Soil health and cover crops are central to the future of sustainable agriculture in Florida. A recent UF/IFAS Soil Health and Cover Crop Workshop highlighted how those two strategies can improve productivity, enhance environmental stewardship, and address challenges like nutrient management and soil subsidence. The event at the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center (EREC) brought together approximately 70 stakeholders. Through a series of presentations and hands-on demonstrations, growers learned how to build more resilient agricultural systems from the ground up.

Why Soil Health Matters in South Florida

The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) in South Florida faces unique soil challenges. Soil subsidence and nutrient loss threaten long-term productivity. This makes improving and maintaining soil health an important goal. Surrounding the EAA, the soils are mineral/sandy in nature with little organic matter and low fertility. Addressing these issues is critical for growers in the region.

“Soil is a living ecosystem. Healthy soil supports nutrient cycling, water retention, and pest suppression,” Dr. Jango Bhadha, UF/IFAS SWES associate professor at EREC, explained. “Managing compaction, aggregation, and weeds is key to maintaining these essential services.”

Bhadha’s session laid out the groundwork for understanding soil health indicators and planning principles, connecting them to practical field applications.

Expert Insights on Soil Health and Cover Crops

• Dr. Susan Crow, SWES professor and chair, emphasized best practices for subtropical and tropical soils. She explored how biological, chemical, and physical soil properties interact in high-moisture, warm environments.
• Dr. Sarah Strauss, SWES associate professor, focused on soil microbiology. Her research shows how cover crops stimulate microbial activity—enhancing nutrient cycling and reinforcing the soil as a living system.
• Dr. Gabriel Maltais-Landry, SWES associate professor, outlined a structured approach to understanding how cover crops impact nutrients:
  1. Measure nutrient capital in cover crop biomass
  2. Track soil responses like nitrogen release
  3. Evaluate effects on cash crops, including yield and nutrient credits

He noted that cover crops’ benefits often accumulate over time, especially when combined with other soil health practices.

Hands-On Demonstrations

Workshop participants toured the EREC Soil Testing Lab with Dr. Niguss Hailnegaw, linking soil health principles to precise fertility management. In the field, demonstrations showcased the role of soil health strategies in crop systems:

• Rice and Soil Subsidence: Dr. Matthew VanWeelden and Dr. Bhadha explained that flooded rice systems slow soil oxidation, reduce subsidence, and absorb excess nutrients, which improve water quality and support subsequent crops.
• Cover Crops and Water Management: Extension agents Anna Meszaros and Jay Capasso, along with Dr. Rishabh Gupta demonstrated how cover crops, soil moisture monitoring, and irrigation best practices conserve water while improving soil health. The Florida Agricultural Soil Moisture Sensor Network was highlighted as a tool for data driven irrigation.
• Emerging Ag Technologies: SWES graduate student Suraj Melkani and postdoctoral associate Dr. Bivek Bhusal introduced sensors and data-driven systems to optimize soil and crop management decisions.

Building Resilient, Sustainable Systems

The workshop reinforced that soil health is a dynamic balance of biological, chemical, and physical processes. Cover crops play a central role in improving soil structure, stimulating microbial activity, and enhancing nutrient cycling. By integrating these practices, Florida growers can build more resilient, sustainable, and productive agricultural systems—soil by soil.

 Featured image photo of flooded rice field provided by Dr. Xue Bai.

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