Soil testing for crop nutrition (Western Region)

Key points

• A range of soil test values used to determine if a nutrient is deficient or adequate is termed a critical range.
• Revised critical soil test values and ranges have been established for combinations of nutrients, crops and soil.
• A single database collated more than 1892 trials from Western Australia for different crops.
• Nutrient sufficiency is indicated if the test value is above the critical range.
• Where the soil test falls below the critical range there is likely to be a crop yield response from added nutrients.
• Critical soil test ranges have been established for 0 to 10cm and 0 to 30cm of soil.
• Soil sampling to greater depth is considered important for more mobile nutrients (N, K and S) as well as for pH and salinity.
• Use local data and support services to help integrate critical soil test data into profitable fertiliser decisions.