While fertilizers provide our food crops with essential nutrients such as nitrogen, they can also leach into waterways and contribute to harmful algae blooms.
Researchers at the University of Florida are exploring a possible solution: controlled-release, slow-release fertilizers.
Scientist and associate professor Hardeep Singh was part of a team at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences that reviewed the existing literature on advanced fertilizers.
Researchers have determined that these products can help farmers maximize crop yields while also preventing nutrients like nitrates from entering waterways through stormwater runoff.
“If nitrates get into our waterways, it will cause algae blooms. Nobody wants to go into a waterway with algae blooms, right?” Singh said.
Shortly after Hurricane Milton brought record rainfall in October, toxic red tide spread about 200 miles from Tampa Bay to Key West.
In recent months, several health warnings have been issued across the state regarding blue-green algae in freshwater lakes.
Because conventional fertilizers deliver nutrients to plants quickly, the amount of nutrients used by plants is small compared to yields—10 to 55 percent, according to a University of Florida review.
High performance fertilizers have features such as polymer coating and microbiological nutrient release that limit water solubility and reduce losses.
Researchers at the University of Florida are testing their effectiveness by burying them in mesh bags in the soil along with corn and cotton crops.
“Then we’ll pull those bags out at intervals,” Singh said. “We want to see how much nitrogen is left in there and how much is being released.”
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is funding the research, and Singh hopes to have tangible results within a few years.
Singh also plans to conduct a cost analysis to better understand how much producers may need to spend on these fertilizers.
He estimates that 20% to 30% of Florida farmers already use improved fertilizers.
“Advanced fertilizer application technology is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it is an important tool in a broader nutrient management strategy,” Singh said in a press release.
“Long-term success depends on choosing the right fertilizer based on the crop, soil and climatic conditions,” Singh said.
Post time: Jun-27-2025