020. Sap flow, xylem anatomy and photosynthetic variables of three Persea species in response to laurel wilt. Tree Physiology 41, 1004-1018, https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaa137.
- Vargas, A.I., Schaffer, L.D.L. Sternberg. 2020. Water uptake through a vapor pathway. Physiological Plantarum 170:433-439, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ppl.13173.
- Baitsaid, A., Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, Y. Li, and D. Liu. 2018. Effect of plant age on in-soil decomposition and nitrogen content of sun hemp tissue. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 49(21):2680-2688.
- Bosco de Oliveira, D., W.A. Vendrami, A.I. Vargas, B. Schaffer. 2018. Effectiveness of a micronutrient delivery system fertilizer in Jatropha plants is related to enhanced photosynthesis, gas exchange and biomass allocation. BioScience Journal, Uberlandia, v. 34, supplement1, p. 97-107.
- Sarkhosh, A., B. Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, A.J. Palmateer, P. Lopez, A. Soleymani and M. Farzaneh. 2018. In-Vitro evaluation of eight plant Essential oils for controlling Colletotrichum, Botryosphaeria, Fusarium, and Phytophthora fruit rots of avocado, mango and papaya. Plant Protection Science 54:153-162.
- Sarkhosh, A., Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, A.J. Palmateer, P. Lopez, A. Soleymani, and M. Farzaneh. 2018. Chemical composition and antifungal activity (in vitro and in vivo) of five plant-extracted essential oils against anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.) in papaya fruit. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 34:18-26.
- Vargas, A.I., B. Schaffer, Y. Li, and L.D.S. Sternberg. 2017. Testing plant use of mobile vs. immobile soil water sources using stable isotope experiments. New Phytologist 215:582-594.
- Sarkhosh, A., A.I. Vargas, Schaffer, A.J. Palmateer, P. Lopez, A. Soleymani and M. Farzaneh. 2017. Postharvest management of anthracnose affecting stored avocado (Persea americana Mill.) fruit with plant-extracted essential oils. Food Packaging and Shelf Life 12:16-22.
- Thani, Q.A., Schaffer, G. Liu, A.I. Vargas, and J.H. Crane. 2016. Chemical oxygen fertilization reduces stress and increases recovery and survival of flooded papaya (Carica papaya L.) plants. Scientia Horticulturae 202:173-183.
- Ploetz, R.C., Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, J.L. Konkol, J. Salvatierra and R. Wideman. 2015. Impact of laurel wilt, caused by Raffaelea lauricola, on leaf gas exchange and xylem sap flow of avocado, Persea americana. Phytopathology 105:433-440.
- Sanclemente, M.A., Schaffer, P.M. Gil, A.I. Vargas and F.S. Davies. 2014. Pruning after flooding hastens recovery of flood-stressed avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees. Scientia Horticulturae 169:27-35.
Proceedings, Technical Reports and Extension Publications
- Thani, Q.A., A.I. Vargas, B. Schaffer, G. Liu, and J.H. Crane. 2016. Responses of Papaya Plants in a Potting Medium in Containers to Flooding and Solid Oxygen Fertilization. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 129:27–34. 2016.
Abstracts and Presentations
- Castillo-Argaez, R., A.I. Vargas, and Schaffer. 2020. Response of ‘Hass’ avocado trees on different clonal rootstocks to laurel wilt. HortScience 55(9):S320.
- Castillo-Argaez, R., J. Konkol, A. Vazquez, R. Fernandez, A.I. Vargas, R.C. Ploetz and Bruce Schaffer. 2019. Laurel wilt susceptibility related to physiology of grafted avocado trees. IX World Avocado Congress, Medellin, Colombia, Sept. 24-28, 2019.
- Konkol, J.L., R. Castillo-Argaez, A. Vazquez, R. Fernandez, A.I. Vargas, Schaffer and R. C. Ploetz. 2019. Clonal and seedling rootstocks exhibit similar variability in their responses to laurel wilt. IX World Avocado Congress, Medellin, Colombia, Sept. 24-28, 2019.
- Castillo, R., Bruce Schaffer, Randy C. Ploetz, Ana I. Vargas, Joshua Konkol, Randy Fernandez and Aime Vazquez. 2018. Susceptibility to laurel wilt related to physiology of three clonal avocado roots. HortScience 53(9):S58.
- Vargas, A.I., A. Sarkosh, Schaffer, A.J. Palmateer, Patricia Lopez and A. Soleymani. 2017. Chemical composition and antifungal activity of five plant essential oils against anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) in avocado and papaya fruit. HortScience 52(9):S378.
- Baitsaid, A., Schaffer, A.I. Vargas. 2017. Effect of age of a sunn hemp cover crop and soil amendment on leaf gas exchange and growth of papaya. HortScience 52(9):S436.
- Vargas, A.I., Schaffer, L. YuHong and L.O. Sternberg. 2016. Stable Isotope Analysis of Water Indicates that Mixing Occurs between Mobile and Tightly-Bound Soil Water. Proceedings of the American Geophysical Union Annual Conference, San Francisco, Dec. 2016.
- Rodríguez, G., Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, and C. Basso. 2014. Effect of flooding duration and portion of roots submerged on physiology, growth and survival of papaya (Carica papaya L.). HortScience 49: S293 (abstract).
- Schaffer, B., R.C. Ploetz, A.I. Vargas, J. Konkol and J. Salvatierra. 2013. Laurel wilt differentially affects xylem sap flow of three avocado cultivars. HortScience 48(9): S322 (abstract).
- Ploetz, R.C., Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, J.L. Konkol, J. Salvatierra, S.A. Inch, A. Campbell and R. Wideman. 2013. Physiological impacts of laurel wilt on avocado. Phytophathology 103(6):Supplement 114 (abstract).
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Honors and Recognition
Superior Accomplishment Awards, University of Florida, 2018