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Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in the U.S. as well as more serious invasive diseases, including bacteremia, sepsis, endocarditis, surgical site infections, osteomyelitis, and pneumonia. These infections are exacerbated by the emergence of antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), highlighting the need for alternatives to antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. We have previously developed a multi-component toxoid vaccine (IBT-V02) in a liquid formulation with efficacy against multiple strains of Staphylococcus aureus prevalent in the industrialized world. However, liquid vaccine formulations are not compatible with the paucity of cold chain storage infrastructure in many low-to-middle income countries (LMICs). Furthermore, whether our IBT-V02 vaccine formulations are protective against S. aureus isolates from LMICs is unknown. To overcome these limitations, we developed lyophilized and spray freeze-dried formulations of IBT-V02 vaccine and demonstrated that both formulations had comparable biophysical attributes as the liquid formulation, including similar levels of toxin neutralizing antibodies and protective efficacy against MRSA infections in murine and rabbit models. To enhance the relevancy of our findings, we then performed a multi-dimensional screen of 83 S. aureus clinical isolates from LMICs (e.g., Democratic Republic of Congo, Palestine, and Cambodia) to rationally down-select strains to test in our in vivo models based on broad expression of IBT-V02 targets (i.e., pore-forming toxins and superantigens). IBT-V02 polyclonal antisera effectively neutralized toxins produced by the S. aureus clinical isolates from LMICs. Notably, the lyophilized IBT-V02 formulation exhibited significant in vivo efficacy in various preclinical infection models against the S. aureus clinical isolates from LMICs, which was comparable to our liquid formulation. Collectively, our findings suggested that lyophilization is an effective alternative to liquid vaccine formulations of our IBT-V02 vaccine against S. aureus infections, which has important implications for protection from S. aureus isolates from LMICs.

Haemonchosis is one of the major parasitic infestations in small ruminants and one of the significant causes for loss of production, morbidity and mortality in young sheep and goats. Conventional strategies for the control of haemonchosis involve breaking the life cycle of the worm using anthelmintic drugs, pasture management and animal management. However, indiscriminate and wide use of anthelmintic compounds may attribute to the development of resistance in the parasites. Therefore, a sustainable strategy needs to be implemented to effectively control haemonchosis in goats. One of the ways to achieve this is to breed animals for disease resistance. There are various genetic loci identified in goats that can be uzed as genetic markers to select resistant animals. However, their direct utilization in developing nations and field situations may be difficult due to the higher cost of gene based selection and multifactorial nature of the trait. Hence, breeding for nematode resistance in goats will require a more integrated approach using indicator traits to identify resistant breeds/lines/ animals and then adopting gene-based selection for organized farms.

This publication aims to introduce readers to recent crop yield forecasting approaches based on artificial intelligence (AI) and to provide examples of how AI can potentially improve yield forecasting at the field and regional levels. Written by Clyde Fraisse, Yiannis Ampatzidis, Sandra Guzmán, Wonsuk Lee, Christopher Martinez, Sanjay Shukla, Aditya Singh, and Ziwen Yu, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, April 2022.

COVID-19 – A Global challenge on a scale not previously seen. Reproductive care is essential for the well-being of society and therefore the treatment needs to be completely re-thought and individualised. Infectivity and mortality rates are higher than previous pandemics and the disease is present in almost every country. Propagation and containment have varied widely by location and, at present, the timeline to complete resolution is unknown. With successful mitigation strategies in some areas and emergence of additional data, the societies have sanctioned gradual and judicious resumption of delivery of full reproductive care. When we resume, monitor local conditions, including prevalence of disease, status of government or state regulations, and availability of resource. It is important to implement proactive risk assessment within their practices prior to restarting services. One needs to develop clear and modified plans to ensure the ability to provide care while maximizing the safety of their patients and staff. One should also remain informed and stay current regarding new medical findings. These recommendations provide resources for restarting ART practice again.

This document is about a survey conducted to quantify the implementation of pesticide Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the Gulf Coast Production Area (GCPA) citrus industry. The survey results revealed that most pesticide BMPs are widely adopted, with 13 out of 19 BMPs practiced on at least 80% of the surveyed area. This high adoption rate underscores the growers' awareness of the environmental and health impacts of pesticide use and their commitment to mitigating these effects. Key BMPs, such as targeted pesticide spraying, measures to reduce spray drift, regular equipment inspections, and proper storage practices, are extensively implemented. An informative BMP manual has been developed, and ongoing education and cost-share programs are recommended to support continuous improvement and adaptation to new regulations. Future surveys are suggested to monitor progress and effectiveness of these initiatives. First published Aug. 2010.

