Laboratory Analysis

Soil testing laboratories are in business to provide accurate analytical results in a timely manner by utilizing tests that are appropriate for specific conditions in a geographic region. While soil testing laboratories can perform analytical tests for any and all essential crop nutrients, it is not always appropriate to run tests for nutrients that research has not shown a need for. If a crop response has not been observed in research trials for a given crop or geographic area, proper correlation, calibration, and interpretation of the laboratory analytical results are not possible. There are many good commercial and university laboratories in the Great Plains region with stringent quality control procedures that make the chance for error quite low. In fact, the actual chemical analysis by the laboratory is generally the step that results in the least amount of variability in the overall soil testing process.