UF/IFAS
Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences

Category: Crops

An image of an orange grove with a tree branch full of ripe oranges in the foreground and rows of trees in the background.

Tiny Indicators of Soil Health in Florida’s Citrus Groves


February 12, 2025

In the citrus groves of southwest Florida, a team of researchers is investigating the hidden power of soil nematodes. These tiny organisms with enormous ecological impact offer key insights into soil health. This study investigates how cover ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Allan Bacon, Citrus, Cover Crops, Gabriel Maltais-Landry, Nematodes, Sarah Strauss, Soil Health, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Yaslin Gonzalez, Zane Grabau
Corn and cotton

UF/IFAS researchers deploy drones to perfect nutrient rates


January 13, 2025

The ability to detect crop nutrient deficiencies and promptly modify fertilizer application to address them is invaluable to agricultural producers — especially growers operating under slim profit margins. Identifying how much of a particular ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS
Tags: Algorithm, Ayush Sharma, Best Management Practices Lab, BMP, Citra, Corn, Cotton, Crop, Drone, Environmental, Extension, Fertilizer, Grower, Hastings, Hastings Agricultural Extension Center, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Lakesh Sharma, Megan Winslow, NDVI, Nitrogen, NMP, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, North Florida Research And Education Unit, Nutrient, Nutrient Management Program, Plant Health, Plant Science Research And Education Unit, Producer, Recommendation, Research, Soil Fertility, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Sustainable, Suwannee Valley, UF, UF/IFAS
Several cattle graze in a pasture also used to grow pine trees.

Researchers to examine how integrated crop-livestock systems can enhance agricultural resilience and sustainability


December 4, 2024

The UF/IFAS-Embrapa Collaborative Climate Change Research Fund is backing a study on integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS). Embrapa is the state-owned research corporation affiliated with the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. The study aims ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Livestock, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Climate Change, Clyde Fraisse, EMBRAPA, Global Food Systems Institute, Index-based Insurance, Integrated Crop-livestock Systems, Jose Dubeux, Nikos Tziolas, Sarah Strauss, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences
ANSERV Labs

Know your soil: UF/IFAS lab analysis reveals composition prior to planting


October 31, 2024

Franta Majs is a common fixture at Florida plant shows and sales. He doesn’t attend to shop, however. He’s on hand to offer advice. (more…) READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, UF/IFAS
Tags: Acidity, Amendment, ANSERV Labs, Extension, Fertilizer, Franta Majs, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Lime, Macronutrient, Megan Winslow, Micronutrient, Nutrient Management Program, PH, Plant, Planting, Research, Soil, Soil Test, Test, UF, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Analytical Services, University Of Florida
watermelon

Retired UF professor leaves enduring legacy online through sustainable agriculture course


August 19, 2024

It’s been years since University of Florida Professor Emeritus George Hochmuth set foot inside a classroom, yet students from all over the world still benefit from his lessons every day. As the architect of Coursera’s Sustainable Agricultural ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, UF/IFAS
Tags: Agricultural, Agriculture, Class, Course, Coursera, Crop Production, Farm, Farming, Free, George Hochmuth, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Lecture, Megan Winslow, Nutrient Demands, Nutrition, Online Course, Professor Emeritus, Soil Fertility, Soil Testing, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Student, Sustainable Agricultural Land Management, Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Practices, UF, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida

UF/IFAS scientists host next ‘STEPS’ toward phosphorus sustainability with national think tank in South Florida


April 17, 2024

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for food security and human survival, and it is an element that cannot be replenished. That is why using phosphorus efficiently is essential and the focus of a national research effort led by leading ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Elise Morrison, Everglades Research And Education Center, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jehangir Bhadha, Jonathan Judy, Juan Nino, Kelly Morgan, Matthew VanWeelden, National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation-Science And Technology Center, News, Research, Sandra Guzmán, Science And Technologies For Phosphorus Sustainability, Soil And Water Sciences, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), STEPS, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida
Two people picking oranges in a citrus grove

UF/IFAS researchers are re-examining nutrient guidelines for Florida citrus


February 23, 2024

A team of researchers from across UF/IFAS is making progress on updating nutrient guidelines for Florida citrus. The work is needed since current nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) recommendations are based on studies of healthy citrus trees. Now, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Citrus, Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Nutrient Management Program, Phosphorus, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences
An image of an orange grove with a tree branch full of ripe oranges in the foreground and rows of trees in the background.

Study examines various fertilizers, application rates for HLB-affected orange trees 


December 5, 2023

The long effort to help huanglongbing (HLB) impacted citrus trees in Florida has taken another step forward. The disease, commonly known as citrus greening, greatly impacts tree root health, fruit development, and juice quality. A study at the ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Citrus, Davie Kadyampakeni, Fertilizer, HLB, Soil And Water Sciences, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences
cover crops in field

Research finds the amount and timing of nitrogen availability depends on the cover crop mixture


September 5, 2023

When it comes to sustainable agroecosystems, cover crops are a key component. However, choosing whether a single cover crop or a mixture will provide growers with the right nutrients needed for the cash crop they are planting is still up for ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Cover Crops, Nitrogen, Soil And Water Sciences, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Sustainable Agriculture, Yang Lin

Graduate student examines nitrogen release dynamics, potential soil health benefits of cover crops


June 14, 2022

Precious Nyabami, a master's student in the UF/IFAS department of soil, water, and ecosystem sciences, is studying cover crops’ impact on soil health and nutrient management. The focus is on nitrogen (N). She wants to understand N release ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Cover Crops, Nitrogen, Precious Nyabami, Soil And Water Sciences, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Yang Lin