Study region: Three districts in crystalline aquifer region of semi-arid south India. Study focus: India, world’s largest groundwater user (250 billion m3 yr−1) has been reported to experience declining groundwater levels. However, the statistical significance of the decline has not been analyzed to separate human effects from natural variability. Trends in groundwater levels in three administrative districts of south India were analyzed and explained through changes in irrigation, rainfall, and agricultural power subsidy. New hydrological insights for the region: Contrary to common perception of widespread groundwater declines only 22–36% of the wells showed statistically significant declines. The use of well depth during dry well periods may slightly underestimate the number of declining wells (by 1%) and rate of decline. Increase in groundwater irrigated area combined with rainfall and power subsidy policy, were the main causative factors for the decline. Groundwater decline after implementation of free-electricity policy in 2004 confirmed the nexus between power subsidy and groundwater. These declines are likely to worsen due to future well drillings. Trends in other regions with similar hydro-geologic conditions need to be analyzed to verify groundwater declines and its linkages with power subsidy. Once established, reforms in power subsidy and well permit policy along with conversion to efficient micro–irrigation may be needed to maintain or enhance groundwater availability in the crystalline aquifer region of India (240 million ha).

Abstract Increasingly, agriculture is recognized as valuable not only for food production, but also for regulating and supporting ecosystem services such as those encompassing biodiversity and water. Various government programs provide incentives to farmers and ranchers to maintain ecosystem services, with an emerging focus on payment‐for‐ecosystem services (PES) programs. However, interactions among ecosystem services, including synergies or trade‐offs, at spatial scales relevant to land managers are not well understood. Here, we examined how a PES program for enhanced water retention on subtropical ranchlands in the headwaters of the Everglades affected seven indicators of ecosystem services and three indicators of disservices within wetlands (local scale) and among wetlands (wetland scale) at four different ranches. We used general linear mixed models and model selection to evaluate the feasibility of explicit, a priori hypotheses using data from 15 wetlands sampled across four participating ranches. Our study indicated that managing for increased water retention could result in both synergies and trade‐offs among ecosystem services. Higher water retention increased wetland plants at both local and wetland scales and was associated with reduced mosquitoes. Trade‐offs included significant declines in forage plant cover and decreases in amphibian abundance with higher water retention. Unimodal non‐linear relationships described responses of macroinvertebrates, fish, mosquito, and non‐native plant abundance to increasing water retention. These complex relationships indicate that optimizing water retention, provisioning services, and wetland biodiversity in ranchlands may not be straightforward. Unimodal non‐linear relationships among water retention and biodiversity suggest there is a threshold of water retention that represents a trade‐off for also maintaining biodiversity. Land use was an important driver of ecosystem disservices, with more intensely managed ranches having a greater potential for ecosystem disservices such as increased cover of non‐native plants, abundant mosquitoes, and lower amphibian abundance. Multidisciplinary collaboration was required to design, implement, monitor, and assess this PES program for trade‐offs and synergies.

Study was conducted to know the presence of bacteriophage in sewage material which can play a very important role during therapy against the some antibiotic resistance organisms. During study waste water samples were collected from different depths of the wastewater collection tanks located in livestock farms of different species (Cattle, pig, goat and poultry). These samples were subjected primarily to rapid detection by streak plate method for the detection of lytic activity followed by primary isolation of phage against two most common bacteria of environment, namely, B. subtilis and E. coli by Double agar layer (DAL) method. Recovery of phages was maximum from pig feces (67%) followed by dairy cattle farm waste (63%), buffalo farm waste (50%), goat farm waste (13%). [Vet. World 2011; 4(3.000): 117-119]

In Florida, watermelon is an important crop that accounts for a significant part of the state’s agricultural water use. Depending on the type of production system and climate, the water use of this crop can vary. In Florida, watermelon is predominantly grown on raised plastic-mulched beds. To develop improved water management and allocation plans, accurate water use estimates for watermelon are needed. Seepage irrigation under plastic mulch is a common production system used to produce watermelon in south and northeast Florida where the water table is shallow. Plastic mulch alters the rainfall entry and soil temperature of the raised beds and can significantly affect evapotranspiration. As there is no information on seepage-irrigated watermelon grown on plastic mulch for subtropical Florida, this 4-page fact sheet summarizes the results from a crop water use study for the seepage-irrigated watermelon in south Florida. Written by Sanjay Shukla and Niroj K. Shrestha, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.

