Soil Analysis The Reasons And Hw Method
- 1. Soil Analysis - The Reasons Presented by Dallas Hanks
- 2. Acknowledgments Utah State Universtiy Extension Service Colorado State University Extension Service Ohio State University Extension Service University of Idaho Extension Service Cornell Cooperative Extension Service
- 3. I have found that a great part of the information I have, was acquired by looking for something and finding something else on the way. Franklin P. Adams
- 6. Conventional Uses of Soil Analysis Increasing knowledge of what nutrients are specifically available in your soil Reducing environmental impacts due to soil amendments Increasing efficiency of resource inputs such as fertilizers and water prediction of nutritional values needed for crop production
- 7. How Often Do You Check Your Oil? Once every month at least?? Why?? To protect investment To ensure minium levels Prevent repairs that may be more costly Signal that a repair needs to be done Ensure envt. concerns
- 8. Soil Testing “ A soil test is the best method to determine whether ... fertilizer is needed” (USU Extension Fact Sheet HG/H5) “ The soil test is an excellent measure of soil fertility. It is a very inexpensive way of maintaining good plant health...”(OSU Extension Fact Sheet HYG-1132-97) “ Quality topsoil is the basis for quality landscapes” (USU Extension Fact Sheet AG/SO-02)
- 9. Objectives of Soil Analysis Determine the status of soils I.E. nutrient availability Macro Micro Salt conditions pH Texture Organic matter Form a basis to determine fertilizer needs
- 10. Cautions about soil analysis Irrigation techniques and amounts Pest or toxic problems Poor soil structure and drainage Variety choice “HOME SOIL TEST KITS ARE OF LITTLE TO NO VALUE. They are designed for eastern soils and give very poor accuracy on our western soil types.”
- 11. Phases of Soil Analysis Progam Sampling Extraction and chemical analysis Interpretation and making recommendations
- 12. Soil Sampling The results of your soil test are no better than the sample you send to the lab. The sample must be representative of the area being considered. IF YOU DO NOT SAMPLE CORRECTLY YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A RELIABLE DIAGNOSIS.
- 13. Tool for Soil Sampling Shovel Probe Bucket
- 14. Taking a Soil Sample 1. With a shovel, make a hole in the soil. SAMPLING DEPTH SHOULD BE AS DEEP AS TILLAGE. Do not just sample the surface. Shrubs, bedding plants and Trees - 0-12 inches Turf - 3 inches 2. Throw this shovel full of soil aside. 3. Cut a ½ to 1 inch slice of soil from the side of the hole. Be sure the slice is fairly evenin width and thickness. 4. Place the slice in a bucket. 5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 at about six different locations. This step is important to obtain a representative sample. 6. Thoroughly mix the 6 sub-samples. 7. Send about 1 pint of the thoroughly mixed garden soil for the test. Obtaining the soil sample will be easier if you have a soil probe or bulb planter. 8. Supply the information on the test form for better interpretation of results.
- 15. Extraction and Chemical Analysis Extract “available” portion of the nutrient Measure the concentration of the extracted nutrient Extractant is the most important part of this procedure
- 16. Conventional Methods of Soil Analysis Nutrient extraction (hasn’t changed in some instances since 1940's)
- 17. Conventional Methods of Soil Analysis For each nutrient, mix soil with extracting reagent
- 18. Conventional Methods of Soil Analysis Shake each sample for respective time (30- 90 min)
- 20. A New Way of Doing Things Often discovery is founded on a legacy History of this project: Turf nutritional recommendations Increase in soil analysis (GPS) Just a faster, easier, less expensive way of doing things Fuelky and Czinkota Expense and labor of Soil Analysis
- 21. Proposed Soil Nutrient Extraction using Hot Water and Pressure nutrient extraction Simply allow HW method to extract and filter the sample (1-5 min) analyze using standard methods Chromotography Spectrophotometry
- 22. Reasons for HW Laboratory decreased analysis time less hazardous chemical disposal Portability On site anaylsis Increased demand for soil analysis Precision Agriculture G.P.S.
- 23. Materials and Methods Use an Braun T-250 espresso machine for equipment generated 2.5 bar and temp of 93 C 5 gram soil 100 ml of distilled water 2 mm filter paper
- 24. Cont. Allow water to heat to constant temp Make extractionm vent closed Switch from steam to cup Allow all water to pass through sample Avg time - 1.4 min
- 32. On the Horizon Portability GPS and USU - onsite analysis Textural Relationships E.C. S.A.R. Instrumentation
- 33. Conclusion HW is precise and accurate HW is more rapid and simple HW used less hazardous reagents HW minimized equipment and labor HW potentially can cut cost
- 34. Analysis Macro Nutrients - Nitrate, Pottasium, Phosphorus Micro Nutrients - zinc, iron, copper, maganese Salt conditions - ec pH - how acidic or basic your soil is Texture - amount of sand, silt and clay Organic Matter - how much
- 35. Macro Nutrients Nitrogen - Minumum levels - 50 ppm** Nitrogen is the key element in plant growth Is the most tested for in soils It is used in the highest quantity by plants Nitrogen is used in protein synthesis, nucleic acid production, chlorophyll and other plant substances **Nutrional minimum levels may vary depending on several factors
- 36. Macro Phosphorus - Minumum levels - 15 ppm** Very tricky to analyze for Bound by high pH in our soils Used in ATP production, nucleic acid formation, fruit and seed production. **Nutrional minimum levels may vary depending on several factors
- 37. Macros Potassium - Minimum levels - 100 ppm** Used in cell division, carbohydrate formation “ Free” spirit in the plant Availablity affected by pH of soil **Nutrional minimum levels may vary depending on several factors
- 38. Micros Boron - Minimum levels - 1 ppm** Used in cell division and growth, membranes Most toxic of micronutrients Iron - Minimum levels - 5 ppm** Used in redox reactions, electron transport Availability very pH dependent Zinc - Minimum levels - 1 ppm** Used to form nitrogen and sulfur ligands, enzymes Not multivalent Availability is highly pH dependent Maganese - Minimum levels - 1 ppm** Used in enzymes and electron transport Availability is highly pH dependent Copper - Minimum levels - 0.2 ppm** Used in enzymes and electron transfer Availability is highly pH dependent Sulfur - Minimum levels - N/A Mimics nitrogen in the plant and soil Amino acids, vitamins and oils **Nutrional minimum levels may vary depending on several factors
- 39. Conclusion Often, it is easy to make things complicated, but difficult to make things simple.