Citrus Best Management Practices

Abstract

Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) are practical, cost-effective actions that agricultural producers can take to reduce the amount of pesticides, fertilizers, sediment, and other pollutants entering water resources. BMPs are designed to benefit water quality while maintaining or even enhancing agricultural production. Implementing BMPs benefits both the farmer and the environment and demonstrates agriculture’s commitment to water resource protection and is a key component of agriculture’s environmental stewardship role.

Most of the BMPs can be implemented through management actions without great expense. Typical practices include:

• Nutrient management – to determine nutrient needs and sources, and manage nutrient applications to minimize impacts to water resources. Practices may include soil testing, tissue testing, quantifying noncommercial nutrient sources (e.g., residual nitrogen from legumes), following recommended application rates based on published research, splitting fertilizer applications, using precision application techniques, and adhering to application setbacks from water bodies and sensitive areas.

• Irrigation management – to address the method and scheduling of irrigation to reduce water and nutrient losses. Practices may include the use of high-efficiency irrigation systems, diagnostic tools such as soil moisture sensors, tensiometers, water table observation wells, and weather-related data such as evapotranspiration.

• Treatment and erosion control – to reduce or prevent the transport of nutrients and sediments from production areas to water bodies. These practices may include vegetated buffers for streams and wetlands, filter strips to treat field runoff, vegetative cover in nonproduction areas to reduce erosion, and retrofitting ditches in high-velocity areas to prevent scouring.

Along with local governments and private industry, the agricultural community is expected to reduce their water quality impacts. It is important that producers embrace and implement BMPs in their operations to underscore agriculture’s participation in and commitment to water resource protection.