Importance of Soil Analysis

Soil testing is done to determine the quality of the soil. One must earn the right methods for soil testing to get the best results. Get help from productive soil testing NZ service.

Soil analysis is a series of tests done on the soil to determine the amount of available nutrient in the soil. It determines the chemical, physical and biological property of the soil to know the soil health and provide the necessary minerals that it is lacking. The basic plant nutrients that the test identifies are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, pH, humus content, calcium carbonate, available lime, organic matter, sulphur and all the other physical that are present and are crucial to determining the quality for suitable cropping.

When we soil analysis the number of processes implied is

• Taking soil samples for laboratory testing
• Laboratory analysis of the soil
• The right interpretation of the test by giving out a report along with the issuance of fertiliser recommendation.

Aim of soil analysis

• To determine the available nutrients and their quantity to introduce the nutrients which the soil is lacking.
• To predict the increase in yields and profitability with the introduction of fertiliser
• To provide the basics for calculating the required fertilisation for each crop.
• To evaluate the supply of each nutrient and similarly develop a compensation plan for them.

According to the content of the nutrients in the soil determined by the test, one would be able to predict the requirement to culture higher yields. With the test, it will be easier to predict the right amount of fertiliser needed for the soil to give a perfect yield. Over fertilisation often disturbs the quality of the soil and decreases yields in long run.

Taking soil samples for soil analysis is done after the harvesting of the crop, before any fertilisation and at optimum moisture. The soil minerals should not be unevenly scattered, and the soil should not be depressed along the edges. It can give out the wrong result. Samples are generally taken by probe but can also be taken by a shovel. For taking a sample with a shovel the process is as follows.

• Dig a pit
• Vertically cut the soil along the pit wall
• The shovel must be pulled out so that soil does not slip off.
• The samples in the left and right are removed and the centre one is preserved for testing.
• The sample must not be taken from a single place. Instead one must take a few samples from different part of the land for appropriate testing.
• The sample should be taken from 0-30 cm deep for field crops. For permanent crops the sample should be taken from 0-30 cm deep and 30-60 cm deep separately from at least 20 different places.

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Hill Laboratories https://www.hill-laboratories.com/analytical-testing/other-testing/compost-and-media-testing/ Hill-Lab are New Zealand's largest testing laboratory Joined: November 24th, 2020