User:Rhuanito.ferrarezi/sandbox/Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi

= Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi =

Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi (born May 18th, 1979) is an Associate Professor of Controlled Environment Agriculture at the Department of Horticulture in the University of Georgia. He is actively involved in educating and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and visiting scholars to advance horticultural science through basic and applied research. Ferrarezi mission is to perform cutting-edge research and prepare the next generation of horticultural workers and scientists by assuring that they have the tools to understand and optimize the sustainability of Controlled Environment Agriculture. He had previously served as an Assistant Professor of Citrus Horticulture at the Horticultural Science Department in the University of Florida, leading a successful research and extension program focused on fresh grapefruit production in the Indian River Citrus District.

Early life and education
Ferrarezi was born in Jarinu, São Paulo, Brazil. He has obtained his B.S. degree in Agronomy Engineering from Santa Catarina State University in 2002. After that, he obtained a Masters in Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture from the Agronomic Institute in 2006. Ferrarezi earned his Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from University of Campinas, School of Agricultural Engineering in 2013 with the dissertation ” Water and nutritional management for Rangpur Lime production in subirrigation benches automated by capacitance sensors”, with a visiting scholar period at University of Georgia.

Career
After finishing his Ph.D., Ferrarezi stayed at University of Georgia as a fifteen-month Postdoctoral Research Fellow from September 2014 to December 2015, and then moved to the University of the Virgin Islands in the beautiful island of St. Croix as a Research Assistant Professor from January 2015 to September 2016.

Ferrarezi was offered a position as an Assistant Professor (70% Research and 30% Extension) at University of Florida, where he built a strong program of Citrus Horticulture at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC) in Fort Pierce, Florida. He developed an independent and recognized program focusing on production issues confronting fresh grapefruit producers in the Indian River Citrus District. His emphasis was on management strategies to fight citrus greening disease, or Huanglongbing (HLB), by using enhanced irrigation and fertilization techniques, conducting scion and rootstock performance variety trials, and discovering new or modified cultural practices to improve citrus production such as the modification of grove architecture by using high-density tree plantings and citrus under protective screen (CUPS) systems. Ferrarezi’s overall research goal was to maximize fruit yield and quality using sustainable horticultural practices even when under pressure from pests and diseases. His Extension duties involved methods to support citrus producers with their efforts in protecting citrus from HLB. Specific extension responsibilities include developing recommendations and programs for advanced horticultural practices and implementation of new citrus scion and rootstocks and assisting county extension faculty in their citrus production-related programs.

On August 1, 2021 Ferrarezi began his tenure as an Associate Professor (70% Research and 30% Teaching) at the University of Georgia. He is building a nationally and internationally recognized program of Controlled environment agriculture focusing on irrigation, plant nutrition, hydroponics, and other cropping systems working with horticultural specialty crops, including edible, medicinal, and ornamental plants in indoor systems.

Research
Ferrarezi’s main area is Controlled Environment Agriculture with an emphasis on irrigation, mineral nutrition, sap analysis, and cropping systems. His research area focuses on precision irrigation using soil moisture sensors, ebb-and-flow subirrigation, development of technological tools to improve irrigation management, plant nutrition management, variety screening, and adaptation to Controlled Environment Agriculture, and advanced cultural practices focusing on new technologies. Research in my lab focuses on developing new technologies for Controlled Environment Agriculture production to enhance ornamental and vegetal crop production in Georgia and the U.S. I am also interested in hydroponics, aquaponics, and sustainable agriculture.

Teaching
Dr. Ferrarezi teaches HORT 3200: Hydroponics and Controlled Environment Horticulture (taught in the Spring). The course focuses on the principles and practices of agricultural systems that modify the natural environment to enhance and optimize crop production. The emphasis will be on edible horticultural crops and cover both soil and soilless growing methods, including hydroponics.

Dr. Ferrarezi also teaches HORT 4050/6050: Greenhouse Management I (taught in the Fall). The course focuses on the principles and practices of producing potted greenhouse plants, bedding plants, and cut flowers—emphasis placed on production practices, environmental and operational management, and cost estimation.

Extension
Ferrarezi has organized the Florida Citrus Show for five years, has contributed with numerous outreach publications at the UF/IFAS Electronic Data Information System, Citrus Industry Magazine , and the Indian River Citrus League River Ramblings newsletters.

International

 * International Society of Horticultural Sciences/ISHS (2019-Present)
 * International Society of Citriculture/ISC (2016-2020)
 * Brazilian Society of Ornamental Horticulture and Landscaping/SBFPO (2015-2016)
 * Brazilian Society of Agricultural Engineering /SBEA (2011-2014)
 * European Agriculture Engineering Association/EurAgEng (2012-2014)

National

 * American Association for the Advancement of Sciences/AAAS (2019-Present)
 * American Society for Horticultural Science/ASHS (2012-Present)
 * USDA-NIFA Multi-State Project W4128 “Microirrigation: A Sustainable Technology for Crop Intensification and Improved Crop Productivity” (2019-Present)
 * USDA-NIFA Multi-State Project W3128 “Scaling Microirrigation Technologies to Address the Global Water Challenge” (2015-2019)

State

 * Florida Society of Horticultural Science/FSHS (2019-2020)

International

 * 2020 – Polytechnic University of Valencia’s Travel Award


 * 2019 – Fujian Academy of Agricultural Science and Guangxi University’s Travel Award

National

 * 2021 – ASHS Outstanding Fruit Publication Award
 * 2017 – National Water and Energy Conservation Award
 * 2017 – ASHS Outstanding Cross-Commodity Publication Award
 * 2016 – CIGR Award and Armand Blanc Prize winner
 * 2016 – AmericanHort Alex Laurie Award

Regional

 * 2018 – Irrigation Association Travel Awards
 * 2017 – Irrigation Association Travel Awards

State

 * 2019 – University of Florida’s Junior Faculty International Educator Award