Agronomy & Nutrition
At Summit, we offer a complete soil analysis service.
Soil analysis is an essential part of developing a comprehensive fertilizer strategy for the coming season. It involves gathering critical information on nutrient levels and also other key soil traits such as organic carbon, electrical conductivity, pH and the soil’s phosphorus buffering index (PBI).
During a soil analysis, your local Summit Area Manager will take soil samples to get a deep understanding of your farm’s nutrient requirements. Drawing on local information and backed by our science, they will meet with you regularly to develop a long term fertilizer strategy designed to build the value of your farm.
Benefits of a Summit Soil Analysis
- Independent laboratory testing
- Rapid turnaround times
- Wide range of nutrients measured
- Practical recommendations based on results
- Soil test reports available to view and download online via SummitConnect
Nutrients Analysed
Learn more about the common soil nutrient analysis tests that we do, and how to interpret test results by taking a look at our quick guide.
| Nutrient | Symbol | Units Used | Adequate Range Expected | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | P | ppm (mg/kg) | 15 - 45 | Dependent on crop/pasture type and soil type. |
| Potassium | K | ppm (mg/kg) | 40 - 120 | Lupins and Canola are less sensitive to K deficiency. Clover and Medic require higher soil levels. |
| Sulphur | S | ppm (mg/kg) | 5 - 15 | Dependent on soil type. |
| Nitrate | NO3 | ppm (mg/kg) | up to 30 | Very mobile in the soil. May be lost to leaching. |
| Ammonium | NH4 | ppm (mg/kg) | up to 20 | Stable in the soil as it is a cation, but converts to Nitrate readily. |
| Copper | Cu | ppm (mg/kg) | > 0.3 | Soil tests for Copper are a guide only. |
| Zinc | Zn | ppm (mg/kg) | 0.12 - 0.5 | Dependent on soil pH. The more alkaline the soil (higher pH) the higher the soil Zinc level needs to be. |
| Organic Carbon | O.C. | % | 1.0 - 3.0 | Dependent on soil type and rainfall. |
| Electrical Conductivity | EC (1:5) | dS/m | < 0.25 | A measure of 'salinity'. Highly dependent on soil type with heavier soils having some buffering capability, but generally EC (1:5) values <0.2 are non-saline and >0.7 is of concern and possibly accumulating salt.
A variable conversion factor can be applied so values will fit one scale across all soil types. This is called 'estimated EC' or ECe. In this case ECe threshold of >8 represents highly saline soil. |
| pH | (CaCl2) | > 5.0 | Economic responses to applying lime to increase pH above 5.0 are doubtful. If subsoil pH is low, it may be necessary to increase topsoil pH >5.5 (CaCl2) | |
| Aluminium | Al | ppm (mg/kg) | < 5.0 | As pH declines (becomes more acidic) aluminium can increase in soil solution. Aluminium is toxic to roots. When roots don't grow, plants cannot explore the soil to access nutrients and soil moisture. Levels above 5 mg/kg strongly impact wheat. Other crops such as barley are more sensitive (Read the article on soil pH here) |
| PBI | PBI (Phosphorus Buffering Index) is a function of soil type. Generally where soil particles contain more iron, aluminium and calcium such as forest gravels, plus some soils with considerable clay and organic matter, the PBI will be higher and decrease plant-available P (See article) |
Other nutrients can be analysed on request, including Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) which involves analysing calcium, magnesium and sodium in conjunction with a potassium test to calculate CEC.
Fertilizer Australia provides a highly detailed ‘Fit for purpose’ soil sampling guide, which details the guidelines for well planned, well equipped and well suited soil sampling methods: Fertcare Soil Sampling Guide.pdf
At Summit, we offer a comprehensive plant analysis service.
Plant analysis measures the amount of nutrients contained in the plant at the time of sampling and is the best indicator of trace elements currently available. This service is also useful for:
- Predicting plant nutritional problems during the early growing season.
- Monitoring the effectiveness of the current fertilizer strategy.
- Determining what nutrients are available to grazing animals.
- Locating specific areas of the paddock where deficiencies of one or more nutrients may occur.
- Optimizing yields.
With over 30 years of experience in the industry, you can rely on our team to deliver a world class plant testing service.
Benefits of a Summit Plant Analysis
- Independent laboratory testing
- Rapid turnaround times
- Wide range of nutrients measured
- Continued support from Area Managers trained in plant sampling techniques
Plant test reports are available to view and download online via SummitConnect.
| Nutrient | Symbol | Units Used |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | N | % |
| Phosphorus | P | % |
| Potassium | K | % |
| Calcium | Ca | % |
| Magnesium | Mg | % |
| Copper | Cu | ppm |
| Zinc | Zn | ppm |
| Manganese | Mn | ppm |
| Boron | B | ppm |
| Sodium | Na | ppm |
| Iron | Fe | ppm |
| Nitrate | NO3 | ppm |
| Chloride | Cl | % |
| Options | ||
| Moybdenum | Mo | ppm |
Fertilizer Australia provides a highly detailed plant sampling for agriculture guide, which details the full plant sampling process and best practice: Fertcare Plant Sampling Guide.pdf