Category: Agriculture

Cover Crops Can Get Young Citrus Trees Off To A Good Start

by Mike Loizzo
December 16, 2025

Florida citrus growers continue to battle declining yields, citrus greening disease, and increasingly nutrient-poor soils. As a result, they are taking a closer look at soil-building practices such as cover crops. But how and when the cover ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Citrus, Gabriel Maltais-Landry, HLB, Huanglongbing, Sarah Strauss, Soil Fertility, Soil Health, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Yaslin Gonzalez

Finding the Right Nitrogen Rate for Sustainable Bamboo Production in Florida

by Mike Loizzo
November 25, 2025

Bamboo is emerging as a promising new specialty crop for Florida. It offers opportunities for edible shoots, timber, biomaterials, and carbon storage. But until recently, growers lacked clear, science-based guidance on how to fertilize bamboo ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Bamboo, Citrus Research And Education Center, Cyrus Januarie, Davie Kadyampakeni, Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Nutrient Management, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences

The Hidden Work of Mycorrhizal Fungi in Agriculture and Forests

by Mike Loizzo
November 17, 2025

Mycorrhizal fungi play an often unseen but vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. These small, subterranean powerhouses sustain both agricultural productivity and forest resilience through their partnerships with plants. Two recent UF/IFAS ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Ecosystems, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Ectomycorrhizal Fungi, Forest Ecosystems, Holly Andres, Kaile Zhang, Mycorrhizal Fungi, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Sunny Liao

Cover Crops in Sandy Soil: Legumes and Grasses Differ in Nitrogen Cycling

by Mike Loizzo
October 29, 2025

Florida’s sandy soils typically have low organic matter and high permeability. That means a greater risk of nutrient leaching before a plant or tree can use what it needs. Cover crops are an option for improving soil fertility because they ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Carbon, Cover Crops, Inorganic Nitrogen, Juma Bukomba, Legumes, Mary Lusk, Nitrogen, Sandy Soils, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Sorghum, Sudangrass, Sunn Hemp

Unlocking Nutrients In Florida’s Rice Fields

by Mike Loizzo
October 13, 2025

The Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) boasts organic-rich soil, ideal for farming. Rice producers, however, must deal with phosphorus and iron tightly bound in the soil, making them unavailable to plants. New University of Florida Institute ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Everglades Agricultural Area, Everglades Research And Education Center, Flooding, Iron, Jango Bhadha, Nutrient Management, Phosphorus, Rice, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Sugarcane, Suraj Melkani

Flooded Rice Crop Rotation May Slow Carbon Loss, Subsidence in Everglades Organic Soils

by Mike Loizzo
October 8, 2025

South Florida’s muck soils store carbon built over thousands of years. However, decades of drainage for agriculture have resulted in a shift in redox condition resulting in soil, organic matter, and subsequent carbon losses. A new University ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Dynamic Soil Properties, Everglades Agricultural Area, Everglades Research And Education Center, Histosols, Jango Bhadha, Jehangir Bhadha, Rice, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Xue Bai

Protecting Florida Citrus and Groundwater

by Mike Loizzo
September 29, 2025

Florida’s citrus groves have faced enormous challenges over the last two decades. The Asian citrus psyllid has spread citrus greening disease, known as Huanglongbing, or HLB, to trees across the state. The result is a decline in citrus production ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Aquifer, Citrus, Davie Kadyampakeni, HLB, Huanglongbing, Imidacloprid, Qudus Uthman, Sandy Soils, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Water

Students Gain Hands-On Experience through Summer Internships and Research

by Mike Loizzo
September 14, 2025

Undergraduate students in the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES) spent Summer 2025 turning class lessons into real-world practice. Through internships, research experiences and fieldwork, they gained skills for ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water
Tags: Environmental Management In Agriculture And Natural Resources, Internship, Nature Coast Biological Station, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Summer Experience

UF/IFAS for Your Soil and Water Testing Needs — Science You Can Trust

by Mike Loizzo
August 24, 2025

When it comes to caring for your yard or garden, accuracy and expertise matter. The UF/IFAS Extension Soil Testing Laboratory (ESTL) provides precision, reliability, and support to make a difference in your soil management. The ESTL offers a ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Extension Soil Testing Lab, Franta Majs, IFAS Analytical Service Laboratories, Landscaping, Lawn, Nutrient Management, Soil Fertility, Soil Health, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Turfgrass

Connecting soil science to horticultural innovation at the 2025 ASHS Conference

by Mike Loizzo
August 7, 2025

From citrus trees battling HLB disease to the future of bamboo farming in Florida, UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES) researchers had plenty to showcase at the 2025 American Society for Horticultural Science ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Alisheikh Atta, American Society For Horticultural Science, Bamboo, Citrus, Cyrus Januarie, Davie Kadyampakeni, Irrigation, Labake Agunbiade, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Therese (Tess) Thompson

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