Developing Controlled Release Fertilizers in Florida Monday Jan 11th, 2021 News Reporter With your Southeast Regional Ag Report, I'm Trevor Williams. Nutrient management is perhaps one of the more complicated aspects of farming. Fertilizers are used to boost nutrient availability in the soil, oftentimes, having to be applied throughout the growing season. But the development of controlled-release fertilizers, are minimizing the applications as well as the environmental impact of fertilizers. De Broughton is a UF IFAS Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, FL who focuses on row crops grown in her district, specifically the Swanee River Valley. De and her IFAS team have been working on testing controlled-release fertilizers on crops like grain corn and watermelon. Here is De Broughton on how controlled release works.