Our speaker in April is Garima Kakkar. The topic is the work UF does on citrus problems and possible solutions.

Ms. Kakkar has been a part of University of Florida/IFAS since 2008 when she started her master’s degree program on integrated management of horticultural pests at the TREC-University of Florida in Homestead. Her research was focused on invasive whitefly and thrips management on several important vegetable crops including beans, cucumber, pepper, squash, and tomatoes grown in Miami-Dade area. On completion of MS program, she proceeded with her doctoral research at FLREC, UF focused on the management of Formosan subterranean termites. During her brief Post-doctoral research period at USHRL, Ft. Pierce, she worked on vector-mediated plant diseases of tomatoes and beans in South Florida. Currently, she is stationed at St. Lucie UF/IFAS extension office and her primary responsibility is to help citrus growers in Indian River and St. Lucie counties.​