Why use leaf or tissue analysis?
Acquiring and utilising accurate information such as leaf analysis data is fundamental to many decisions made in the agricultural, horticultural, environmental and amenity sectors.
For plant and crop production, it enables planning a fertiliser programme that is accurate, timely and -- increasingly important -- environmentally responsible.
Essentially leaf analysis provides the critical information required to ensure all crop nutrition decisions are accurate, efficient, cost-effective and responsible.
| Leaf or tissue analysis is the only certain method to determine the nutritional requirements of a plant and to identify if it is suffering from a nutrient deficiency. |
Hannah Shirt
Business Development Manager - Analytical Services
Ireland and United Kingdom
FACTS Qualified Advisor (FQA)
What to analyse?
Most of the work, and cost, of soil testing, is in the sampling and transportation of the samples to be analysed to the laboratory. Once the sample has arrived it makes sense to get as much information as possible from the sample.
A wide range of nutrients can be determined including macronutrients (nitrogen, potassium, phosphate), major nutrients (calcium, sulphur, magnesium), animal health nutrients (sodium, cobalt, iodine and selenium) and heavy metals (lead, nickel, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, copper and zinc)
What analysis packages are available?
Broad-spectrum leaf (BSL)
This is our most popular analysis package as this gives the nutrient levels for all twelve plant nutrients and ensures no deficiency is missed. This is the best choice for crop samples. The report also interprets the results compared to benchmark levels and gives recommendations to correct the deficiency. The nutrients included in this analysis are:
N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn
Animal health leaf (AHL)
This is the best analysis package for forage samples as this gives the nutrient levels for all twelve plant nutrients and ensures no crop deficiency is missed but also includes an additional four nutrients that are vital for the health of livestock. The report also interprets the results compared to benchmark levels and gives recommendations to correct the deficiency. The nutrients included in this analysis are:
N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn and Na, Co, I, Se
Other analysis packs for specific situations include:
Basic leaf (BL)
N, P, K, Mg
Nitrogen only (NL)
N
Heavy metal contamination (SA8)
Pb, Ni, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Cu, Zn
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