Soil Test Methods From the Southeastern United States Puerto Rico/Virgin Is. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin No. 419 ISBN# 1­58161­419­5 January, 2014 Southern Extension and Research Activity Information Exchange Group - 6 (SERA-IEG-6) Edited by: F.J. Sikora Division of Regulatory Services University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40546 K.P. Moore Agricultural Service Laboratory Clemson University Clemson, SC 29634 Authors: Editorial Committee: K.K. Crouse F.J. Sikora D.H. Hardy K.P. Moore S. Heckendorn G. Huluka G. Huluka D.E. Kissel D.K. Joines R.Miller D.E. Kissel R. Mylavarapu R. Miller J.L. Oldham C.C. Mitchell K.P. Moore R. Mylavarapu J.L. Oldham T. Provin H.J. Savoy F.J. Sikora L. Sonon J.J. Wang D.D. Warncke H. Zhang A current list of the members, participants, and administrative advisors of SERA-IEG-6 may be found at www.clemson.edu/sera6 This publication in the Southern Cooperative Series is considered a separate publication by each of the cooperating agencies of the Southern Cooperative Region. This publication may be mailed under the frank and indicia of each agency. This publication may also be printed from the web site. Commercial companies are mentioned in this publication solely for the purpose of providing specific information. Mention of a company does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of its products by the Agricultural Experimental Stations or an endorsement over products of other companies not mentioned. The Southern Agricultural Experiment Stations do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status in provision of educational programs and services or employment opportunities and benefits. Tis policy extends to both employment by and admission to the Universities. The Universities do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex or disability in the education programs and activities pursuant to the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. ii Author Contact Information Crouse, Keith K. Soil Testing Laboratory, Box 9610, Mississippi State, MS 39762. Phone: 662-325-3313. Email: [email protected] Hardy, David H. NCDA & CS Agronomic Division, Soil Testing Section, 4300 Reedy Creek Road, 1040 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699. Phone: 919-733-2837. Email: [email protected] Heckendorn, Steve. Virginia Tech Soil Testing Lab, 145 Smyth Hall (0465), Blacksburg, VA 24061. Phone: 540-231-9807. Email: [email protected] Huluka, Gobi. Department of Agronomy & Soils, 201 Funchess Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849. Phone: 334-844-3926. Email: [email protected] Joines, Debbie K. University of Tennessee, Soil, Plant, and Pest Center, 5201 Marchant Drive, Nashville, TN 37211. Phone: 615-832-4936. Email: [email protected] Kissel, David E. Ag and Environmental Services Lab, University of Georgia, 2400 College Station Rd, Athens, GA 30602. Phone: 706-542-5350. Email: [email protected] Miller, Robert . ALP & MAP Programs, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. Phone: 970-686-5782. Email: [email protected] Mitchell, Charles C. Department of Agronomy and Soils, 201 Funchess Hall, Auburn University, AL 36849. Phone: 334-844-5489. Email: [email protected] Moore, Kathy P. Agricultural Service Laboratory, Clemson University, 171 Old Cherry Road, Clemson, SC 29634. Phone: 864-656-2300. Email: [email protected] Mylavarapu, Rao. Soil & Water Science Department, University of Florida, 171 McCarty Hall, P. O. Box 110290, Gainesville, FL 32611. Phone: 352-294-3113. Email: [email protected] Oldham, J. Larry. Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Box 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762. Phone: 662-325-2760. Email: [email protected] Provin, Tony. 2478 Texas A&M University, Texas Agri Life Extension Service, Soil & Crop Science Department, College Station, TX 77843. Phone: 979-862-4955. Email: [email protected] Savoy, Hugh J. University of Tennessee, Room 212 Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science Building, 2506 E. J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37796. Phone: 865- 974-8840. Email: [email protected] iii Sikora, Frank J. University of Kentucky, Soil Testing Lab, 103 Regulatory Service Building, Lexington, KY 40546. Phone: 859-218-2452. Email: [email protected] Sonon, Leticia. Soil, Plant, and Water Laboratory, University of Georgia, 2400 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30602. Phone: 706-542-5350. Email: [email protected] Wang, Jim J. Louisiana State University, School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, 313 Sturgis Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Phone: 225-578-1360. Email: [email protected] Warncke, Darryl D. Michigan State University, Crop and Soil Sciences Dept., East Lansing, MI. Zhang, Hailin. Oklahoma State University, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, 368 Agriculture Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078. Phone: 405-744-9566. Email: [email protected] iv Foreword The Southern Extension and Research Activity Information Exchange Group (SERA-IEG-6) was formed in 1954 under the name of Southern Region Soil-Testing Work Group. The justification for forming the Group was to reconcile differences in fertilizer recommendations across state lines. Before reconciling differences in recommendations, differences in soil test methods amongst the states had to be assessed. The Group published their first methods publication in 1965 (Page, 1965). The publication documents 13 different soil extractants for phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium used amongst University laboratories in the Southeastern states. An objective of the publication was to present detailed methodology so methods can be exchanged and studied to determine the best ones to use. In 1983, the Group published an updated methods publication with 9 standard reference procedures (Donohue and Isaac, 1983). Progress was made on encouraging standardization and uniformity in soil test methods with only 3 soil extractants for phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium presented in the 1983 publication compared to 13 extractants in the 1965 publication. The 3 extractants included Mehlich 1 for P, Bray for P, and ammonium acetate for K, Ca, and Mg. The 1983 publication was limited as it only presented methods for the plant nutrients phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. More soil test methods were published by the Group in 1992 which included Mehlich-3 and methods for sulfate-sulfur, nitrate-nitrogen, and micronutrients (Donohue, 1992). The publication also included additional methods to assess soil acidity and organic matter and to test strip mined soil, potting media, and waste amended soil. Several advancements in instrument technology and methods have occurred since the 1992 methods publication. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) is now commonly used for the determination of a wide range of plant nutrients in soil extracts, including phosphorus which was formerly determined via spectrophotometric analysis. Robotic pH instruments have become widely available for determining soil and buffer pH for determining lime requirement. Several methods have been developed to quantify soil acidity using nonhazardous reagents. Combustion instruments are now commonplace for measurement of C and N in soil. These advancements necessitated an update to the 1992 methods publication. The objectives of the current publication were to document the methods accepted and used at University laboratories in the Southern Region (Savoy, 2013), document the progress the Southern Region has made in advancing soil test methodology, help laboratories readily adopt methods, and provide information for further research and development. References Donohue, S.J. 1992. Reference soil and media diagnostic procedures for the Southern region of the United States. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin No. 374. (Available on-line at http://www.clemson.edu/sera6/.) (Verified 19 Nov. 2013.) Donohue, S.J. and R.A. Isaac. 1983. Reference soil test methods for the Southern region of the United States. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin No. 289. (Available on-line at http://www.clemson.edu/sera6/.) (Verified 19 Nov. 2013.) v Page, N.R. 1965. Procedures used by the state soil testing laboratories in the Southern region of the United States. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin No. 102. (Available on-line at http://www.clemson.edu/sera6/.) (Verified 19 Nov. 2013.) Savoy, H.J. 2013. Procedures used by state soil testing laboratories in the Southern region of the United States. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin No. 409. June, 2013 revision. (Available on-line at http://www.clemson.edu/sera6/.) (Verified 20 Aug. 2013.) Acknowledgements The editors wish to express appreciation to the authors who provided their time and expertise in contributing chapters for this publication. Appreciation is also extended to the editorial committee who provided guidance on the content of the publication and to reviewers who gave their time to critique the chapters. vi Table of Contents Unit 1 Soils Page # Chapter 1.1 Soils of the Southeastern US………………………………………......... 2 R. Mylavarapu, C.C. Mitchell, and H.J. Savoy Chapter 1.2 Soil Test Correlation and Calibration for Recommendations……….…. 11 C.C. Mitchell and R. Mylavarapu Unit 2 Laboratory Operation Chapter 2.1 Soil Preparation, Measurement, and Storage……..…………………..…. 20 R. Mylavarapu and R. Miller Chapter 2.2 Quality Assurance and Quality Control in a Soil Test Laboratory…….. 23 D.H. Hardy, R.