Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society HWY107 FM 88 / Texas Blvd. HWY 83 HWY 281 72nd ANNUAL MEETING of the Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society (formerly: Subtropical Plant Science Society & Rio Grande Valley Horticultural Society) February 9, 2018 at the Rio Farms Inc. 25601 North FM 88 Monte Alto, TX Rio Farms, Inc. 25601 North FM 88 Monte Alto, TX Thank you to our sponsor at Bayer CropScience

Subtropical Agriculture and Environments Society Program Venue: Rio Farms, Inc. 25601 North FM 88 Monte Alto, TX Moderator: Dr Debbie Villalon, President of SAES SAES Board of Directors Executive Officers 2017 2018 Nominees President Debbie Villalon Madhura Kunta President-Elect Madhura Kunta Michelle Garcia Secretary John Goolsby John Goolsby Treasurer John da Graca John da Graca Section Directors 2017 Fruits, Catherine Simpson, Texas A&M Kingsville Vegetables, Kranthi Manadi, Texas A&M Agrilife Research Plant Science, Sonia Irigoye, Danielle Sekula Entomology, Chris Vitek, UTRGV Plant Pathology, Veronica Ancona, Texas A&M Kingsville Animal Science, Michelle Garcia, Texas A&M Kingsville Ecology, Alex Racelis, Univ. of Texas, UTRGV Molecular Biology, Dan Murray, South Texas College Poster Program, Robert Saldana & Veronica Ancona, Texas A&M Kingsville Outreach, Ashley Gregory, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Executive secretary, Teresa Gonzales, Texas A&M Kingsville Section Directors 2018 Nominees Fruits, Cheri Abraham, U.S. Citrus Vegetables, Brad Christoffersen, UTRGV Plant Science, Danielle Sekula, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Animal Science, Tanner Michado, Texas A&M Kingsville Molecular Biology, Evan Braswell, USDA-APHIS Poster Program, Veronica Ancona and Jim Hearn, Texas A&M Kingsville Webmaster, Robert Saldana, Texas A&M Kingsville Outreach, Ashley Gregory, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, Debbie Villalon, South Texas College Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief, Alex Racelis, Univ. of Texas, Rio Grande Valley Managing Editor, Madhura Kunta, Texas A&M – Kingsville – Citrus Center Fruits, Dr. Eliezer Louzada, Texas A&M Kingsville – Citrus Center, Weslaco Vegetables, Dr. John Jifon , Texas A&M Agrilife Research – Weslaco Agronomy, Dr. Shad Nelson, Texas A&M Kingsville Plant Pathology, Dr. Femi Alabi, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension – Weslaco Entomology: Dr. Mamoudou Setamou, Texas A&M Kingsville – Citrus Center Dr. Hugh Conway, USDA-APHIS, Edinburg, TX Ecology, Dr. Alex Racelis, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley Irrigation, Dr. Juan Enciso, Texas Agrilife Research – Weslaco Environmental Science, Dr. David Ruppert, Texas A&M Kingsville Animal Science, Dr. Michelle Garcia, Texas A&M Kingsville Molecular Biology, Dr. Janisete Silva Miller, Univ. Estadual de Santa Cruz, Brazil Time Titles & Speakers 07:45-08:20 Registration: $25 Students, $45 Individual, $35 for Institutional registrations of 5 or more 08:20-08:30 Introductions: Debbie Villalon, President 08:30-09:00 Barry Goldsmith, NOAA, Meteorological update for LRGV agriculture 09:00- 9:30 Shad Nelson, Advancing Student Learning Opportunities in the Agricultural and Biological Sciences through Hispanic Serving Institutional Collaborations 9:30-9:50 Hugh Conway, APHIS, Mexican Fruit Fly –Aerial release of Mexican fruit fly by Drone (UAV) 9:50-10:45 Break and Poster Session 10:45-11:05 Robert Miller, Areawide management of Cattle Fever Tick in Puerto Rico 11:05-11:25 Randy Stanko, Utilization of Hair Sheep as an alternative small ruminant in South Texas 11:25-11:45 Larry Smith, Update on Boll Weevil Eradication in the LRGV and Tamualipas 11:45-12:05 Sonja Swiger, Extension, CDC center for excellence in vector borne disease 12:05-12:25 Ninfa Ramos, Development of Some Strategies for the Control of Spodoptera sp. 12:25-1:00 Lunch 1:00 – 1:30 SAES: Election of new officers & Potts Award 2:00 -3:00 Student presentations 3:00-4:00 Tour of Rio Farms