Get your soil tested
In modern agriculture, soil testing is the most important practise to manage fertiliser application and crop production. Without soil testing, it is very difficult to ensure the right application of fertilisers for the crop and get the optimum yield.
What are the objectives of soil testing?
The Objectives of Soil Testing are:
- To evaluate the fertility and nutrient status of soil for providing an index of nutrient availability or supply in a given soil.
- Determination of acidity, salinity and alkalinity problems.
- To provide a recommendation on the amount of manure and fertilizer based on soil test value and according to crop.
- To avoid excess use of fertilizer and to ensure environmental safety.
- When crops are harvested, a considerable amount of nutrients are removed from the soil and causes loss of fertility in soil over a long period of time. So, the soil should be tested.
- Evaluation of the suitability of the soil for the crop.
- Restoration of soil fertility is a key factor for crop productivity, profitability and sustainability.
- Fertilization programme must consider crop needs, soil supply, fertilizer use efficiency, the contribution from manures etc.
- Time to time evaluation of the inherent soil fertility status is essential for arriving at the crop and site-specific balanced fertilization program to sustain productivity.
- To Predict the probability of obtaining a profitable response to and fertilizers.
What are the benefits of soil testing?
- Soil Analysis leads to more informed fertiliser decisions, reducing risks in the soil such as soil erosion, soil infertility and degraded lands and increasing farm profitability in the long-term.
- Reveals the amount of plant-available macro-nutrients in the soil and where soil nutrients are in the soil profile
- Identifies nutrients that could be yield-limiting
- Monitors soil health properties such as pH, EC and OC, which affect nutrient availability to crops and thereby yields and profitability
- Provides a basis for variable rate application (VRT) depending upon soil and crop.
- Supports decisions about fertiliser rate, timing, placement and product.
- Improved knowledge of the soil types within the farm to maximise management options.
- Maximises in-season responsiveness.
- Consequently, it also provides a farm management tool with a potential benefit to the farmer of increased yields, reduced operating costs and superior environmental risk management and it also includes improved crop maturity and quality, higher tolerance to disease and pest damage, and increased growth.
Soil fertility is the ability of a soil to sustain plant growth by providing essential plant nutrients and favorable chemical, physical, and biological characteristics as a habitat for plant growth. Plant nutrients include the macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, sulfur, calcium and magnesium. Micronutrients are essentially boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and zinc. Fertilizers are chemical or natural substance or material that is used to provide nutrients to plants, usually via application to the soil, but also to foliage or through water in rice systems, fertigation or hydroponics or aquaculture operations. Nutrient sources include chemical and mineral fertilizers, organic fertilizers, such as livestock manures and composts, and sources of recycled nutrients.
The impacts of soil fertility are reflected in most of the Sustainable Development Goals, as they contain economic, social and environmental aspects. The main function provided by a fertile soil is the provision of food, which is very important considering FAO’s Zero hunger objective. A fertile soil also provides essential nutrients for plant growth, to produce healthy food with all the necessary nutrients needed for human health. Moreover, fertility has an impact on activities with an economic impact and is therefore related to economic growth and the fight against poverty. Finally, good management of soil fertility can help reduce soil, water and air pollution, regulate water resources availability, support a diverse and active biotic community, increase vegetation cover and allows for carbon neutral footprint.
Soil fertility is crucial for agricultural productivity and therefore for food security. It can be maintained or increased through several management practices. Farmers can improve soil fertility and soil health by optimizing soil nutrient management in terms of maximizing net returns, minimizing the soil nutrients depletion, and minimizing nutrient losses or negative impacts on the environment. Governments should promote sustainable agricultural practices, technologies and management in order to improve soil fertility and nutrient management as a whole, such as Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) and Sustainable Soil Management (SSM). The International Code of Conduct for the Sustainable Use and Management of Fertilizers promotes practices including nutrient recycling, and agronomic and land management to improve soil health; it recommends regulation related to the sale, distribution and labelling of fertilizer products, wherever appropriate. It also promotes capacity development and education programmes for all stakeholders involved in the fertilizer value chain, and encourages developed countries to assist others in developing infrastructures and capacity to manage fertilizers throughout their life cycle.