Soil Testing – The Easiest Way to Increase Profit

The primary tool for assessing the production potential of our field is soil testing, which involves determining the parameters that shape the soil’s productive capacity. The key to success here is proper soil sampling and professional interpretation of the test results.

Among the factors that determine the success of crop production, proper selection of the crop variety plays an important role. Breeding progress in recent decades has been strongly focused on selecting the right crop characteristics and increasing yields. However, whether our production reaches its maximum potential depends on a rational, knowledge-based approach to fertilization and the cultivation of our fields.

Statistically, soil sample collection accounts for the largest share of errors in soil analysis. The actual conditions in the field and those reported in the analytical report often differ, and the discrepancies between them, instead of being a source of knowledge, become a leaky pocket through which tens of thousands of zlotys slip away each year.

Healthy soil starts with determining its pH, nutrient availability (both macro and micronutrients), organic matter content, and the level of microbiological activity. These basic characteristics provide the opportunity to analyze the baseline condition to make further agronomic decisions that influence productivity and the economic profitability of the farm.

Soil testing can, of course, be treated as a mere formality to secure subsidies, but this will not significantly affect farm profits. Soil testing is the most important element in rationalizing fertilization and securing the nutritional needs of plants. Both excess and deficiency of a particular nutrient impair the effectiveness of other nutrients, making them less effective or even unavailable to the plants. Correct results and analysis of soil quality indicators allow for the calculation of the optimal fertilizer dose and form.

From our recent experience with farms that have undergone professional soil testing, savings ranged from 150 to 1000 PLN per hectare!

What can be done to achieve savings at the indicated level or even higher?

We suggest implementing regular soil analysis practices that will help identify qualitative changes occurring in the soil over the years. A necessary condition is reproducibility and representativeness of soil samples. Reproducibility is possible thanks to skills based on a detailed knowledge of the fields and the consistency of the sampling and puncturing scheme that ultimately creates the laboratory sample. If we cannot replicate the sampling scheme precisely, using digital field maps and GPS signals can help accurately replicate the locations for taking individual soil samples during subsequent measurements. Along with professional soil sampling, the proper interpretation of the results is crucial, as it translates into a detailed fertilization plan for crop rotation.

Soil testing is where everything starts.

It is our knowledge base, without which it is difficult to run a profitable and competitive farm today. Soil testing every 2-4 years is a necessity, and for problematic parts of our fields, we recommend conducting tests even every year to find the causes of low yields and select appropriate corrective measures. The sooner, the better, because soil is not a vase; we can’t change it like used water.

Authors:

dr Tomasz Niedziński

mgr Anna Danylczenko