Laboratory » Solis

Soil biological, physical and chemical processes are interconnected and contribute to and affect plant health, productivity and disease susceptibility. The biological, physical and chemical properties of the soil are dependent on the management practices used, site history, and particularly the management of organic matter i.e. carbon. Changes that are made to the chemical and physical environment in soils will influence the biological processes and subsequently the contribution they make to soil fertility.

ENSPEC can facilitate complete soil analysis, from on-site testing and laboratory testing to post test analysis of soil conditioning.

ENSPEC’s range of soil testing equipment allows for instant on-site soil assessments of pH, electrical conductivity, moisture, structure, infiltration and compaction. These tests can provide immediate results on-site, however to improve the accuracy of the testing, ENSPEC’s laboratory can facilitate a comprehensive analysis of soil chemistry, biology and its physical properties.

Cation Balance

Appropriate cation exchange capacity (cation balance) is essential to the development of good soil structure, biology and nutrient availability. Knowing this information facilitates the management of healthy soils.

Soil Nutrients

All plants have their own particular nutrient requirements for optimum growth, production and longevity. These nutrients are obtained from the soil, and the condition of the soil and the quantities of certain elements, compounds and biological matter determine what nutrients are actively available for plant utilisation.

Biological Activity

Soil comprises a diversity of organisms that assist critical soil and plant functions.  Soil organisms reconstitute organic matter making nutrients available for plant uptake and to other organisms. The reconstitution of organic matter facilitates soil permeability and its ability to retain and make nutrients available. Having the right diversity and balance of soil organisms is critical to maintaining healthy plants, thus knowing the biological constituents of a soil and the levels of biological activity will facilitate better plant management.

The complete soil analysis provides comprehensive information pertaining to the structure, nutrients and biology present within a site. Using the results obtained from the above tests, ENSPEC can provide recommendations for soil and site improvements. Such recommendations may include modifying land management practices, organic fertigation, mechanical decompaction, aeration, infiltration and where appropriate, the use of compost teas.

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