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The application of biochar to traditional soil and soilless growth media in agriculture has been reported to increase plant production. However, it remains unclear which biochar component drives this process or which biogeochemical process is attributed to better plant productivity. Therefore, this study aims to determine how biochar organic carbon (C) composition and thermal stability influence nitrogen availability and tomato production. Soilless growth media composed of a mixture of 60% and 40% coconut coir (CC) (Cocos nucifera L.) and fine pine bark (PB) (Pinus genus), respectively, was amended with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12% biochar per dry weight. The amended media were used to grow Red Bounty tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum) for three months. After harvesting tomatoes and determining yield, organic C composition and C thermal stability of the biochar amended soilless growth media mixtures were determined using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) and multi-elemental scanning thermal analysis (MESTA), respectively. Thermal stability data were used to determine the “R400 index”, and nitrate (NO3−) concentration was determined using the water extractable method. Results showed that biochar-amended media significantly increased pH (p < 0.0001) and NO3− (p = 0.0386) compared to the no-char control. Biochar amended soilless media organic C composition was dominated by O-alkyl-C as a result of a higher fraction of soilless media; however, total C, carboxyl-C, phenolic-C, and aromatic-C increased with increasing biochar content and related negatively to R400, which decreased with increasing biochar content. Nitrate retention and tomato yield increased with increasing total C, carboxyl-C, phenolic-C, and aromatic-C and decreasing R400. This indicates that the stable form of C, carboxyl-C, phenolic-C, aromatic-C, and low R400 enhanced NO3− sorption, reducing leaching and enhancing its availability for tomato growth.

Black and female agricultural producers (farmland owners and operators) have traditionally been proportionally underrepresented and underserved in federal conservation programs. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), one of the largest conservation programs for private producers, had only 3.5% of participants from underserved populations in 2022. Increasing their participation is not only crucial for addressing historical inequalities but also essential in meeting nationwide conservation goals, especially when the participation of underserved stakeholder groups has been linked to more effective biodiversity restoration and land stewardship across numerous studies. This study employed mixed method analysis and demographic assessments to gain insights into the factors influencing the participation of underserved producers in CRP across six southeastern United States (US). Lack of knowledge about CRP emerged as the most significant challenge, followed by limited resources, lack of trust in the government, onerous program requirements, and other factors such as family or personal issues, or other priorities and motivations not centered on conservation. The study also identified several categories of solutions to increase the participation of underserved producers in CRP, including improving knowledge about the program, enhancing communication, increasing community involvement, and simplifying program requirements. Results indicate that, despite historical disparities in enrollment, Black producers may exhibit a higher likelihood of participation in CRP than White producers once they are aware of and engaged with the program; this is also likely for farm‐ and pastureland owners and potential operators who do not own land. Finally, the results of the two‐sample t‐test showed that the familiarity of females was lower than that of males. Our findings emphasize the importance of addressing historical knowledge gaps, overcoming resource challenges, building trust, simplifying program requirements, promoting empowerment through community involvement, and fostering conservation motivations to diversify program engagement. To that end, prioritizing proactive and needs‐based planning would help to ensure that CRP aligns with community needs and preferences. Strengthening the participation of Black and female producers in CRP simultaneously contributes to the twin goals of conserving environmentally sensitive lands and promoting program access. Only 3.5% of the participants in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), one of the largest conservation programs for private producers, were from underserved populations in 2022. This study employed mixed method analysis and demographic assessments to gain insights into the factors influencing the participation of underserved landowners in CRP across six southeastern United States (US). Lack of knowledge about CRP emerged as the most significant challenge, followed by limited resources, lack of trust in the government, onerous program requirements, and other factors such as family or personal issues or other priorities and motivations not centered on conservation. Greater inclusion of Black and female landowners in CRP program simultaneously contributes to goals regarding the conservation of environmentally sensitive lands and to issues of program access.

Rapid changes in economic, environmental and social conditions generate both problems and opportunities in agriculture. The cycle from problem identification through discovery of potential solutions is lengthy. The objective of this study was to use collaborative methods to speed the cycle of discovery in sustainable organic strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) production systems in the southeastern USA. This method, stakeholder-driven adaptive research (SDAR), combines farmers' experiential knowledge with scientists' experimental knowledge to develop rigorous research design collectively. Farmers evaluated our biological research and co-designed research experiments with scientists. Farmers and other stakeholders (1) evaluated on-station experiments individually and then made recommendations as a group, (2) served as advisory council members to direct our goals and objectives, and (3) conducted farmer field trials where they implemented aspects of our on-station experiments under their management regimes. The results eliminated potential solutions that were not feasible, ineffective or too costly for farmers to adopt. Key results included eliminating treatments using high tunnel systems altogether on one field trial on a University of Florida (UF) research facility, adding a leguminous cover crop mix treatment, adding companion planting, and eliminating strawberry cultivars Strawberry Festival and Florida Beauty from our research trials. Our proposed methodology allows farmers and other stakeholders to inform the biological research from design through dissemination to reduce the time needed to create research products in an era of rapid bio-physical, social and economic change. Accelerating the discovery cycle could significantly improve our ability to identify and address threats to the USA and global food and fiber production system.

The Florida nursery industry generated $3 billion in farm gate sales in 2005, positioning Florida as the nation's second largest nursery crop production state after California. The recent downturn in the economy and collapse of the housing market has had a negative impact on some sectors of the industry, forcing many of the nurseries producing landscape plant material out of business, but leaving some nurseries untouched. An informal survey by extension agents indicated that nurseries are coping by using various strategies, including reductions in labor force, increased efficiencies in irrigation and fertilizer, the adoption of best management practices, creative marketing strategies, specialization in the production of unique crops, and innovative production and business techniques.