Dr. Jose Rolando’s research at UF/IFAS aims to help growers build healthier soil, reduce costs, and create more resilient crops in the face of a changing climate.
A new microbiologist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is looking to the smallest organisms for the biggest solutions. Dr. Jose Rolando is diving into the hidden world of soil microbes, the microscopic powerhouses that he believes hold the key to a more sustainable future for Florida’s agriculture and ecosystems.
Rolando’s work focuses on how these tiny life forms interact with plants and soil, especially as environmental pressures like sea level rise and extreme weather become more common. His research spans across Florida, from coastal marshes and seagrass beds to the turfgrass fields that define so much of the state’s landscape.
“Microorganisms are nature’s recyclers,” Rolando explained. “They break down organic matter, return nutrients to the soil, and even make nitrogen from the air available to plants. If we can understand and work with these processes, we can make agriculture more productive while protecting the environment.”…