Category: UF/IFAS Extension

A beach in the Florida Keys represents World Ocean Day.

World Ocean Day 2026: Protecting Our Blue Planet

by Mike Loizzo
June 7, 2026

The World Ocean Day 2026 theme is “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet.” It renews the call for global action to protect ocean ecosystems. The international goal is to conserve at least 30% of the world’s lands, waters, and ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Ashley Smyth, Blue Carbon, Coastal Ecosystems, Indian River Lagoon, Laura Reynolds, Living Shoreline, Mark Clark, Ocean, Oysters, Partnership For Plastic-free Restoration Of Oyster Shorelines, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Todd Osborne, World Ocean Day
An image of a strawberry field with plastic mulch bedding that has a mini-revolver sprinkler system running for the Florida groundwater research.

Tiny Sprinklers, Big Impact on Florida Groundwater

by Mike Loizzo
May 12, 2026

One of agriculture’s biggest environmental challenges may have a surprisingly practical solution: changing the type of sprinkler used in the field. A new UF/IFAS-led study examines how to maintain crop productivity while dramatically reducing ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Carlene Chase, Davie Kadyampakeni, Eutrophication, Florida Groundwater, Irrigation, Josue St Fort, Michael Dukes, Precision Agriculture, Shinsuke Agehara, Strawberries, Vivek Sharma
Phosphorus sustainability workshop participants pose for a group photo at the Taylor Creek stormwater treatment area entrance in south Florida.

Driving Innovation in Phosphorus Sustainability Across South Florida

by Mike Loizzo
April 28, 2026

On the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee, water moves slowly through marshes and engineered wetlands on its way to the Everglades. Along the way, one challenge remains constant, keeping phosphorus where it belongs. Even small amounts can ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: And Deployment Of Technologies, Development, Everglades, Jango Bhadha, Lake Okeechobee, National Science Foundation, Phosphorus, Responsible Design, Science And Technologies For Phosphorus Sustainability, Sustainability, Treatment Technologies For Phosphorus Mitigation
A field of a flooded rice crop rotation after a sugarcane harvest.

Boosting Florida Farm Productivity with Soil Health & Cover Crops: Strategies from UF/IFAS

by Mike Loizzo
April 8, 2026

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, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Bivek Bhusal, Cover Crops, Everglades Agricultural Area, Everglades Research And Education Center, Florida Agricultural Soil Moisture Sensor Network, Gabriel Maltais-Landry, Jango Bhadha, Jehangir Bhadha, Matthew VanWeelden, Sarah Strauss, Soil Health, Soil Microbiology, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Suraj Melkani, Susan Crow, Water Management
A large red tractor with extended arms on each side runs through a corn field, applying fertilizer.

Featured New Faculty: Paul White

by Mike Loizzo
February 10, 2026

Paul M. White is one of the newest members of the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES). He is an associate professor of soil science and coordinator of the UF/IFAS Agricultural Nutrient Management Program. Based in ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Best Management Practices, Farming, Fertilizer, Nutrient Management, Nutrient Management Program, Paul M White, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Soil Water And Ecosystem Sciences, Sustainable Agriculture, Water
A potato field in Hastings, FL, where scientists collected soil samples for a phosphorus management research program.

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
A tractor spreads liquid manure biosolids over a pasture field.

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
Rows of peanut plants at the North Florida Research and Education Center - Suwannee Valley

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
A close up image of bamboo plants with nitrogen fertilizer.

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
close up view of mycorrhizal fungi on plant roots in a sandy soil.

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

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