Citrus Pathology Lab

Jean - Yves Berisse

Laboratory Assistant​

​

Jean-Yves is a Haitian national who realized the value of agriculture early in his life. He received his bachelor's degree in agricultural sciences at EARTH University, Costa Rica 2017. After graduating from EARTH, he moved to Haiti, where he worked for more than one year at a private company as an agricultural agent for the Nippes department. Jean-Yves worked close to small-sized farmers, training them on new farming techniques for efficient and sustainable sorghum production.

 

In June 2019, he moved to SWFREC to work as a research assistant at Dr. Qureshi's entomology lab until December 2020, where he participated in studies related to the management of the Asian citrus psyllid. He also developed skills in rearing insect colonies, such as lacewings and lady beetles. From January 2021 to December 2022, he continued to complete his Master of Science in Entomology and Nematology Department, also at UF, under the supervision of Dr. Jawwad Qureshi at his SWFREC lab, Immokalee, FL. His research was focused on the incidence and management of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, in high-density citrus plantings.

 

In January 2023, Jean-Yves became a member of the citrus pathology lab. His work in the HLB Lab of Citrus Pathology evolved from overseeing general greenhouse maintenance and ongoing experiments, focusing on scouting plants for pest control, rearing ACP for experiments purposes, sampling, and processing samples for DNA analysis. He also assists in field experiments, data collection, and chemical applications.

 

Jean-Yves is also interested in evolving technologies in agriculture as he envisions its use to upscale small-sized farming. In his free time, Jean-Yves enjoys exploring the web to discover the latest technological advancements and likes to cook national and Latino dishes.