| Soils are the source of thirteen of the
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| | stand for?
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| sixteen essential plant nutrients and can
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| | Soils usually contain much higher amounts
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| be viewed as suppliers of nutrients to
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| | of nutrients than what we see in the
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| plants. Plants absorb available
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| | reports, because lab results describe
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| nutrients, which can be replenished by
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| | only the available nutrients to plant. To
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| adding fertilizers.
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| | estimate the amounts of nutrients which
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| To achieve good yield and quality,
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| | are actually available to plants,
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| nutrient balance has to be maintained.
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| | different testing methods were developed.
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| Nutrient imbalance may result in
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| | Some of these methods give empirical
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| deficiencies, toxicities or interference
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| | values or measures.
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| of one nutrient with the absorption of
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| | 4. Don't look only at the numbers in the
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| others.
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| | report
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| This may result in stress to the crop,
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| | It's true, lab reports can be confusing:
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| causing a decrease in quality and/or
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| | different labs use different testing
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| yields. Soil analysis is an important
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| | methods, resulting in different results
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| tool for evaluating or avoiding problems
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| | for the same sample! They may even use
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| of nutrients balance.
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| | the same methods, but express the results
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| Why is soil analysis important?
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| | in different units.
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| You can roughly estimate just how much
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| | To correlate the numbers in the soil
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| fertilizers you need to apply according
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| | analysis report with crop response to
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| to general growing recommendations for
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| | added nutrients, numerous field
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| your crop. But is it too much, or maybe
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| | experiments are required. The reason is
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| too little? This is where soil analysis
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| | that the same numbers may lead to
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| comes in.
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| | different recommendations in different
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| Soil analysis eliminates at least one
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| | soils, different areas and under
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| unknown from the "equation": when adding
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| | different conditions. The numbers in the
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| nutrients to the soil, knowing the
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| | report, coupled by the description of the
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| starting point is a very valuable piece
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| | nutrient content in the soil, can
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| of information.
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| | indicate if the predicted crop response
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| Here are the basics of how to make sense
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| | to fertilizers will be favorable or not.
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| of soil analysis reports.
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| | 5. Choose the right lab
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| 1. Take the soil sample correctly
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| | Good labs, with good experience, use
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| Taking the sample correctly is the number
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| | their regional database to give a
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| one step for any reliable soil analysis
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| | description of each nutrient (indicating
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| result. The soil sampling should be well
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| | if its level is too high, too low or
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| planned and preformed. For example, the
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| | adequate) and even fertilization
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| sample site should be far from roads,
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| | recommendations.
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| fences, tree groups, piles of fertilizers
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| | Don't take these recommendation as
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| and manure or any other object that can
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| | "instructions". Remember that no one
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| locally affect the soil properties and
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| | knows your crop better than you do. You
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| content.
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| | are the best judge of your crop needs and
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| The sample should represent the entire
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| | specific conditions.
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| field as closely as possible. If the
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| | 6. Use your experience
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| field is not uniform, and consists of
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| | The soil analysis report, together with
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| different areas with different
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| | your close familiarity with your crop and
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| properties, each area should be sampled.
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| | field conditions, give you the
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| Compiling results from completely
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| | starting-point to tackle the next
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| different areas and averaging them into
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| | question: how much fertilizers to apply?
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| one report, will obviously give us a very
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| | First thing to remember is that different
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| misleading result.
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| | crops remove from the soil different
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| 2. Consider all growing conditions
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| | amounts of nutrients. So knowing your
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| Keep in mind that there are many factors
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| | crop needs is essential. Next is your
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| that affect the plant growth. The soil
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| | crop target yield. Generally speaking,
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| analysis will not supply answers to poor
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| | higher fertilization level gives higher
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| or inadequate conditions, such as
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| | yields, but only up to a certain point.
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| critically low or high temperatures,
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| | Beyond that, adding fertilizers will not
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| inadequate drainage, wrong application of
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| | increase yields and may even reduce them
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| fertilizers, accumulation of salts, plant
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| | as a result of salts accumulation in the
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| diseases, pests damage, competition with
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| | root zone.
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| weeds etc.
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| | Bottom line is that soil analysis lab
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| Assuming you took samples correctly and
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| | reports give us a good starting point for
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| you acknowledge the many factors that may
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| | making better fertilization-management
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| affect you crop, how do you proceed to
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| | decisions. They should be put in context
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| interpret the numbers in the soil
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| | and their interpretation should be
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| analysis lab reports?
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| | adjusted to the individual crop behavior
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| 3. What do the numbers in the report
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| | and specific field conditions.
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