From hops to tomatoes , Jack Rechcigl is consider a drawing card in research for veg , flowered and strawberry yield and breeding . recognize worldwide for his reenforcement of grower and the husbandry manufacture , his enterprising scientific approaches to agriculture and urban environments has him suffice two-fold duty . Now he has been appointed as interim Center Director of the UF / IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center ( UF / IFAS FLREC ) .
On May 12 , Rechcigl stepped in to oversee the functioning and research at the UF / IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center , previously led by retire center director Robin Giblin - Davis . Giblin - Davis , who first take the helm of the facility in 2009 as act carbon monoxide - director , transition in 2017 to do as lone do center manager . He is an internationally celebrated scientist , whose area of study has been practice and basic enquiry pertain stain , plant - epenthetic and insect - associated nematodes and nematode biodiversity . He withdraw as an emeritus professor after 35 eld at UF / IFAS .
“ My office as Center Director is to back and mentor the laurels - winning scientist , faculty and graduate scholarly person who are dedicated to solving the local and regional farming , urban and wildlife number that incorporate southeast Florida ’s unique make - up , while continuing the deputation of FLREC , ” said Rechcigl . “ The caliber of inquiry conducted by these dedicated scientist is impressive and addresses the unparalleled motive and issues that grower and community residents face in South Florida ’s combined agriculture and urban environment . ”
domain of research at FLREC include sustainable management for tropic and subtropical landscape painting systems . Scientists also aim to cut the impact of invasive animals and plant on natural and extremely urbanized habitat . Other areas of inquiry include termite designation and dispersion , wildlife bionomics and conservation , palm product and maintenance , environmental gardening , aquatic works management , turfgrass science and ocean grade resiliency in South Florida .
As interim Center Director , Rechcigl will assist double duty . As an internationally recognized professor in the stain and water sciences department at UF / IFAS for the past 34 years , Rechcigl attend as the lead architect of the programs and is the current Center Director of UF / IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center ( GCREC ) in Balm , Florida . since 2005 . The state - of - the - nontextual matter center operates from two website . The 475 - Akka independent installation in Balm , located in southerly
Hillsborough County , hosts most of the center ’s research activities , including testing ground , field and greenhouse study , a diagnostic lab , faculty office and graduate student lodging . The other land site is home to the GCREC teaching program ( UF / IFAS CALS ) , based at Hillsborough Community College ’s Plant City campus . He presently oversees 200 employee , which includes module , biological scientist , staff , undergrad and postgraduate students and international medical intern .
Historically , GCREC has been recognized as a chancellor research website with efforts since the mid-1920s in tomato , strawberry , vegetables , ornamentals and landscape crops . Over the last 20 years , Rechcigl has led the charge with staff members in making material contributions for the preserve production and health of these industriousness , as well as exploring new opportunities and alternate crops for the realm that include pomegranate tree , blackberry bush , industrial hemp and hops . Rechcigl has give the highly successful Florida Agricultural Expo , which is pay heed by 1,000 farmers , pol , government and university officials from around the state each twelvemonth .
Research at GREC has also been focused on improving sustainability through the exploitation of precision farming technology . Some good example include tractor package that can distinguish crop like love apple and strawberries from weeds for precise herbicide diligence and the use of ultraviolet light to process and preclude Powdery mould ( Sphaerotheca macularis ) on strawberry .
Before joining the Bradenton facility in February 2000 , Rechcigl was stationed at the UF / IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center at Ona . At the Ona center , he conducted enquiry on the fertilizer requirement of pasturage grasses and the burden of fertiliser on surface and ground piss timbre . This work lead to the revision of prolificacy passport and the development of BMP ’s for pasture direction , resulting in both economic and environmental benefits .
Rechcigl receive his Bachelor ’s degree in flora and grease science from the University of Delaware in 1982 . He completed his Master ’s and Doctoral degree in soil , harvest and environmental sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1983 and 1986 , respectively . He joined the UF / IFAS mental faculty in 1986 as assistant professor , in 1991 was promoted to associate prof , and in 1996 accomplish full chair . In 1999 , he was describe University of Florida Research Foundation Professor . He is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy ( 1998 ) and Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America ( 1999 ) .
Rechcigl has author over 300 publications and is recognized nationally for his study in the fields of soil fertility , environmental quality , and water pollution . His research has been tolerate by research grants summate over $ 3 million from both private sources and political science agencies .
He is currently editor program - in- honcho of the Agriculture and Environment Book Series , as well as having served as associate editor in chief of the Journal of Environmental Quality .
Rechcigl has been the receiver of legion award , including the Sigma Xi Research Award , University of Florida Research Honor Award , University of Florida Research Achievement Award , University of Delaware presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement Award . Fellow of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences and the recipient of Honorary Professorship from the Czech Agricultural University in Prague .
For more entropy : UF / IFASwww.ifas.ufl.edu
