A UF/IFAS team is starting research into soil health and citrus productivity to assist Florida growers using a USDA grant.
There has been a lot of information about soil health and citrus productivity, especially where cover crops are concerned, in terms of combating citrus greening. A UF/IFAS research team is looking into how soil health can improve production of citrus and other tree crops that grow in The Sunshine State. The research team, led by assistant professor of soil microbiology Sarah Strauss, is starting a four-year research project funded by a USDA grant, according to a UF/IFAS blog. Explore the details below.
Soil Health and Citrus Productivity Research Project
The project is examining how fast soil health can be improved in Florida’s sandy soils and what impact that soil improvement might have on citrus tree productivity. Researchers are also interested in knowing how quickly impacts to productivity could be witnessed with improved soil health, and what indicators growers should look for.
In the blog, Strauss said “Our goal is to help producers by finding out what cover crops do to soil health in Florida groves. While there’s a lot of interest in soil health right now, much of the research and metrics for assessing it are not based on sub-tropical sandy soils like we have in Florida. In order to determine if soil health is improving, growers need to know what the best parameters are to measure. That includes determining which indicators are the most useful for monitoring the soil health of tree crops.”
Strauss added that “Ultimately, this study will provide a list of meaningful soil health indicators that Florida producers can use to meet their unique needs in sub-tropical tree fruit systems.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.
