 Why now: With Hamlin harvest underway through January, it’s the ideal moment to design and schedule 2026 citrus studies—aligning sites, scouting pressure, and post-harvest work. Florida Ag Research runs independent, data-driven trials across lab, greenhouse, and field that translate directly to commercial decisions.
Why Partner with Florida Ag Research
Next Steps (slots are limited)
Contact: Erin Downey or Dr. Balaji Aglave (813) 986-5599, or reach us via the Website.  Leaders across the banana industry are voicing a common concern: the production model that has supplied affordable fruit to consumers for decades is under real pressure. On recent earnings calls and in global media, executives have pointed to a convergence of threats – aggressive diseases, changing climate patterns, and persistent economic pressures – that make it harder to maintain yield, quality, and profitability in traditional production regions. (Shah, 2025) (Abu-Ghazaleh, 2025) For those of us working in crop protection and biology R&D, this moment is not just a headline. It is a signal that the industry needs scalable, field-proven solutions that can help production systems absorb stress and remain viable. Why bananas are uniquely vulnerable Bananas are a global staple and one of the world’s most traded fruits. The export supply chain depends heavily on large-scale monocultures of a narrow set of cultivars, often under warm, humid conditions that are ideal for fungal diseases. (Shah, 2025)
The result is a system where disease outbreaks, extreme weather, or logistical disruptions can have outsized impacts on both producers and downstream customers. What R&D teams need from field research In this context, product development teams – whether working on fungicides, biologicals, soil amendments, or integrated crop management programs – need more than small-plot efficacy data in ideal conditions. They need field research that can:
How Florida Ag Research supports banana and tropical crop resilience Florida Ag Research, part of Ag Metrics Group, operates in a subtropical environment where high humidity, intense rainfall events, and extended growing seasons create the kind of stress that tropical crops experience in many commercial regions.  Climate-controlled bays at Florida Ag Research with USDA-APHIS–approved quarantine greenhouses
A role for independent research in a changing risk landscape
The challenges facing the banana sector are not going to disappear quickly. Climate trends suggest that disease pressure and weather variability will likely increase in key production regions. (Shah, 2025) In that environment, independent field research organizations have an important role to play:
At Florida Ag Research and across Ag Metrics Group, our focus is on creating the kind of multi-disciplinary trials that connect disease management, plant physiology, and fruit quality under realistic stress – so that sponsors can move promising concepts toward commercial reality with greater confidence. Let’s design the next generation of disease-resilient programs together If your team is working on solutions for banana disease management, soil and root health, or tropical fruit resilience, we would welcome a conversation about how our Florida programs can support your development plans. To discuss potential trials or multi-season research, please contact the Florida Ag Research team, Dr. Balaji Aglave or Erin Downey at (813) 986-5599 or reach us through www.AgMetricsGroup.com/Contact Together, we can help ensure that future supply chains are better prepared for the biological and environmental challenges now coming into focus. Reference List: Abu-Ghazaleh, M. [@mohammad-abu-ghazaleh-060b05320]. (2025, October 31). Earlier today on our earnings call, I discussed the urgent challenges confronting the banana industry… [LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mohammad-abu-ghazaleh-060b05320_earlier-today-on-our-earnings-call-i-discussed-activity-7389337744302551040-smzR] Shah, S. (2025, August 18). Climate change is coming for your bananas. TIME. https://time.com/7310462/banana-supply-climate-change Voora, V., Bermúdez, S., Farrell, J. J., Larrea, C., & Luna, E. (2023, March). Global market report: Banana prices and sustainability (Sustainable Commodities Marketplace Series). International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2023-03/2023-global-market-report-banana.pdf  Why now: The bloom period concentrates risk from blossom blight (Monilinia laxa) and bacterial blast (Pseudomonas syringae)—and it’s the best time to quantify performance of fungicides, foliar fertilizers, biostimulants, and biologicals under field-real conditions. Our Central Valley program is now booking plots.