Although Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed to reduce the loss of nutrients, like P, to the environment, limited information exists on the main factors that control P loss to Florida groundwater. For example, while it is generally accepted that both irrigation and fertilizer P impact groundwater P, growers often ask if controlling one is more advantageous than the other in their efforts to reduce P leaching. There exists no easy tool to link fertilizer P input and other factors to groundwater P concentration. This 5-page fact sheet uses long-term data (six growing seasons) from a farm in Immokalee, Florida, to explain the effects of soil and agronomic factors, along with seasonal rainfall, on groundwater P. From these factors are derived simple equations to predict groundwater P concentrations. Written by Sanjay Shukla, Gregory S. Hendricks, Thomas A. Obreza, and Willie Harris, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.

Watermelon is an important crop in Florida and accounts for a significant part of its agricultural water use. Watermelon is grown in open fields and on raised plastic-mulched beds, with the latter being the predominant production system in Florida. Accurate water use estimates for this crop are needed to develop better water allocation and management plans as well as for irrigation management. This publication summarizes the results from a crop water-use study for the drip-irrigated watermelon in south Florida. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Niroj K. Shrestha, Thomas A. Obreza, and Brian J. Boman, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) is an important crop for Florida and accounts for a significant fraction of its agricultural water use. Most of it is produced in south Florida, where the water table is shallow. Seepage irrigation is one of the most common systems used in south Florida for growing plastic-mulched vegetable crops, including bell pepper. Compared with an open field production, covering the soil with impermeable plastic reduces soil evaporation and increases transpiration. This 3-page fact sheet summarizes the results from a crop water use study for the seepage-irrigated pepper in south Florida. Written by Sanjay Shukla, Niroj Shrestha, and Fouad H. Jaber, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2014.

With Florida’s freshwater withdrawals expected to increase by 30% from 2000 to 2030, conservation strategies must be adopted across all water use sectors, including agriculture, to meet future demand. Implementation and proper management of more efficient crop irrigation systems can create significant water savings. Drip irrigation for vegetable production in Florida has been shown to be more efficient than the seepage irrigation (20%–50% efficiency), because drip irrigation supplies water and nutrients directly to the root zone, allowing efficiencies of 80%–90% to be achieved with proper management. Without proper management, however, the use of a drip system in itself does not necessarily translate to increased water and nutrient use efficiency. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla and Nathan Holt, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2014.

On-farm dye tests provide simple, low-cost methods to understand how water and dissolved nutrients (e.g., nitrogen) will move within beds at a given farm. If it is not feasible for the grower to conduct an on-farm dye test, results from a dye test with similar site characteristics—including region, soil type, bed geometry, and drip tape—can be used. The intent of this publication is to explain procedures of a dye test and describe the movement pattern for Immokalee fine sand, a typical soil found in central and south Florida. We also show the effect of antecedent soil moisture on water movement in the bed. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Nathan Holt, and Gregory Hendricks, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2014.

Results of a two-year, four-crop-cycles experiment indicated that the recommended Best Management Practice (BMP) water and fertilizer nitrogen (N) rates for seepage-irrigated tomato in south Florida can reduce water use and N leaching to groundwater without adversely impacting yield. The same is true for watermelon for average rainfall conditions. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Gregory S. Hendricks, Fritz M. Roka, and Thomas A. Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2014. AE503/AE503: Water and Nitrogen BMPs for Tomato and Watermelon: Water Quality and Economics (ufl.edu)

A BMP study was conducted at the research farm of the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, FL. The study evaluated two production systems made up of two levels of water and fertilizer inputs for tomato and watermelon production with seepage irrigation. The average water and P fertilizer rates used by growers in south Florida were contrasted with the recommended BMP rates. Applying BMP-recommended water and phosphorus (P) inputs for seepage-irrigated tomato and watermelon in Florida can reduce water use and P leaching to groundwater without adversely impacting fruit yield. However, given the adverse impacts on watermelon yield due to lower than sufficient levels of K, further research is needed to evaluate the fertilizer recommendations for watermelon, especially K2O rates, to ensure economic viability of farms. Our results showed that adoption of BMP-recommended P rates as a BMP did not reduce crop yield and improved water quality. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Gregory S. Hendricks, Thomas A. Obreza, and Willie G. Harris, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, June 2014. AE504/AE504: BMP—Recommended Water and Phosphorus Inputs for Tomato and Watermelon Can Reduce Environmental Losses of Phosphorus and Save Water (ufl.edu)

