"Revised 1/2012 ."Soil testing is a process or a group of processes used to estimate the ability of a soil to supply plant nutrients or support plant growth. Soil test results enable evaluation of the fertility status of soil represented by a sample. Fertilizer and lime recommendations can then be made based on the soil's fertility status. This allows prudent and economical use of fertilizer and lime while providing crops with sufficient nutrients to reach production goals set for a field. In addition, soil testing can be used to find excesses of certain nutrients. The soil testing process consists of: sampling, sample preparation, nutrient extraction and chemical determination of these nutrients, determination of pH and quantity of soil acidity, and evaluation of the tests resulting in fertilizer and lime recommendations.Introduction -- Sampling -- Sample submission and preparation -- Extraction and measurement -- pH and acidity determination -- Evaluation of soil tests -- Procedures. Organic matter loss on ignition ; Potassium Calcium, Magnesium and Sodium Ammonium acetate extraction ; Phosphorus Bray I and Bray II methods ; Soil pH in water (pHw) ; Soil pH in a dilute salt solution (pHs) ; Neutralizable aciding (NA) New Woodruff buffer method ; Zince, iron, manganses and copper DPTA extraction ; Electrical conductivity ; Sulfate-sulfur monocalcium phosphate extraction ; Nitrate-nitrogen cadmium reduction method ; Ammonium-nitrogen phenolate method ; Boron hot water extraction ; Chloride mercury (II) thiocyanate method ; Particle size analysis hydrometer method ; Greenhouse root media -- Caluclated cation exhchange capacity -- Literature cite
