Best Management Practices
(BMP)
Our current BMP project falls under the umbrella of the UF/IFAS Nutrient Management Program, a multi-million-dollar effort the Florida legislature and governor agreed to fund.
The basic assumption of current UF/IFAS recommendations is that Mehlich 3 (M3) soil test results are consistent from site to site and from lab to lab. Data from the past 4 years of legislative-supported crop nutrient studies indicate various problems associated with M3-P determinations that include:
- M3-P results compared with Mehlich 1 (M1)-P vary from site-to-site,
- M3-P determination for the same soil sample varies substantially across different commercial labs, and
- Variation in M3-P values depends on the method of analysis (colorimetry vs. ICP).
Since the relationship of M3-P or M1-P to yield also will vary from site to site, recommendations may vary because of differing soil characteristics found in different parts of Florida.
Vimala Nair speaks at the annual SSSA Conference.
Lilit Vardanyan (right) with Atanu Mukherjee at the SSSA Conference in San Antonio, TX, November 2024.
