At the 22nd Annual Joint Commodity Conference in New Bern, Dr. Colleen Hudak-Wise, Director of the Agronomic Division for NCDA discussed, in generalities, the soil samples the lab received in 2010:
“Soil testing results continue to show that phosphorous levels across North Carolina continue to be very high. State-wide about 65 to 75% of soil samples submitted to the in 2010 received a zero recommendation for phosphorous. Less than 10% of the soils tested showed a significant need for phosphorous.”
And, according to Hudak-Wise, the same can be said for phosphorous needs:
“Although potassium levels aren’t as high as phosphorous in our soils, in 2010 soil testing data indicated 20 to 30% of soils required no additional potassium. Only about 20% of soils indicated a significant need for potassium. These results indicate that growers who use soil testing had an opportunity to save on fertilizer inputs without sacrificing on yield.”
The turn-around time for soil samples should be getting shorter, but planning ahead would be prudent:
“For samples submitted now, the estimated turn around time for soil samples is nine weeks for soil samples and five weeks for nematode samples. This should start to decrease, though since we are analyzing more samples each day than we are taking in, so I think we’ve maxed out on that turn around time.”
Turnaround time for tissue samples is still about a week.
Dr. Colleen Hudak-Wise at the 22nd Annual Joint Commodities Conference in New Bern.
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