METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING FERTILIZER/TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS AND/OR PREDICTING PLANT GROWTH RESPONSE

摘要

A soil testing method determines available nutrient levels and effective and economical fertilizer/treatment, based on what nutrients in the soil will actually reach the root of a growing plant. A soil is tested to give a base-line/reference moisture content, and also initial nutrient(s) available to a plant root (if it were growing in that soil when no nutrients have been added) are determined, followed by comparing/correlating said initial available nutrient to nutrient requirements for desired plant growth during one or more periods of time and/or to a yield outcome desired. Various doses of fertilizer(s) or other treatment composition(s) are then added to portions of the soil, and those dosed portions are then tested for available nutrient levels, to determine the effect of said fertilizer(s)/treatment composition(s) on the nutrients that would be available in that particular soil to a plant root if that soil were fertilized with the various doses.