Life Sciences Commons^™

Variability In Soil Testing, Kenneth L. Wells, Vern Case

Agronomy Notes

Many factors can influence the accuracy of soil test results, ranging from field sampling technique, sample preparation, and quality control in the laboratory. Many people expect that if a field is sampled more than once, the soil test results should be identical. When identical results are not obtained from successive sampling, much concern about soil test reliability is of ten expressed.

We have analyzed soil test results from some controlled field experimental sites which help provide an understanding of variability which can occur naturally in the field, how various field sampling techniques influence soil test readings obtained, and how laboratories …