Why soil test?
Predictive - What's the nutritional status of my soil? What soil chemical properties are limiting my production?
Troubleshooting - Are chemical properties in my soil causing underperformance or affecting yield?
Monitoring - Have there been any changes to the chemical properties of my soil over time?
- Assess the capacity of the soil to support plant growth
- Establish current soil nutritional status
- Diagnose plant nutrient deficiencies/toxicities
- Make informed decisions for soil management and fertiliser applications to maximise yields and profits
- Indicate the ameliorants required to correct physical or chemical soil imbalances
- Monitor soil fertility; ensure we are not mining soil, building soil health and fertility
- Fine tune nutritional inputs
- Ensure fertiliser applications have no adverse environmental effects
- Identify soil variability and apply precision agricultural technology
Additionally, establishing a fertile/healthy well-structured soil will improve:
- Quality of produce — appearance, weight, taste, shelf life
- Food nutrient value
- Resistance to pests and diseases
- Livestock performance
- Water use efficiency
- Fertiliser use efficiency
If you're after more information about selecting sampling sites or conducting soil sampling, our Soil Sampling Instructions will help you get on the right track.