BMPs are an important tool in helping the state and individual landowners protect and enhance state’s waters. Given the water quality issues facing Lake Okeechobee and other sensitive water bodies, the importance of BMP implementation has increased since their official establishment as part of the FWRA. In order to ensure that BMPs are reducing nutrient loadings, on-farm research is needed to verify BMP effectiveness. A four-year study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the cow/calf stream fencing BMP. The study concluded that the BMP did reduce the amount of P being discharged from the ranch. This BMP should continue to be included in the cow/calf BMP manual, and, hopefully, its widespread implementation will help the state in meeting its TMDLs. This 3-page fact sheet was written by Sanjay Shukla, Wendy D. Graham, Alan Hodges, and James M. Knowles, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, May 2014. AE501/AE501: Cattle Fencing BMP Can Reduce Phosphorus Loads from Florida Ranches (ufl.edu)

Even though drip irrigation is more efficient than the other irrigation methods, proper system management is crucial if that increased efficiency is going to result in water savings and a viable crop. One important aspect of drip irrigation management for crop success is irrigation scheduling, which includes determining both how much and when to irrigate. The grower can use several different methods to help develop a suitable irrigation schedule. Proper scheduling needs to be implemented to take full advantage of the increased drip irrigation efficiency. Two examples are presented in this 5-page fact sheet for tomatoes and peppers, which are two important vegetable crops in Florida, to demonstrate the use of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficients in developing a drip irrigation schedule. Written by Sanjay Shukla, James M. Knowles, and Niroj K. Shrestha, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, April 2014. AE500/AE500: How to Determine Run Time and Irrigation Cycles for Drip Irrigation: Tomato and Pepper Examples (ufl.edu)

In 2005 we conducted a survey in cooperation with Gulf Citrus Growers Association and FDACS to quantify the current level of Best Management Practices (BMP) implementation and to identify BMPs that might be adopted if a cost-share program was available. This publication describes the survey and discusses the findings regarding nutrient BMPs. This 11-page fact sheet was written by S. Shukla, R.E. Rouse, S.S. Shukla, E.A. Hanlon, K. Portier, and T.A. Obreza, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2010. AE474/AE474: Citrus BMP Implementation in Florida's Gulf Citrus Production Area: Nutrients (ufl.edu)

SL316, a 9-page illustrated guide by Thomas Obreza, Mark Clark, Brian Boman, Tatiana Borisova, Matt Cohen, Michael Dukes, Tom Frazer, Ed Hanlon, Karl Havens, Chris Martinez, Kati Migliaccio, Sanjay Shukla, and Alan Wright, provides a basic, concise, and understandable description of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed numeric nutrient criteria for Florida, the background events that led to its release, some pertinent scientific issues, and implications for the future. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, February 2010.

HS1156, a 14-page white paper from the UF/IFAS Vegetable Fertilizer Task Force, identifies differences between actual fertilization practices and UF/IFAS fertilizer recommendations, especially for vegetables grown with subsurface (Central and South Florida) and overhead (Miami-Dade County) irrigation. The recommendations of the VFTF aim at bridging the gaps between science-based results and the diversity in production systems found in the Florida vegetable industry. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, April 2009. Reviewed June 2012. This document previously published -- Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 119:240-248. HS1156/HS1156: Review of Nutrient Management Systems for Florida Vegetable Producers: A White Paper from the UF/IFAS Vegetable Fertilizer Task Force, 2009 (ufl.edu)

Circular 1497, a 12-page publication by S. Shukla, R. E. Rouse, S. S. Shukla, E. A. Hanlon, K. Portier, and T. A. Obreza, describes a survey conducted by the authors in cooperation with the Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDCAS) to quantify the current level of Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation and to identify BMPs that might be adopted if a cost-share program was available. It discusses the findings regarding water, sediment, and aquatic weed BMPs. Includes tables, additional references, and the survey questions. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, October 2006. CIR 1497/AE405: Citrus BMP Implementation in Florida's Gulf Citrus Production Area: Water, Sediment, and Aquatic Weeds (ufl.edu)

Circular 1454, a 12-page illustrated publication, describes the proper design of screened wells to ensure compatibility with the rest of the irrigation system and long life, efficiency, and economic operation. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, October 2006. Circular 1/CH166: Design and Construction of Screened Wells for Agricultural Irrigation Systems (ufl.edu)

