Soil Testing Methods: How they

affect fertilizer and lime

recommendations
20th annual Kentuckiana Crop Production Seminar
Dec. 9-10, 2003
Executive Inn Owensboro, Kentucky

F.J. Sikora, Ph.D.

University of Kentucky

Nutrient recommendations

Soil
acidity

Interpretation
of lab results

Available plant
nutrients

Nutrient recommendations

Soil
acidity

Interpretation
of lab results

Available plant
nutrients

Interpretation
of lab results

Available plant
nutrients

First stool leg

Soil acidity
Available plant nutrients

Interpretation of lab results

Target pH

Most agronomic crops

6.4

Tobacco

6.6

Alfalfa

6.8

Soil pH

Buffer pH

Water pH

They measure
Active acidity

Residual acidity

pH electrode

K+

H+

Mg2+

Ca2+
-

H+

H+

H+

K+

Na+

H+

K+
Mg2+

Mg2+

K+

K+

H+

H+

Mg2+
H+
Na+

Ca2+

H+
Ca2+

Ca2+

Mg2+

H+

K+

10 g soil + 10 ml water
Soil pH measures Active acidity

Ca2+

soil particle

+ H

- B- - B
B
B
- B
-

B B

H
+

soil particle

H
H

H
+

pHelctrod

SMP Buffer
Active and Residual acidity
pH of buffer
alone

7.5
x

6.8

Soil Buffer pH

6.4

Soil Buffer pH

Acidity (meq/100g) = 6.2 x (7.5 Buffer pH)

Initial pH

UK standard

7.5

SMP buffer

6.6

Mehlich buffer

8.0

Adam and Evans buffer

7.0

Woodruff buffer

Second stool leg

Soil acidity
Available plant nutrients

Interpretation of lab results

Phosphorus

Potassium

They measure
Concentration of P and K in soil that is
related to plant-available P and K

Common soil extractants

Bray I
Bray II (for P)
Mehlich I
Mehlich III UK standard
Ammonium Acetate (for K)

SOIL
Mehlich I =
Mixture of
2 acids

whole pie is total P

SOIL
Mehlich III
Mixture of
1 acid
+ fluoride
+ salt
+ chelate
+ pH buffer

whole pie is total P

Comparison of 6 extractants for soil test P

Extractant

P (lbs/acre)

Bray I

112

Bray II

212

Mehlich I

46

Mehlich III

90

NAPT sample 2003-110: Rozetta silt loam from

Bureau Co., IL. Soil pH = 6.5, CEC = 8.3

Comparison of 6 extractants for soil test K

Extractant

K (lbs/acre)

Bray I

272

Mehlich I

250

Mehlich III

332

Am. Acet.

330

NAPT sample 2003-110: Rozetta silt loam from

Bureau Co., IL. Soil pH = 6.5, CEC = 8.3

Variation in how 45 Laboratories in North

America report Mehlich III Soil Test P and K
20 labs report as mg/kg

15 labs report as lbs/acre

1 lab reports as lbs/acre-6 inches
2 labs report as lbs/ppm

2 labs report as ppm/lbs/acre

1 lab repors an index
3 labs reports as kg/ha

1 lab reports as mg/L

Source - NAPT, 2nd quarter 2000

UK standard for P and K

Mehlich III in lbs/acre

mg/kg x 2 = lbs/acre

Third stool leg

Soil acidity
Available plant nutrients

Interpretation of lab results

Relative Sources of Nutrients

Soil Test
Level

Sufficiency
Level
soil

High

V.Low

fert.

soil

Med
Low

100%

soil

fertilizer

soil

fertilizer

Nutrients
available
from soil

External
nutrients
required

70-100%
50-70%
<50%

Agronomic Threshold
110
100
90
80

High

Med

70
60

Low

50
40 0
V.low

30

60

Soil Test P (lbs/acre)

Soil Test P (lbs/acre)

3 philosophies with a high soil test

maintenance

Soil test P or K

Agronomic Threshold

Time (years)

Dollars/acre

Fertilizer costs for Corn Production

90
80
70
60
50
40
30

UT lab
lab A
lab B

20
10
0
Lincoln Co

Lawrence Co.
* Data from H.J. Savoy, Univ. of Tenn.

Corn Yields
175

Bushels/acre

150
125
100

UT lab
lab A
lab B

75
50
25
0
Lincoln Co

Lawrence Co.
* Data from H.J. Savoy, Univ. of Tenn.