Agricultural and Life Sciences (IFAS)
Nunez Lab
Led by Gerardo H. Nunez · Horticultural Sciences
What we study
The Nunez Lab studies how agronomic practices, climate, and crop genetics affect berry crops like blueberries, using agricultural and biochemical methods. Students work on research, cultivation, and communication skills.
What working here is like
- Wet lab
- Fieldwork
- Plants
- Coding helps
- Projects
- 2
- Papers
- 6
Current projects
It's All in the Berries: Parthenocarpic Fruit Development in Everbearing Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids)
The lab investigates how temperature affects seedless blueberry fruit in fall. The student recorded fruit weight and seed count weekly from weeks 43‑48 for two cultivars, finding most fruit were seedless and that FL16‑64 produced larger fruit especially weeks 43‑46.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 437
Assessing Cuticular Conductance in Southern Highbush Blueberry Leaves
Researchers measured how much water leaves of different blueberry varieties lose through their cuticle, finding differences that could help growers choose varieties that stay hydrated in Florida’s hot climate.
From the Spring 2025 UF Undergraduate Research Symposium · abstract book, p. 81
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- Can Spectral Indexes Be Used to Estimate Chlorophyll Concentrations in Southern Highbush Blueberry?
2026 · HortScience
Checks if spectral indexes can estimate chlorophyll levels in southern highbush blueberry leaves.
- Establishing New Southern Highbush Blueberry Plantings in Florida
2026 · EDIS
Guides Florida growers on setting up new southern highbush blueberry fields.
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- Canopy architecture and its effect on light interception in southern highbush blueberry
2026 · Scientia Horticulturae
Measures how blueberry canopy traits affect light capture and growth.
- Initial soil phosphorus status governs potato yield and nutrient uptake responses to fertilization in P-enriched sandy soils
2026 · Journal of Agriculture and Food Research
Shows how potato yield and nutrient uptake change with phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer in sandy soil.
- Inactivation of Pythium aphanidermatum Zoospores Using Cold Plasma and Ozone under Laboratory Conditions
2026 · HortScience
Tests how cold plasma and ozone kill Pythium aphanidermatum zoospores in water.
- Propagation of Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum) and Hybrid (Southern Highbush Blueberry × Sparkleberry) Rootstocks from Softwood Stem Cuttings in Florida, USA
2026 · HortScience
Tests if softwood cuttings can grow sparkleberry and hybrid blueberry plants.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
Gerardo H. Nunez hasn't set up this page yet. Their UF Scholars profile lists their publications.