Key concepts of soil analysis

1) Better the soil analysis, lesser expenses will be incurred upon by the fertilizers

The soil analysis brings about a detailed report about the minerals needed by the respective plants. In the due course, they also reflect upon the deficient minerals. Had there been no provision or awareness about soil analysis, then farmers might have bought a wide range of fertilizers with no proper utility. In a way, through the soil analysis, when the farmers get to gain knowledge about the deficient minerals, then they can utilise their money in buying only the needful amount of fertilizers and not any ‘extra’ amount.

With the variety of micronutrients ( like Boron, Copper, Zinc, Manganese ) required by the plants, one ought to be evidently aware of providing them to the plants in the desired quantity. In addition to this, farmers ought to also remember that not all the naturally occurring resources are available to us in huge quantities. Likewise, if we see potassium, it is an extremely limited resource. However, having said that, this mineral is also very important to the plants. They help in the cell modification and in the overall growth of the plants.

So, through soil analysis, the farmers can calculate the right amount of this mineral which is needed and can purchase only that amount. Thereby, minimising the cost and also wastage.

2) Soil analysis will make way for a balanced ecological process

It is no new piece of information, that each year the world unfortunately loses acres of fertile land. The prime reason behind this huge loss of land is due to the improper management of the resources. The farmers not being aware of the soil need and its constituents either inject too much of the fertilizers or provide fertilizers in very less quantity.

The statistics reveal that in the recent past, the world have lost at least 24 billion tones of usable land. Since, the rate of losing fertile soil has gone so high, so the steady degradation of the soil at large is also increasing. The removal of top soil has heightened chances of soil leaching and soil wash off. Hence, in this context, the soil analysis becomes extremely important. With the soil analysis, the farmers will be able to apply the appropriate percentage of fertilizers which will not contain any extra or undue amount of mineral. The precaution method of soil analysis not will help to make the soil better but will also help to increase the crop productivity by a massive scale.

On the other side, if the test of soil analysis is not done, then the cost involved to restore the lost fertile soil is extremely high. All the more, this process of the restoration of the soil also involves too much labour and is highly time consuming as well. To add on to the disadvantages of this latter process, this soil restoration method is also not very trustworthy as they do not stay for long. However, with the post soil analysis method, the fertility of the soil will be made to revive in a cultured manner and will also continue for a long term.

3) The most common need to introduce the technique of soil analysis is to test the current health status of the soil

Simply growing crops is insufficient. The farmers need to be well aware also of the present soil condition. With better soil, it is needless to mention that the crops grown on it will definitely be better. All the more, with the better crops, the profit margins for the farmers will also increase accordingly. While understanding the process to test the soil fertility, one should remember that it has a variety of dimensions. Likewise, this test needs to check the present status of the physical, the biological and the chemical properties of the soil.

On the surface level, the farmers will be easily able to spot any problem with the colour or say even the texture of the soil. If the soil gets too dry or too moist, the farmers will immediately know the way to tackle the problem. However, the most important problem lies further deep. The farmers without the soil analysis will not be able to find out the chemical deficiency or the chemical excesses in the soil.

Since, the farmers will not be aware of it, so they will neither be able to take any precaution nor any cure for the same. It is for this reason primarily, that the soil testing or soil analysis is very important. With the soil analysis, the farmers will be able to know the pH level of the soil and will be able to take steps accordingly to either maintain or rectify it.