Trial Formats (choose your path)
Why Pacific Ag Research for Almonds
Next Steps (windows are limited)
Contact: Brad Booker — [email protected] • (805) 471-0537 or Here  From late fall through early spring, cool, moist coastal weather in Salinas Valley, San Luis Obispo and Guadalupe/Santa Maria reliably drives Septoria apiicola (celery late blight), enabling credible, field-real efficacy data. We’re booking plots now. Quick Specs
Next Steps (windows are limited)
Contact Brad Booker at [email protected] (805) 471-0537 or at our website to hold a plot and request a 48-hr protocol feasibility check.  Why now: From November–March, cool, moisture-rich conditions on the Central Coast reliably drive downy mildew—ideal for generating credible efficacy data on real farms.
Why the Central Coast Works
Trial Formats (Pick What Fits Your Stage) 1) Stand-Alone Trials For later-stage decisions and label-supporting evidence.
2) Add-On Trials For early signals or cost-efficient comparisons.
What You Can Expect
Next Steps (Windows Are Limited)
Request availability & protocol review Contact Brad Booker at [email protected] or (805) 471-0537 or through our website  Summary: Michigan Ag Research is accepting projects for winter greenhouse (GH) assays targeting Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) and Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). These controlled studies help product developers and breeders generate decision-ready data before field season. Why winter GH assays? Greenhouse assays provide tight environmental control and reliable pathogen/nematode pressure, enabling rapid iteration on formulations, rates, and placements. Running in winter means you can refine programs now and head into spring trials with greater confidence.
Study design & execution
Data & reporting
Typical timelines
Best-fit use cases
Get started Tell us your target pest/disease, product class, endpoints, and timeline. We’ll propose a right-sized design with sample sizes, controls, and reporting milestones. Michigan Ag Research (Albion, MI) Contact: Brian Cortright at (517) 857-2676 [email protected] FAQs: Winter Greenhouse Assays for Soybean (SCN & SDS)
 Albion, Michigan - October 25, 2025. Michigan Ag Research is opening winter bioassay capacity in our new laboratory facilities with access to heated greenhouses, enabling rapid screening, rate determination, and protocol refinement ahead of spring field programs. Sponsors can secure data in as little as 3 weeks from trial initiation (program dependent). Beyond standard assays, we routinely develop and customize bioassay protocols to match sponsor goals—especially helpful for smaller organizations that want guidance on study design, intake, and analysis. Why Winter Bioassays Winter bioassays allow R&D teams to triage candidates, confirm dose–response and effective rates, and streamline decisions before large-scale field trials. By answering key questions under controlled laboratory conditions, only the most promising products advance to greenhouse or field. Protocol development & customization (for sponsors who want guidance) We translate your goals into a tight, testable plan:
Assay Platforms & Formats
Heated Greenhouses for Step-Up Work Michigan Ag Research’s heated greenhouses support larger-scale confirmations and plant production for laboratory assays, creating a smooth progression from lab → greenhouse → field as needed. Turnaround & Scheduling
Typical Study Designs & Endpoints
Reporting & Deliverables Sponsors receive a methods summary, raw data, tables/figures, and statistics (e.g., ANOVA/GLM with post-hoc tests), plus an executive summary that recommends rates and next steps. How to Engage
Reserve Your Winter Start Window Winter start windows are now being assigned. Michigan Ag Research (Albion, MI) Contact: Brian Cortright at (517) 857-2676 [email protected] Matt Hiles at (989) 860-5992 [email protected] FAQWhat types of winter bioassays can you run?
