Floridians have easy access to water: the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, a spring, a river, or a lake. Many of us are a short distance from a natural body of water or waterway. Being “on the water” is a way of life or a way to make a living for a lot of us. That is why it is so important to keep this natural resource clean. As we observe World Water Day (March 22), I want to share some of the ways the UF/IFAS Nutrient Management Program is helping our farmers and ranchers be more sustainable with less of an impact on everyone’s water.
First, a little background on the Nutrient Management Program. The Florida Legislature appropriated funding in 2022 for nutrient management research to investigate site-specific nutrient (fertilizer) application rates. Last year, the state budget had additional funding for nutrient management research. The 14 research projects we began in the first year involved corn, cotton, citrus, potato, watermelon, snap beans, tomato, peaches, limpograss, and hemp, plus soil testing and artificial intelligence. While those continue, the second year of funding allowed us to begin studying sod production, blueberry, bahiagrass, and lettuce, plus an effort focusing on site-specific recommendations.
While our teams of scientists primarily focus on nitrogen and phosphorus, they also study other nutrients. The goal is to achieve the 4Rs. Those are: the RIGHT source of nutrients in the RIGHT place, at the RIGHT rate and the RIGHT time. That has been a long-held belief, but more recently we added a fifth R – the RIGHT water. This involves correctly irrigating crops, so they more efficiently take up the nutrients.
Why is the “right water” so important? From a grower’s standpoint, being efficient with water and nutrients makes sense economically. If growers can maximize yield by using less fertilizer and water, they maximize their profit. Not only can they save money, but they can save resources by carefully managing fertilizer applications during the growing season. Of course, more goes into nutrient management. A soil test will determine what nutrients are already available. Controlled-release fertilizers help slow the availability of the nutrients. The use of cover crops also promotes soil health and future crop growth.
From an environmental perspective, more efficient water management means less water is being pumped from the aquifer. Water conservation measures, such as using a retention pond to collect water from a field to reuse it, is another best management practice. By getting the “right water,” our agricultural producers reduce the likelihood of nutrients leaching from the soil into the aquifer or into an adjacent stream (eventually going into the ocean or the gulf).
In the end, our teams will share their research outcomes and implications for future nutrient recommendations. These are geared primarily toward producers, agencies, and grower organizations. However, they will impact all Floridians and our water.
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