Could Volcanoes Help Southern Soil?
What if one tool for improving Southern soils came from a volcano?
University of Florida researchers are testing whether basaltic volcanic rock, ground into dust and spread on farmland, could improve soil health, help crops and pastures, and potentially reduce the need for conventional fertilizer.
The four-year project is backed by nearly $750,000 from USDA. Researchers are putting the idea to the test in two very different Florida settings: organic soils used for crops like sugarcane and rice, and mineral soils associated with perennial cattle pastures.
The idea is that as the rock weathers, it may help remineralize depleted soils, supply major and micronutrients and stabilize organic carbon. But researchers still need to figure out which types of basalt work best, how finely they should be ground, how much should be applied and, importantly, whether the economics make sense for agriculture.
And this isn't necessarily just a Florida experiment. Researchers say the results could eventually help guide soil management in other warm, humid farming regions, including Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana.
For more, visit https://news.ufl.edu/2026/05/volcanic-rock-dust/
