Soil Tests

• Standard Mehlich 3 soil test – This includes tests for pH, organic matter, Ca, Mg, K, Na, P, S, B, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Al.  The TCEC is calculated along with the percentage base saturation of the cations, Ca, Mg, K and Na. This is a soil reserve test, reporting the amount of each element available in the soil reserve.  This test is not suitable for fizzy or calcareous soil.
• AA8.2 soil test – This is the same as the standard Mehlich 3 test except it is suitable for for fizzy or calcareous soil.
• Saturated Paste Test – This includes tests for pH, soluble salts, chloride, bicarbonate, S, P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, B, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Al using water as the solvent.  This test identifies the amount of soluble nutrients present in the soil.  It is a test for short term availability of nutrients.  It is best to supply irrigation water to the lab for this test.
• Additional micro-nutrient test – This tests for soil reserves of Co, Mo, Se and Si and includes the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil. This test is recommended when both a soil reserve and a saturated paste test are ordered.

Irrigation Water Tests

• Irrigation water suitability test – This test includes pH, hardness, conductivity, SAR, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, B, P, nitrate, total alkalinity, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulfate and salt concentration. This is a good test to identify any potential problems with irrigation water that may need to be addressed.  It is very useful in conjunction with the saturated paste test using the same water, since it helps to identify the source of soluble nutrients.
• Irrigation water monitoring test – This is the same test as the irrigation water suitability test except it does not include tests for P and nitrate.  Also, adjusted SAR and pHc are not calculated.