In the Environmental Horticulture Department at UF, the main focus of researchers who conduct plant molecular biology experiments is to gain a basic understanding of how plants respond to various environmental stresses. In combination with the latest methods of biotechnology, our researchers use biochemical, and physiological approaches to understand and solve problems associated with environmental stress in a number of economically important plant species. Our goal is to develop an understanding of what happens to plants in response to stress at all levels ranging from the whole plant to the gene level. This information will be used to allow for efficient genetic engineering of plants that will tolerate stresses better, both during and after commercial production and use