Solvita Soil Health
Proficiency Program
Solvita® offers a Soil Health Proficiency Program featuring soil recognized as indicating biological fertility. This program differs from conventional “proficiency” programs. Programs like NAPT and ALP are designed only for chemical nutrient lab test validation. For biological test proficiency, testing and sample prep must be conducted differently, without high-speed grinding and maceration. Proficiency programs that grind and sieve soils for homogeneity in soil mineral nutrients are very likely damaging the soils for biology tests, for example, by exposing raw, protected organic matter which is subsequently respired, and destroying micro-aggregates, on which internal aeration depends during a biology test.
The Solvita Soil Health Proficiency Program does two unique things:
1) It offers soil samples selected based on validated management history (example: depleted vs improved organic management).
2) It includes samples which are handled in such a fashion as to not damage inherent biological traits. The soils are mechanically rolled and not hammermilled, macerated or sieved finer than 2mm. This protects the macro-traits intrinsic to soil biological functioning.
Join the Solvita Soil Biological Fertility Reference Program:
Previous Solvita® Soil Health Proficiency Report:
17 Labs reporting in on a depleted soil (LEFT – conv tilled, 30 yr continuous corn) and an improved (Organic cover-cropped) soil. Acceptable range of reporting is ± 1 Standard Deviation.
SOIL GRINDING EFFECTS ON RESPIRATION
Solvita QAQC programs have been able to determine that there is a confounding factor of grinding vs soil structure & texture and initial fertility, on the rate of respiration determined by Solvita using ALP soil series: