Agricultural and Life Sciences (IFAS)
Sargent Lab
Led by Steven A. Sargent · Horticultural Sciences
What we study
The Sargent Lab studies how postharvest operations affect the quality and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables, focusing on techniques and technologies to reduce losses during harvest, handling, and storage.
What working here is like
- Wet lab
- Plants
- Project
- 1
- Papers
- 5
Current projects
Impact of postharvest operations on crop quality and safety
Researching how handling and storage affect fresh produce quality and safety.
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- Characterization of Senescence-associated Genes in Lactuca sativa With Respect to Shelf Life
2026 · Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society
Investigates gene expression changes in lettuce during postharvest storage to understand shelf life differences.
- Ripening Rate and Quality of Selected Tropical Fruits Under Extreme Home Ambient Conditions
2026 · Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society
Tests ripening quality of tropical fruits under extreme home conditions, finding mangoes and passionfruit last longest.
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- Combined application of calcium lactate and pectin methylesterase maintains strawberry firmness and extends postharvest shelf life
2026 · Postharvest Biology and Technology
Shows combining calcium lactate and pectin methylesterase increases strawberry firmness by 48% after 3 days.
- Enhancing peel color of vine-harvested purple passion fruit while promoting ripening via manipulation of storage temperature
2026 · Applied Food Research
Finds storing vine-harvested passion fruit at 10°C for 21 days increases peel anthocyanin levels by 385%.
- Postharvest Lettuce Discoloration: Current Understanding and Future Directions
2026 · Agriculture
Reviews causes and methods for studying lettuce discoloration, noting inconsistent terminology and study designs.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
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