Testing Services
An important component for the successful production of a quality crop is the regular scientific assessment of the nutritional status of soil and plant tissue and water quality.
Fruitfed Supplies liaises with New Zealand’s largest privately-owned testing laboratory, Hill Laboratories in Hamilton, to offer a range of soil, leaf and water testing services. Working to internationally-recognised standards of quality and excellence, Hill Laboratories’ personnel have extensive experience conducting these tests, and interpreting and presenting the results in an easy-to-use form.
Your Fruitfed Supplies representative can provide you with Hill Laboratories’ detailed guidelines on how to take the soil, leaf or water samples. They can also assist you interpret the results and prepare a customised fertiliser programme for plant nutrition products provided by Fruitfed Supplies.
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Indicating whether soil nutrient levels are high enough to sustain the desired level of plant growth, soil tests also highlight any deficiency, excess or imbalance of major nutrients and provide a scientific basis from which to assess fertiliser and lime requirements for your crop.
Many New Zealand soils are deficient in phosphorus, sulphur and, to some extent, potassium.
Soil tests measure only a fraction of the total pool of nutrients available to plants (immediate and long term). Standard New Zealand methods of sampling and analysis are used so results are meaningful and can be related to plant growth under New Zealand conditions.
A single soil test is of limited value as it is essentially a snapshot in time of a dynamic environment. Trends in soil test values over time will give a better indication of how well your fertiliser programme has worked. NB. Even when nutrient status is at optimum levels, other factors can influence the plant’s rate of nutrient uptake. In order to obtain a more complete picture of nutrient status, soil testing should be complemented by plant testing.
It is very important to take soil samples correctly so please ask your Fruitfed Supplies representative for a set of comprehensive sampling instructions for your specific growing situation. These instructions, a full list of the available tests and fees are available online at www.hill-labs.co.nz. A free soil sampling kit, including sealable bags, instructions and request forms) are available on request.
When taking a soil sample, reduce the likelihood of variable test results by:
- Dividing the land into areas of the same soil type, topography and management practice
- Avoiding areas of abnormal fertility such as dung patches, gateways or water troughs
- Waiting until at least three months after the last fertiliser or lime application
- Sampling at the same time and from the same area each year
- Sampling to the standard depth
- Monitoring soil test trends over time
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Plant analysis, or leaf testing, is a very useful diagnostic and monitoring tool used to complement soil analysis. A soil test shows what is available to the growing crop while a leaf test shows what has actually been taken up by the crop, providing a more reliable assessment of crop nutrient status.
Leaf tests can be used in two ways:
- routinely monitor nutrients to help sustain optimum levels and thus avoid nutritional disorders
- identify nutrient deficiencies, toxicities or imbalances. Low plant nutrients are often due to low soil nutrient levels, but this is not always the case.
The rate of uptake of nutrients by the plant can be influenced by:
- environmental conditions
- soil structure
- interactions of elements
- the presence of disease or insect pests
The results will need to be interpreted according to plant species, part of plant sampled and growth stage of the plant, and your Fruitfed Supplies representative can assist you with this interpretation.
It is very important to take plant tissue samples in the specific manner. Instructions for appropriate sampling methods for specific crops are available from your Fruitfed Supplies branch. These instructions, a full list of the available tests and fees are available online at www.hill-labs.co.nz or by visiting www.hill-labs.co.nz. A free sampling kit, including sealable bags, instructions and request forms) are available on request.
Water can be analysed for its suitability for domestic, stock or irrigation purposes. Hill Laboratories has a range of tests to ensure water meets the New Zealand drinking water standards and/or EUREP GAP protocols for irrigation water for fresh fruit and vegetables.
Water quality tests available include:
1. A comprehensive chemical and microbiological water testing kit, including:
- a set of specially-prepared sample containers, delivered free of charge
- complete instructions on how to collect samples
- free courier delivery of your samples to the lab
- testing, with results within 5 working days of receipt of samples
- a written report with comparison to NZ Drinking Water Standards
2. Testing kits for just:
- chemical testing
- faecal coliform testing
- E. Coli testing
3. Testing for metals such as fluoride, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, lead, or mercury
4. Testing for pesticide residues
NB. Hill Laboratories also provides a range of pesticide and residue tests. Please discuss the options relevant to your crop with your Fruitfed Supplies representative. Tests take 5-10 days.
If you’re struggling to identify a specific pest or diseases, you will usually find one of our Fruitfed Supplies branch or field representatives can help you with the correct classification. However, unusual circumstances, for example with a fungal rot that could have one of many sources of origin, we can enlist the assistance of a specialised service such as AgriQuality’s Auckland laboratory. A fee will apply and can be discussed with your Fruitfed Supplies representative.