Category: Crops

Phosphorus Management in Florida Must Be Soil-Specific

by Mike Loizzo
February 6, 2026

Phosphorus is one of the most essential nutrients for plant growth. It also is one of the most challenging to manage responsibly. When applied efficiently, it supports lawns and landscapes as well as healthy crops. But when it moves off-site ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Dinesh Phuyal, Entisols, Histosols, Lilit Vardanyan, Mehlich, Nutrient Management, Nutrient Management Program, Phosphorus, Soil Chemistry, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Spodosols, Vimala Nair

Fertilizer Source Matters: A Comparison of Alternatives for Nutrient Content

by Mike Loizzo
January 27, 2026

Fertilizer source is one of the four Rs of fertilizer management (Right source, Right place, Right time, and Right placement). Mineral fertilizers are typically synthesized (i.e., nitrogen from the Haber-Bosch process) or mined from mineral ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Best Management Practices, BMPs, Cheryl Mackowiak, Conservation, Fertility, Fertilization, Field Crops, Forage & Pasture, General Agriculture, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences

What Winter Crops Can – and Can’t – Deliver for Corn on Sandy Soils

by Mike Loizzo
January 21, 2026

Winter crops are often talked about as a win–win for agriculture. In general, they protect the soil by replacing bare winter fallow. By recycling nutrients, they set the stage for better yields in the next crop. Overall, winter crops should ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Chris H Wilson, Fertilizer, Gabriel Maltais-Landry, Julia Barra Netto-Ferreira, Nitrogen, Nutrient Management, Soil, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Southern SARE

Register Now for the 2026 FL-AGSOIL Conference

by Mike Loizzo
January 19, 2026

Florida’s agricultural community is invited to attend the Florida Agronomy and Soil Initiative and Learning (FL-AGSOIL) Conference. It takes place February 19–20, 2026, at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center–Suwannee ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: BMP, Corn, Cotton, FL-AGSOIL, Florida Agronomy And Soil Initiative And Learning Conference, Irrigation, Lakesh Sharma, Nitrogen, Nutrient Management, Nutrient Management Program, Phosphorus, Soil Fertility, Soil Health, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Water Quality

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

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

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

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

Exploring Nanofertilizers: A New Chapter in Sustainable Agriculture

by Mike Loizzo
March 14, 2025

A newly published book chapter co-authored by Dr. Jonas Pereira de Souza Jr., and Dr. Davie Kadyampakeni explores the potential of nanofertilizers in modern agriculture. The chapter appears in Nanofertilizers in Agriculture, a book from the ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Citrus Research And Education Center, Davie Kadyampakeni, Fertilizer, Jonas Pereira De Souza Jr., Nanofertilizer, Nutrient Management, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences

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