Virology
The large number of crops under study by Florida plant virologists
reflects the state's agricultural diversity. These include field
crops (especially field corn, peanuts, and forage legumes), fruit
crops /citrus and papaya), and vegetables (celery, cucumbers, lettuce,
peppers, tropical root crops, sweet corn, and tomato), and ornamentals
(gladiolus, lilies, orchids). 
Work on selected potyviruses, closteroviruses, and geminiviruses has involved the identification of gene functions of viral-specified proteins, as well as physical localization of the coding sequences on the viral genome. This involves the cloning of the viral genome, sequencing, in vitro translation, expression of the cloned cDNAs in non-host plants, and the development of serological probes using proteins expressed in bacteria.
IFAS plant virologists maintain an active virus research program
which began over 
25
years ago. 
Recent emphasis has been on 1 ) the characterization of
new viruses, 2) development of techniques for their diagnosis, 3)
basic research on their genetics and biochemical properties, and
4) development and implementation of control measures for the state's
most troublesome viruses.