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Northwood Laboratory
804 Hwy 15 West
P.O. Box 510
Northwood, ND 58267
Phone: 701-587-6010
Fax: 701-587-6013
Benson Laboratory
902 13th Street North
P.O. Box 187
Benson, MN 56215
Phone: 320-843-4109
Fax: 320-843-2074
Canada Receiving Facility
380 Kimberly Road
Winkler, MB R6W 0H7
Phone: 701-587-6010
Soil Testing Right Behind the Combine
in Soil Sampling/by John BrekerThis submission is courtesy of Dr. David Franzen, Extension Soil Specialist, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND. It was originally published in the AGVISE Newsletter Fall 2019. It is more the rule than the exception that soil sampling begins in mid-September, rather than starting immediately following small grain harvest. However, many producers miss an excellent […]
Adjusting high soil pH with elemental sulfur
in Soil Amendment, Soil Chemical Analysis, Soil pH/by John LeeSoil pH is a soil chemical property that measures soil acidity or alkalinity, and it affects many soil chemical and biological activities. Soils with high pH can reduce the availability of certain nutrients, such as phosphorus and zinc. Soils of the northern Great Plains and Canadian Prairies often have high soil pH (>7.3) and contain […]
Soil Salinity Analysis: Which method to choose?
in Research, Saline and Sodic Soil, Soil Chemical Analysis/by John BrekerThis submission is courtesy of Dr. Heather Matthees, Research Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS, Morris, MN. It was originally published in the AGVISE Newsletter Fall 2017. Salt-affected soils are a major problem for agricultural producers, resulting in $12 billion annual losses in crop production across the world. In the northern Great Plains and Canadian Prairies, soil salinity […]
Estimating soil texture with cation exchange capacity (CEC)
in Soil Chemical Analysis, Soil Physical Analysis/by John BrekerSoil texture is a basic physical soil property that describes the proportion of sand-, silt-, and clay-sized particles in soil. It controls the ability of soil to retain water and nutrients and the movement of water and nutrients through the soil profile. Soil texture is a fundamental soil property, but measuring soil texture requires time-consuming […]
Fertilizing grass lawn
in Lawn and Garden, Nitrogen/by John LeeA productive and lush lawn requires some fertilizer every now and then. The major plant nutrients required for grass lawn are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen is the nutrient required in the largest amount, although too much nitrogen can create other problems. A general rate of one (1) pound nitrogen per 1,000 […]
Split the Risk with In-season Nitrogen
in Canola, Corn, In-Season Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Sunflower, Water Quality, Wheat/by John BrekerFor some farmers, applying fertilizer in the fall is a standard practice. You can often take advantage of lower fertilizer prices, reduce the spring workload, and guarantee that fertilizer is applied before planting. As you work on developing your crop nutrition plan, you may want to consider saving a portion of the nitrogen budget for […]
Quality Control is First Priority for AGVISE
in Quality Control/by John LeeWhen you receive a soil test report from AGVISE you should expect the best. Since our start in 1976, our first priority has been providing you with the most accurate soil test data. Ensuring proper quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA) takes extra care and dedication from everyone at AGVISE to provide you with the […]
AGVISE Potato Petiole Analysis: Informative, Accessible, and Easy-to-Understand Reports
in Nitrogen, Plant Analysis, Potato/by John LeeIrrigated potato production is an intensive cropping system. It requires proactive labor, critical decision-making tools, and well-timed nutrient management. There is a fine line between supplying adequate plant nutrition and applying too much, which could cause potato tuber defects like mishappen tubers or hollow heart, reducing the marketable potato yield. Before seed potatoes go in […]
Soil Science Review: Soil pH, Acidity, and Alkalinity
in Soil Chemical Analysis, Soil pH/by John BrekerSoil pH is a basic soil property that affects many biological and chemical processes in soil. Simply knowing if a soil is acidic or alkaline can tell us a lot about how it behaves and how we can manage it. This is why soil pH is often called the master variable of biological and chemical […]
Soil Science Review: Organic Matter
in Soil Chemical Analysis, Soil Health/by John BrekerSoil organic matter is a fundamental component of soil. It is comprised of living microorganisms, recently decomposed plant material, and stable humus organic compounds. Soil organic matter influences numerous biological, chemical, and physical properties of soil. It influences soil structure, water holding capacity, nutrient cycling, biological activity, and chemical fate and transport (e.g. pesticides). Soil […]
Phosphorus and the 4Rs: The progress we have made
in Fertilizer Placement, Phosphorus, Regional Data, Water Quality/by John BrekerThe year 2019 marked the 350th anniversary of discovering phosphorus, an element required for all life on Earth and an essential plant nutrient in crop production. Over the years, we have fallen in and out of love with phosphorus as a necessary crop input and an unwanted water pollutant. Through improved knowledge and technologies, we […]
Soil Science Review: Cation Exchange Capacity
in Soil Chemical Analysis/by John BrekerEach year, AGVISE Laboratories delivers thousands of soil characterization reports with something printed on them called, “Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC).” Unless you have some background in soil science or surface chemistry, the number might be a mystery to you. Cation exchange capacity is the amount of positive-charged cations (e.g. ammonium, calcium, hydrogen, magnesium, potassium, sodium) […]
Molybdenum: The Micro-est of Micronutrients
in Molybdenum, Plant Analysis, Soil Chemical Analysis, Soil pH/by John BrekerMolybdenum (Mo) is an essential plant nutrient, necessary for nitrate assimilation and biological nitrogen fixation. Legumes, relying on symbiotic nitrogen fixation, have greater Mo requirement than non-legumes. Nevertheless, the Mo requirement of plants is the lowest among all micronutrients, with critical deficiency concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 ppm in plant leaves. The very low […]
Fertilizing soybean
in Iron, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Soybean, Sulfur, Zinc/by Richard JennySoybean acres expanded greatly across the northern Great Plains and into Manitoba through the 1990s and 2000s. Today, soybean occupies a large portion of planted acres and makes a desirable rotation crop in canola, corn, and small grain production systems. As soybean has advanced northward and westward, soybean is often billed as a low maintenance […]
Copper for Small Grains
in Copper, Disease, Wheat/by John LeeAmong crops grown in the northern Great Plains, small grains (cereals) are the most susceptible to copper deficiency. Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient required in small concentrations for plant growth and reproduction. Copper deficiency symptoms in cereals include pale yellowing, wilted and twisted leaf tips, and malformed seed heads. Severe copper deficiency will stop […]