Landcare Research - Manaaki Whenua

Landcare-Research -Manaaki Whenua

Soil testing

The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory does not provide a public soil fertility testing service; however we can assist with commercial contracts and research projects. The following is a list of tests performed historically, along with a brief description and references suitable for inclusion in the Methods section of a publication. Not all are routinely available; please contact us to discuss your particular requirements.

Test NoTest Name
102Sample Preparation*
 Test Method no. 102(i)  Dry Soil Sample Preparation*
 Test Method no. 102(ii) Wet Soil Sample Preparation*
104Moisture Factor
 Test Method no. 104(i) Moisture Factor (Formerly 104)
 Test Method no. 104(ii) Water Content
 Test Method no. 104(iii) Water Holding Capacity
105Bulk Density
106pH
 Test Method no. 106(i) pH in Water 1:2.5 ratio (formerly 106)
 Test Method no. 106(ii) pH in Water 1:5 ratio (formerly 106)
 Test Method no. 106(iii) pH in 0.01M CaCl2 (formerly 106)
 Test Method no. 106(iv) pH in 1 M KCl (formerly 106)
108pH in H2O2*
110Electrical Conductivity
112Loss on Ignition (LOI)*
114Organic carbon and total nitrogen
116Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, Phosphorus & [Potassium*] (formerly Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen)
118Mineral Nitrogen
120Anaerobic Mineralisable Nitrogen
121Aerobic Mineralisable Nitrogen*
124Olsen-Available Phosphorus
126Bray 2-Soluble Phosphorus
1280.5M H2SO4-Soluble Phosphorus
130Organic Phosphorus
132Phosphate Retention
134Phosphate Sorption Curves*
140Bases Shakes*
 Test Method no. 140(i)  Bases - 1:50 Shake*
 Test Method no. 140(ii)  Bases - 1:20 Shake*
142Bases - Leaching*
144Cation Exchange Capacity
 Test Method no. 144(i) Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)
 Test Method no. 144(ii) Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) by pH Drop (formerly 145)*
146Exchangeable Aluminium*
148Reserve Potassium*
150Acid Soluble & Reserve Magnesium*
152Calcium carbonate*
154Calcium Nitrate-Extractable Metals (formerly 159)*
156DTPA-Extractable Metals (formerly 160)*
158EDTA-Extractable Metals (formerly 161)*
160Total Metals (formerly 163)*
164Acid-oxalate-extractable Fe, Al & Si*
166Pyrophosphate-extractable Fe &Al*
168Dithionite-citrate-extractable Fe & Al*
172Soil Basal Respiration*
174Microbial Biomass Carbon
176Microbial Biomass Nitrogen*
190Particle Size

Note: tests marked * are not part of the scope of accreditation.