soil & planttissue testing for florida pastures
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Soil & PlantTissue Testing for Florida Pastures. Ed Jennings UF-IFAS Extension Pasco County. Soil Test. Chemical analysis to assess the plant-available nutrient status, salinity, and elemental toxicity of a soil Soil sample collection: representative of the entire area of interest - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Soil & PlantTissue Testing for Florida Pastures
Ed Jennings
UF-IFAS Extension
Pasco County
Soil TestChemical analysis to assess the plant-available nutrient status, salinity, and elemental toxicity of a soil
Soil sample collection: representative of the entire area of interest
• Differences in soil type
• Areas managed or cropped differently
• Areas that clearly have some type of problem
Differences in Soil Type
Soil Test Handling and submitting your soil sample
1. Samples are thoroughly mixed
2. Sub-sample should be placed in a clean and properly labeled soil sample bag
3. Samples should be delivered to lab as soon as possible after collection
Area B - Dark colored soil
Area A - Light colored soil
Yield will be limited by the element in
shortest supply in relation to plants needs
Target pH for different forage crops grown
on mineral soils1 Crop Category Target pH
Bahiagrass 5.0-5.5
Bermudagrass, and limpograss 5.5
Small grains and ryegrass 6.0
Perennial peanut 6.0
Clover 6.5
Alfalfa 7.0
Fertilizer Label
• Nitrogen – Phosphorus – K Potassium
• Always in this same order, by law
• Each number is percentage of that nutrient
• 6-6-6 is 6 % N, 6%P, & 6%K
• That’s only 18% or 18 lbs per 100
• Whats the rest ?
Critical Plant Nutrient Levels in Bahiagrass Tissue
Plant Nutrient Critical Concentration %
Nitrogen < 1.5
Phosphorous < 0.15
Potassium <1.2
Example Report
•LIME AND FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS
•Crop: Bahiagrass
•Lime:427.0 lbs per acre (1 Ton = 2000 Lbs)
•Nitrogen: 60 lbs per acre
•Phosphorus: 0 lbs per acre
•Potassium: 0 lbs per acre
•Magnesium: (Mg) 0 lbs per acre
•LIME AND FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS
•Crop: Improved perennial grasses other than bahiagrass(bermuda,digit,limpo,star)
•Lime: 0.0 lbs per acre (1 Ton = 2000 Lbs)
•Nitrogen: 160 lbs per acre
•Phosphorus: 0 lbs per acre
•Potassium: 80 lbs per acre
•Magnesium: (Mg) 0 lbs per acre
Some Useful Links
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/departments/soilwater.html
http://soilslab.ifas.ufl.edu/ESTL%20Home.asp
http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/WebSoilSurvey.aspx