Soil Analysis
Accurate crop nutrition starts with a soil test. We offer a wide selection of soil nutrient analysis options to help you achieve your crop-specific nutrient needs. Some soil test options are designed for one-depth grid soil testing. Other soil test options are tailored for two- and three-depth soil testing, which is the standard in the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies.
The analyses listed below are the most common services we offer. If you do not see what you are looking for, please contact us for more information.
Soil Test Packages
| Recommended Crop Options | Depths Included1 |
Nitrate-nitrogen
|
Phosphorus (Bray/Olsen)
|
Potassium
|
Sulfate-sulfur
|
Calcium
|
Magnesium
|
Sodium
|
Boron
|
Chloride2
|
Copper
|
Iron
|
Manganese
|
Zinc
|
pH3
|
Soluble salts (EC)
|
Organic matter
|
Carbonate
|
CEC
|
Base saturation
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macronutrients | Base Cations | Micronutrients | Soil Properties | |||||||||||||||||
| Small Grain | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Row Crop | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Soybean – North | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| Soybean – South | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| Alfalfa | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Canola/Sunflower | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| Sugar Beet | three | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| Potato | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Additional Options | ||||||||||||||||||||
| A | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| B | two | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||
| C | one | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||
| CZ | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||
| CZS | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| C1 | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| C5 | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| E | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| EZ | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| EZS | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| F1 (complete) | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| F2 (complete) | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| T1 | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| T1N | one | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| T2N | two | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
Notes
1. All soil test items analyzed on topsoil depth. Two-depth packages include subsoil analytes (i.e. nitrate-nitrogen, sulfate-sulfur, chloride, pH, and soluble salts) on second depth where indicated. Three-depth packages include nitrate-nitrogen on third depth where indicated.
2. Chloride priced for one-depth soil samples and two-depth soil samples with standard soil depth combinations (i.e. 0-6/6-24 inch and 0-6/0-24 inch). All other soil depth combinations will incur an additional chloride charge.
2. Buffer pH (for lime guideline) included if pH (1:1) less than 6.0.
Foreign Materials
We hold USDA-APHIS permits to import regulated material from foreign countries. Please contact us for details.
Soil Health Analysis
- Option SH216: includes water-stable aggregate (WSA) classes, WSA sand correction, total organic carbon (TOC), permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POXC), 24-h CO2 respiration, autoclave citrate-extractable (ACE) protein, soil pH (1:1 water), soil texture (hydrometer)
- Meets UDSA-NRCS CEMA 216 “Basic Soil Health Testing” requirement (updated January 2026). Use the Soil Health Submission Form for CEMA 216 (includes soil sampling instructions).
- Option SH216 requires soil sample A and B. Soil Sample A can also be used for routine soil fertility analysis and other analyses. Soil Sample B for soil aggregate stability analysis requires special collection and handling instructions. Contact AGVISE if you have any question on the submission instructions.
- Haney Soil Health Test: includes 24-hour CO2 respiration, water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) and organic nitrogen (WEON), H3A-extractable phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, aluminum
Additional Analyses
- 24-hour CO2 respiration
- 4-day CO2 respiration
- Water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) and organic nitrogen (WEON)
- Permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POXC)
- Autoclave citrate-extractable (ACE) protein
- Total organic carbon (dry combustion, pressure calcimeter); includes total C and inorganic C
- Soil aggregate stability (water-stable aggregation): large-macroaggregate (2000 μm), macroaggregate (250 μm), microaggregate (53 μm)
Soil Chemical Analysis
Plant Available Analysis
Macronutrients
- Ammonium-nitrogen
- Nitrate-nitrogen
- Phosphorus: Bray-1, Bray-2, Olsen, Mehlich-3 (colorimetric or ICP)
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sulfate-sulfur
Micronutrients
- Chloride
- Boron
- Copper
- Iron
- Manganese
- Zinc
Soil Properties
- Soil pH (1:1 water, CaCl2, KCl)
- Buffer pH (Sikora, Adams-Evans)
- Soluble salts (electrical conductivity, EC 1:1)
- Sodium
- Organic matter (loss on ignition)
- Carbonate (calcium carbonate equivalent, CCE)
- Cation exchange capacity (summation of cations)
- Base saturation (Ca, Mg, K, Na, H)
Water Soluble Analaysis
Macronutrients
- Ammonium-nitrogen
- Nitrate-nitrogen
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sulfate-sulfur
- Calcium
- Magnesium
Micronutrients
- Boron
- Chloride
- Copper
- Iron
- Manganese
- Zinc
Soil Properties
- Soil pH (1:1 water)
- Soluble salts (electrical conductivity, EC 1:1)
- Sodium
Saturated Paste Analysis
- pH
- Electrical conductivity (EC)
- Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): calcium, magnesium, sodium
- Potassium
- Bicarbonate
- Carbonate
- Chloride
- Nitrate-nitrogen
- Sulfate-sulfur
- Water content of saturated paste
- Mining Overburden Option: texture, pH, EC, SAR, water content
Total Element Analysis
- Carbon, total (combustion)
- Carbon, inorganic (carbonate)
- Carbon, organic (total carbon minus inorganic carbon)
- Carbon:Nitrogen ratio (C:N ratio)
- Nitrogen, total (combustion)
- Nitrogen, total (Kjeldahl)
- Total element digestion – nutrients (EPA method 3050B): phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, boron, copper, iron, manganese, zinc
- Total element digestion – metals (EPA method 3050B): aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, mercury, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, vanadium
Additional Analyses
- Aluminum (exchangeable)
- Organic matter (Walkley-Black)
- Anion exchange capacity
- Cation exchange capacity (summation of cations)
- Cation exchange capacity (NH4-saturation/displacement)
- Cation exchange capacity (Na-saturation/displacement)
Soil Physical Analysis
- Soil water content (moisture)
- Bulk density
- Particle density
- Porosity (bulk density, particle density)
- Particle size analysis (soil texture) by hydrometer (sand, silt, clay, USDA class)
- Particle size analysis (soil texture) by pipette and sieving (sand, silt, clay, USDA class)
- Water holding capacity (0.1, 0.33, 1, 5, 15 bar)
- Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat)