A Survey of Nursery Water Quality Best Management Practices

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 501e-502
Author(s):  
Cody J. White ◽  
Michael A. Schnelle ◽  
Gerrit W. Cuperus
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Plant Materials ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Employee Safety ◽  
Current Water ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Environmentally Sound

A survey was designed to assess high-risk areas with respect to environmental contamination, specifically how it relates to water quality. Oklahoma growers of all economic levels, retail and/or wholesale, were queried at their place of business for their current state of implementing best management practices (BMPs) and other strategic actions that could potentially affect current and future water quality standards. Specific areas such as the physical environment of the nursery, primary pesticides and fertilizers used, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, and employee safety training were covered as well as other aspects germane to preserving and protecting current water quality and related environmental issues. More than 75 nurseries were surveyed and given the opportunity to participate in future training at Oklahoma State Univ. Results indicated that nurseries have not fully implemented many BMPs, but have adopted fundamental IPM approaches. The stage is set for the implementation of the next phase of expansion and refinement into ecologically based programs such as propagation and sale of low pesticide input plant materials, improved cultural practices, and the integration of environmentally sound management approaches. As an example, many growers are in the process of phasing out calendar-based pesticide application programs in favor of aesthetic and/or economic threshold-driven pesticide spray programs.

scholarly journals Update on Nitrogen BMP Efforts with Tomato Production in Florida

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 994E-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Ozores-Hampton ◽  
Eric Simonne ◽  
Eugene McAvoy ◽  
Phil Stansly ◽  
Sanjay Shukla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
First Year ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Growing Conditions ◽  
Administrative Code

Florida tomato growers generate about $600 million of annual farm gate sales. The Florida Vegetable and Agronomic Crop Water Quality/Quantity Best Management Practices Manual was adopted by rule in the Florida Administrative Code in 2006 and describes cultural practices available to tomato growers that have the potential to improve water quality. By definition, BMPs are specific cultural practices that are proven to optimize yield while minimizing pollution. BMPs must be technically feasible, economically viable, socially acceptable, and based on sound science. The BMP manual for vegetables endorses UF-IFAS recommendations, including those for fertilization and irrigation. Current statewide N fertilizer recommendations for tomato provide for a base rate of 224 kg/ha plus provisions for supplemental fertilizer applications 1) after a leaching rain, 2) under extended harvest season, and 3) when plant nutrient levels (leaf or petiole) fall below the sufficiency range. An on-farm project in seven commercial fields was conducted in 2004 under cool and dry growing conditions, to compare grower practices (ranging from 264 to 468 kg/ha of N) to the recommended rate. Early and total extra-large yields tended to be higher with growers' rate than with the recommended rate, but these differences were significant only in one trial. The first-year results illustrated the need for recommendations to be tested for several years and to provide flexibility to account for the reality of local growing conditions. Working one-on-one with commercial growers provided an opportunity to focus on each farm`s educational needs and to identify specific improvements in nutrient and irrigation management.

Long-term Water Quality Trends after Implementing Best Management Practices in South Florida

2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1683-1693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samira H. Daroub ◽  
Timothy A. Lang ◽  
Orlando A. Diaz ◽  
Sabine Grunwald
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Water Quality Trends

scholarly journals Using Video Messages to Promote Residential Adoption of Fertilizer Best Management Practices

EDIS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda D. Ali ◽  
Laura A. Sanagorski Warner ◽  
Peyton Beattie ◽  
Alexa J. Lamm ◽  
Joy N. Rumble
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Diffusion Of Innovations ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Extension Programs ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Homeowner Associations ◽  
Quality Water

Residents are inclined to over-irrigate and over-fertilize their lawns to uphold landscape appearances influenced by homeowner associations and neighborhood aesthetics (Nielson & Smith (2005). While these practices affect water quantity and quality, water quality is most impacted by fertilizer runoff (Nielson & Smith, 2005; Toor et al., 2017). Supporting water programs and engagement in fertilizer best management practices (BMPs) can have positive impacts on water quality. The Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory can be used to explain how a population accepts and adopts fertilizer best management practices (BMPs) over time (Rogers, 2003). Adoption can be understood through a population's perception of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability, and trialability of fertilizer BMPs. The information presented here is an exploration of how extension can use video messages to influence residents' perception of these factors which influence adoption. The videos positively influence residents' perceptions of fertilizer BMPs, and recommendations are offered for applying this research to extension programs. 

scholarly journals Benefits and Costs of Forestry Best Management Practices in Virginia

1996 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. Aust ◽  
R. M. Shaffer ◽  
J. A. Burger
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Water Quality Protection ◽  
Program Compliance ◽  
Plain Region ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Abstract Benefits and costs of Virginia's forestry best management practices (BMPs) were estimated for the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain regions using three actual nonregulatory phases and one theoretical regulatory phase of forest water quality protection. The four phases ranged from passive, nonregulatory to regulatory BMPs with increasingly restrictive provisions. As the level of regulation increased, the benefit:cost ratio decreased, indicating that costs were accruing at a proportionately greater rate than benefits. This pattern was most pronounced in the Coastal Plain region where average erosion rates were low, and substantial acreages were harvested. Results suggested that an aggressive, nonregulatory BMP program is the most efficient approach to forest water quality protection assuming that overall program compliance levels are sufficient to satisfy society's needs. South. J. Appl. For 20(1):23-29.

Adoption of Best Management Practices for Herbicide-Resistant Weeds in Midsouthern United States Cotton, Rice, and Soybean

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 788-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilpreet S. Riar ◽  
Jason K. Norsworthy ◽  
Lawrence E. Steckel ◽  
Daniel O. Stephenson ◽  
Thomas W. Eubank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Direct Mail ◽  
Rice Seed ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
Row Crops ◽  
Herbicide Resistant ◽  
Best Management

In fall 2011, cotton and soybean consultants from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee were surveyed through direct mail and on-farm visits, and rice consultants from Arkansas and Mississippi were surveyed through direct mail to assess the importance and level of implementation of herbicide resistance best management practices (HR-BMPs) for herbicide-resistant weeds. Proper herbicide timing, clean start with no weeds at planting, application of multiple effective herbicide modes of action, use of full labeled herbicide rates, and prevention of crop weed seed production with importance rating of ≥ 4.6 out of 5.0 were perceived as the most important HR-BMPs in all crops. Purchase of certified rice seed was on 90% of scouted hectares. In contrast, least important HR-BMPs as perceived by consultants with importance ratings of ≤ 4.0 in cotton, ≤ 3.7 in rice, and ≤ 3.8 in soybean were cultural practices such as manual removal of weeds; tillage including disking, cultivation, or deep tillage; narrow (≤ 50 cm)-row crops, cover crops, and altered planting dates. Narrow crop rows and cover crops in cotton; altered planting dates in cotton and soybean; and cleaning of farm equipment and manual weeding in rice and soybean is currently employed on ≤ 20% of scouted hectares. Extra costs, time constraints, adverse weather conditions, lack of labor and equipment, profitability, herbicide-related concerns, and complacency were perceived as key obstacles for adoption of most HR-BMPs. With limited adoption of most cultural practices that reduce risks of herbicide-resistant weeds, there are opportunities to educate growers concerning the proactive need and long-term benefits of adopting HR-BMPs to ensure sustainable weed management and profitable crop production.

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