What do plants, squashing things, and Indiana Jones have in common? Plant Breeding, of course!

For centuries, humans have utilized forms of plant breeding to help promote desirable traits of food crops and ornamental plants. In the present day, plant breeders can do so much more. In this month's podcast, we are joined by Dr Brooks Parrish, a recent Ph.D. graduate from the University of Florida's Environmental Horticulture Department. Dr Parrish visited with Alyssa and Taylor to share his research, his Caladium discovery, cool plant breeding techniques, and a little about genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Alyssa and Taylor also discovered a new career path...(the Indiana Jones reference).

In urban or urbanizing areas, many variables influence stormwater, watershed hydrology, irrigation, and landscape maintenance. Understanding the connections between these variables is seemingly cumbersome. Luckily, UF/IFAS Extension's Dr Eban Bean, an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Urban Water Resources Engineering, helps us "go with the flow" through his innovative solutions in addressing our state's vital water resources. Join us for this episode, as Alyssa and Taylor discuss Dr Bean's innovative research programs in extension.

Lichen - an enigmatic species present in all corners of the globe. Its unique relationship, a combination of fungi and cyanobacteria/algae, mistifies many. Often blamed as a disease impacting plants in our landscapes, it is rather, a vital component to our landscapes, including many insects and birds. Join us for this bonus episode, as a follow-up to Dr Matt Smith's episode, as we explore all things Lichen with Laurel Kaminisky, an assistant University Librarian with the Marston Science Library specializing in Florida's lichen species.