Can Spreading Basaltic Volcanic Rock Dust Improve Crops and the Health of Florida’s Soils?

• UF researchers are testing volcanic rock dust to improve soil health across the state’s sandy and organic farmlands. 
• A $749,999 USDA-funded, four-year study aims to boost crop productivity while cutting reliance on conventional fertilizers. 
• Results could guide soil management in warm, humid farming regions across the South and irrigated landscapes nationwide. 

Florida’s soils present unique challenges for growers, land managers and residents. The state’s year-round tropical weather and vast agricultural acreage create ideal conditions, but its soils vary widely from nutrient-poor sandy to highly organic soils, depending on location, prompting research into soil amendments such as volcanic rock dust. 

These conditions make it difficult to sustainably manage agriculture in a way that supports food production, environmental health and maintains a strong economy.  

To address these challenges, University of Florida researchers are leading a four-year study supported by a $749,999 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The collaborative research effort led by scientists at UF’s Institute of Food and Agriculture and Sciences (UF/IFAS) and the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), will assess the potential of using several types of basaltic rock dust as an amendment to improve soil quality, boost crop growth and support sustainable farming across Florida. 

“As part of this effort, the research will focus on two types of soils, organic soils in South Florida used for row crop production such as sugarcane and rice, and mineral soils in Central Florida associated with perennial grass pastures,” said Jehangir Bhadha, associate professor of soil, water and ecosystem sciences at UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade and one of three principal investigators on the grant. 

While the research is rooted in Florida’s unique conditions, its implications extend far beyond the region. Findings from the project could help guide soil management strategies in other warm, humid agricultural areas across North America facing similar challenges. These include Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and areas that rely heavily on irrigation like Arizona and southern California. 

Simultaneously, the research team is assessing the economic feasibility and scalability of using basaltic rock dust in real-world agricultural operations. Long-term benefits under evaluation include remineralization of depleted soils, stabilization of organic carbon and the supply of major and micronutrients that could reduce reliance on conventional fertilizers.