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Why Soil Sample?
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Each cotton grower with a block enrolled in the BASIC program
will receive a soil sample as part of the project. The key
objective in sampling is to determine if there are adequate,
but not excessive levels of all necessary plant nutrients.
Careful soil sampling is essential for accurate fertilizer
application. It also can help growers develop and maintain
more productive soil as well as to increase net returns
per acre by providing information on the available nutrient
content and fertility status of the soil. With this information,
selection of the correct type and amount of fertilizer can
be more accurate.
The
Right Samples
Sampling needs to be done either after harvest or before
planting. Collecting a representative sample is also very
important. A minimum of 20 cores per field is suggested.
The sample must reflect the overall or average fertility
of a field so that analyses, interpretations and recommendations
accurately represent the nutrient and/or mineral status
of the field.
Soil sampling should exclude small areas within a field
that are obviously unique. These can be sampled separately
if they are large enough to warrant special treatment. Because
nutrient availability is affected by moisture, avoid sampling
areas that are either water stressed or excessively wet.
Efficiencies
With an accurate soil evaluation, growers can be more efficient
with their fertilizer use, which can in turn increase yields,
reduce costs and potentially reduce environmental pollution
from excess nitrogen run off. Excessive nitrogen can pose
problems in cotton. Studies in cotton and many other crops
show a correlation between excessive nitrogen and pest outbreaks.
Also high nitrogen levels at defoliation can make it difficult
to completely desiccate the field.
BASIC grower’s soil samples will be sent to labs for
evaluation and interpretation of results.
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