About MREC
Welcome to the Mid-Florida Research & Education Center
Located in the heart of Florida’s greenhouse and nursery industry, the University of Florida Institution of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) opened in 1986 after combining three existing research centers into one.
As one of 12 UF/IFAS research and education centers, MREC specializes in foliage and ornamental plant production. Researchers at MREC focus on key areas of horticulture production and management, including plant physiology, breeding and genetics, integrated pest management, consumer economics, and water management. The center also houses an Extension-run plant clinic, offering science-based guidance to industry professionals and homeowners.
History of MREC
As part of UF/IFAS' commitment to Florida growers and producers, each of the original units was established to address various industry concerns:
- 1929 - Leesburg: Conduct research on vegetable and fruit crops in the areas of breeding, plant pathology, entomology, developmental biology, and horticulture.
- 1933 - Sanford: Conduct research on ornamental plants, vegetable crops on sand and organic soils, and ecology of midges. Research areas include plant pathology, horticulture, and entomology.
- 1968 - Apopka: Conduct research on environmental horticulture crops in the areas of nutrition, water use, breeding, plant pathology, entomology, economics, and general plant culture.
In order to better meet industry-wide needs, the three centers were combined to enable researchers to more easily share information and provide a central location for Central Florida growers and producers.