Wu, Xingbo

Specialist

assistant professor, ornamental breeding, genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL

TREC profile

Publications

Indigo from Indigofera spp.: Historical and Cultural Overview

Pamela Moon, Yuncong Li, Geoffrey Meru, Wagner Vendrame, Terence Molnar, and Xingbo Wu

This EDIS publication is to introduce indigo as a new economic crop in south Florida. It highlights the historical and cultural background, including identification and distribution, uses, and history of indigo. The information included in this publication could be of interest to researchers, students, extension agents, growers, the dye industry, and the public.

Vanilla Growing in South Florida

Xingbo Wu, Pamela Moon, Alan Chambers, and Jonathan Crane

Vanilla extract is popular around the world as an ingredient in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications. The botanical source of vanilla extract is primarily the cured beans of Vanilla planifolia. The United States is the world's largest importer of vanilla beans, but domestic production is minimal. Southern Florida has a favorable growing environment for vanilla cultivation. Though currently there is no commercial production of vanilla in southern Florida, it has the potential to be a highly profitable crop in the future. This publication aims to provide basic information to growers interested in establishing a vanillery.

Cultivo de vainilla en el sur de Florida

Xingbo Wu, Pamela Moon, Alan Chambers, y Jonathan Crane; traducido por Alejandra Taco Vilatuna

El extracto de vainilla es popular en el mundo entero como un ingrediente usado en comida, cosméticos y aplicaciones farmacéuticas. La fuente botánica del extracto de vainilla es principalmente las vainas curadas de Vanilla planifolia. Estados Unidos es el mayor importador mundial de vainas de vainilla, pero la producción nacional es mínima. Por otra parte, el sur de la Florida tiene un clima de crecimiento favorable para este cultivo y aunque actualmente no hay producción comercial en la región, el potencial rentable de este rubro en el futuro es bastante alto. Esta publicación tiene como objetivo proporcionar información básica a los los productores interesados en establecer una plantación de vainilla en Florida.