Diet, detached-leaf, and leaf-disk formats under controlled laboratory conditions, with access to many common insect species; including topical and precision applications and exclusion assays. How fast can I get results? Programs can deliver data in as little as 3 weeks from trial initiation, depending on design and endpoints. Can studies transition to greenhouse or field? Yes. Heated greenhouses support step-up work and plant production, and studies can progress to field as appropriate. What study designs are typical? Rate–response series, head-to-head candidate comparisons, and staged screening funnels with confirmatory follow-ups. What’s included in the report? Methods, raw data, summary tables/figures, statistics, and an executive summary with rate recommendations and next steps.  Tanishka Aglave, a student at Strawberry Crest High School and daughter of Dr. Balaji Aglave, Research Director at Florida Ag Research, was awarded the 2025 President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a new approach to managing Citrus Greening Disease (Huanglongbing, HLB) At Florida Ag Research, we are proud to support the next generation of scientists whose work is shaping the future of agriculture. That commitment was recently recognized nationally when Tanishka Aglave, daughter of our Research Director Dr. Balaji Aglave, received the 2025 President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Her project, “Reviving Citrus, Reviving Florida,” explored an eco-friendly solution to Citrus Greening Disease (Huanglongbing, HLB) — the bacterial disease that has devastated Florida’s citrus industry. The work was carried out in Florida Ag Research’s laboratories and groves in Thonotosassa, underscoring the role our facilities play in advancing field-based science. Promising Results for Growers Using qPCR diagnostics, chlorophyll analysis, gas exchange measurements, and regression modeling, Tanishka’s trials demonstrated a 63% reduction in disease severity and a 95% improvement in plant vigor with a biological formulation derived from curry leaf extract (Murraya koenigii). Research showed that this formulation could be used on its own or rotated with oxytetracycline, offering growers both a cost-effective and sustainable tool for HLB management. Beyond the Science The project extended well beyond the research plots. Tanishka partnered with the Citrus Research and Development Foundation’s Grove-First initiative, worked alongside USDA scientists and citrus growers, delivered presentations at grower meetings, and authored a children’s book, The Story of Oranges, to raise awareness about citrus health with younger audiences. In Their Words “This recognition is a reflection of the scientists who inspired and guided me. I am deeply grateful to the Florida Ag Research team and to Dr. Frank V. Sances, President & CEO of Ag Metrics Group, for providing the scientific foundation that enabled me to contribute to the fight against Citrus Greening.” — Tanishka Aglave “As a scientist, I am proud of the rigor behind Tanishka’s work. By applying qPCR diagnostics and precision crop physiology tools, she demonstrated a viable eco-friendly alternative to synthetic antibiotics for HLB management. As a father, it is rewarding to see her pursue this work with passion and commitment.” — Dr. Balaji Aglave, Research Director, Florida Ag Research Supporting Future Innovation HLB remains one of the most pressing challenges in Florida agriculture. By providing facilities, mentorship, and scientific expertise, Florida Ag Research is proud to play a role in supporting the young scientists whose ideas and innovation will help safeguard the future of citrus. For more information about the research results, please contact Florida Ag Research at https://www.agmetricsgroup.com/contact Read the full press release here: 
 As regulatory uncertainty surrounds the future registration of the widely used fungicide Thiram, crop production in Florida and throughout the Southeastern U.S. faces a critical need for alternative disease management tools. Nowhere is this need greater than with strawberries, where Thiram is relied upon heavily for management of Neopestalotiopsis. Thiram has also been an important fungicide and resistance management component across many other Southeastern crops, including tomatoes, cucurbits, peppers, eggplant, and ornamentals—all of which require proactive research in light of this regulatory change.
Our integrated program emphasizes:
Leveraging over 45 years of plant pathology expertise, Florida Ag Research and the Ag Metrics Group companies combine proven field protocols with precise laboratory bioassays to deliver statistically validated efficacy data. This ensures product developers can confidently assess performance, spectrum of activity, and potential integration into Florida’s commercial and export-driven systems. We welcome inquiries from product developers interested in advancing next-generation disease management solutions across multiple Southeastern specialty crops. Connect with our team: https://www.agmetricsgroup.com/contact.html?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=strawberryneopesta #FloridaAgResearch #StrawberryResearch #FungicideTrials #DiseaseManagement #PlantPathology #CropProtection #AgInnovation #SpecialtyCrops #AgResearch #SustainableAg  Florida Ag Research is expanding the research portfolio with dedicated field trials evaluating ripener programs in sugarcane. These studies are designed to quantify the effects on sugar content at harvest, reductions in lodging and improve plant size and stem girth.
Ripener evaluation protocols will measure:
Trials incorporate standardized sampling and laboratory analysis to accurately estimate the production value. Florida Ag Research has the capability to apply ripeners with precision while capturing detailed physiological and yield response. Our team utilizes both field-based ratings and laboratory quality analyses to provide comprehensive insights for product developers. |
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