Gulf Coast Research and Education Center

Researcher in protective gear handling plant samples in a lab, close-up of a small caterpillar on a leaf, and a scientist examining leafy plants in a growth room.

Dr. Hugh Smith's Laboratory

Overview:

Welcome to Dr. Hugh Smith's lab! The vegetable entomology extension program at GCREC provides training in identifying pest and beneficial arthropods, methods for scouting and managing arthropod pests, and information on managing the development of insecticide resistance among pests of horticultural crops.

We focus on conducting basic and applied research on pests affecting vegetable production in Florida.

What We Do:

Hugh Smith specializes in integrated pest management with an emphasis on vegetable pests. His research focuses on management of:

Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)
Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella)
Thrips (Thysanoptera)
Spider Mites (Tetranychidae)

Our lab works on integrated management of key pests of Florida’s horticultural crops including tomato, watermelon, brassicas and snap beans.

Impact:

Dr. Smith’s program evaluates insecticide resistance and efficacy for key pests of horticultural crops, and incorporates biological control, biopesticides and host plant resistance to promote sustainable pest management solutions for Florida’s specialty crop growers. With Spanish and English resources, Dr. Smith's team looks to reach audiences across the globe.

Dr. Hugh Smith wearing a black shirt smiling outdoors with blurred tomato plants in the background.

Contact

Dr. Hugh Smith
Rm. 131
Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
14625 CR 672
Wimauma, FL 33598
813-419-6588
hughasmith@ufl.edu

Current Lab Members

Ryan Batts, Lab Manager
Mariana Monteiro de Souza Barros, PhD
Eduarda Buiati Saores, MS