Fisher, Paul R.
0000-0002-1463-0746

Specialist

professor and Extension specialist, floriculture, UF/IFAS Department of Environmental Horticulture, Gainesville, FL

Publications

Ginger, Galangal, and Turmeric Production in Florida

Paul Fisher, Rosanna Freyre, Celina Gómez, Brian Pearson, Tatiana Sanchez-Jones, Shawn Steed, Wanda Laughlin, Robert Hochmuth, Jeff Wasielewski, Deah Lieurance, Carrie Harmon, Mathews Paret, Lance Osborne, Kevin Athearn, Steven Sargent, Mengzi Zhang

Ginger, galangal, and turmeric (Figure 1) are emerging crops for Florida production. All of these plants are in the Zingiberaceae family and share most aspects of their production. This publication describes production in containers or the field under Florida conditions to help guide growers interested in ginger, turmeric, and galangal production or expanding their market. All species have been evaluated by the UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas (UF/IFAS Assessment) using the Predictive Tool (an invasion risk assessment) and all present a low risk of invasion in Florida (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu).

Meeting US Nursery and Greenhouse Growers' Needs with Water Conservation Extension Programs

Laura A. Sanagorski Warner, Alexa J. Lamm, Sarah A. White, Paul R. Fisher, and Peyton N. Beattie

Nursery and greenhouse growers comprise an important sector of United States agriculture that is uniquely situated to conserve water while growing plants that provide many social and environmental benefits. In order for Extension professionals to effectively help growers use water conservation technologies, it is important to understand the knowledge level and adoption rates growers have surrounding different water conservation techniques. It is also important to understand how grower perceptions of water conservation strategies relate to their adoption. In this publication, we present results of a study designed to understand the knowledge level, adoption rate, and levels of continuance associated with eight water conservation technologies among nursery and greenhouse growers. We also examined whether five characteristics of these technologies (trialability, complexity, compatibility, relative advantage, and observability) predicted grower adoption. This information is intended for us

Potential Markets for Florida Ginger

Kevin Athearn, Jonathan Adam Watson, Paul Fisher, Maria Paz Kinslow, Marina Burani-Arouca, Brian Pearson, and Celina Gómez

This publication explores the potential markets for ginger (Zingiber officinale) grown in Florida, focusing on opportunities in fresh produce, food and beverage ingredients, and nursery markets. Ginger is widely used in a variety of culinary dishes and wellness products, primarily consumed as the rhizome, or ginger root. The US fresh produce market for ginger is dominated by imports from China, Peru, and Brazil, making price competition challenging. Florida ginger producers face significant competition, but by focusing on quality, differentiation, and exploring niche markets, they can enhance profitability.