Mission:
The Kika de la Garza Subtropical Agricultural Research Center's (KSARC) mission is to increase food and fiber productivity by developing new technology for safe and efficient agricultural production methods and by conserving natural resources and protecting the environment. The Center's four interactive research units accomplish this objective through work on (1) Pollination and pests of honey bees; (2) Biological control methods to identify and defeat present and potential pest threats to Rio Grande Valley agriculture; (3) Organic farming systems utilizing holistic approaches to healthy and nutritious food production; (4) Quarantine treatments of subtropical fruits and vegetables; (5) Post harvest treatments of produce for disinfestations by non-chemical means; (6) Aerial remote sensing of agricultural problems; and (7) Pesticide tolerance of vegetable, ornamental, and specialty crops for registration labeling and EPA compliance.