Electronic Lab

All of the LaMotte soil test kits measure the portion of the soil nutrient
that would be available for the plant to use. Since extraction is not complete, the amount that is measured is relative, dependent on the extraction procedure. Pounds per acre represent the number of pounds
of soil in an acre to the plow depth of 6-7 inches, or 2,000,000 lbs.

Electronic Soil Lab

The SCL-12 electronic soil lab is designed to provide the landowner, consultant, or fertilizer specialist with a method for achieving immediate and economical soil analyses in the field without sacrificing accuracy. The SCL-12 soil lab is a self-contained, electronic soil analysis laboratory that provides accurate answers anywhere for fifteen soil factors, including available forms of macronutrients and critical micronutrients.

The Smart 2 Colorimeter instantly analyzes color reactions developed in nutrient tests and gives a Percent Transmittance readout. By using Transmittance readings, broad test ranges can be read with maximum sensitivity and without need for visual color comparison. Calibration charts convert the Percent Transmittance readings to parts per million (ppm) or pounds per acre (lbs/acre) for each nutrient - no further calculations are neccessary.

The simplified test procedures provide at least 20 tests for each soil nutrient. Each accurately standardized system is furnished in an individual plastic module for quick distinction. All tests are performed in minutes on easy-to-prepare soil extracts, based on Mehlich I extraction.

Critical soil pH measurements are performed quickly and reliably with a battery-powered pH 5 meter. The meter measures the pH of a one-to-one solution of soil and distilled water over the range of 0-14 pH units to a sensitivity of 0.01 pH. Soluble Salt levels in soils and irrigation waters are monitored accurately with a TDS 6 meter measuring Dissolved Salts from
0-999+ ppm.

Unit Conversion Factors:

Results can be measured using a choice of units, explained here. Parts per million (ppm), pounds/acre, and Kg/hectare units can be converted to each other using these values:

A number of variables must be considered when interpreting soil test results in addition to the values obtained. These variables include the composition of the soil, drainage, climate, previous fertilizer programs, and the type of plant to be grown. Samples must also be truly representative of the area being studied and must be carefully selected.