Circular 1495, an 11-page illustrated publication by Brian Boman and Sanjay Shukla, gives equations and examples for measuring depth and volume of water, describes several devices and techniques for measuring flow. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, October 2006. Circular 1/CH153: Water Measurement for Agricultural Irrigation and Drainage Systems (ufl.edu)

SL-234, a 7-page illustrated fact sheet by R.M. Muchovej, E.A. Hanlon, T. Obreza, M. Ozores-Hampton, F.M. Roka, S. Shukla, H. Yamataki, and K. Morgan, reviews those challenges facing citrus growers dealing with soils, water management, and nutrients. The authors describe evolving strategies to efficiently produce citrus in southwest Florida on variable mineral soils. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, February 2006. SL-234/SS453: Citrus Production on the Sandy Soils of Southwest Florida (ufl.edu)

ABE-370, a 7-page illustrated fact sheet by Sanjay Shukla and Fouad H. Jaber, defines recharge, discusses factors affecting it and methods to estimate it, and discusses the results from a study that investigated recharge from an agricultural area in south Florida. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2006.

Circular 1494, a 9-page illustrated circular by Sanjay Shukla, Edward A. Hanlon, Fouad H. Jaber, Peter J. Stoffella, Thomas A. Obreza, and Monica Ozores-Hampton, explores the use of several compost sources in vegetable production fields at Ft. Pierce and Homestead, Florida. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, August 2006. CIR 1494/AE400: Groundwater Nitrogen: Behavior in Flatwoods and Gravel Soils Using Organic Amendments for Vegetable Production (ufl.edu)

Circular 1493, a 6-page circular by Sanjay Shukla and Fouad H. Jaber illustrated with maps and graphs, discusses the feasibility of using water from an alternative source of water supply for southern Florida that is usually not considered -- water held in urban/agricultural storm water detention/retention (impoundment) areas. The authors describe the results of a feasibility study of an impoundment in a citrus grove in the southern part of the Caloosahatchee River Basin. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2006. CIR1493/AE398: Stormwater as an Alternative Source of Water Supply: Feasibility and Implications for Watershed Management (ufl.edu)

This document integrates information that was presented at the Sand Land Workshop, 2003, dealing with vegetable production on mineral soils of southwest Florida. The intent of this document is to review those challenges facing vegetable growers dealing with soils, water management, and nutrients. Certain available strategies are evolving to efficiently produce vegetables in southwest Florida on variable mineral soils and are reviewed herein. This document is SL-233, one of a series of the Department of Soil and Water Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 2005. SL-233/SS452: Management of Soil and Water for Vegetable Production in Southwest Florida (ufl.edu)

This document integrates information that was presented at the Sand Land Workshop, held at the Dallas B. Townsend Hendry County Extension Center, LaBelle, Florida, 2003, dealing with the production of sugarcane on the mineral soils of southwest Florida. This document reviews challenges facing sugarcane growers dealing with soils, water management, and nutrients. Effective strategies, which are evolving to efficiently produce sugarcane in southwest Florida on mineral soils, are reviewed in this publication. This document is SL 230, a fact sheet of the Soil and Water Science Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date October 2005.

Chemical application through irrigation systems is called chemigation. Chemicals used can include a variety, such as fertilizer, insecticides, fumigants, and soil amendments. Chemicals can be any substance which is intended for agricultural purpose. Some of these chemicals are termed as toxic chemicals and include pesticides whose labels bear the signal words "Danger" and/or "Poison." This document is Circular 1403, one of a series of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: July 2004. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ch184

Hydraulics is the study of the behavior of liquids as they move through channels or pipes. Hydraulic principles govern the flow of water through irrigation pipes. A basic understanding of these principles is necessary for understanding the design and operation of irrigation systems. This publication provides an introduction to hydraulics as it relates to citrus microirrigation. This document is Circular 1425, one of a series of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date: May 2004. Cir1425/CH156: Hydraulic Considerations for Citrus Microirrigation Systems (ufl.edu)

This document, Cir 1424, is one of a series of the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date February 2001. CIR1424/CH171: Materials and Installation of Delivery Pipes for Irrigation Systems (ufl.edu)

Circular 1405 addresses the critical aspects of detention/retention for citrus stormwater management. Authored by experts in agricultural and biological engineering, soil and water science, and the Florida Department of Agriculture, this publication offers guidance on surface water management regulations, soil and vegetation considerations, floodplain encroachment, off-site discharge planning, and permit requirements for agricultural projects in Florida. The document emphasizes the importance of balancing water resource management to protect Florida's water resources while supporting agricultural development.