Michigan State University Extension
Soils & Soil Management - Fertilizer - 06039703
07/10/97

Sampling, Handling, and Testing Soils

Tri-state Fertilizer Recommendations for Corn, Soybeans,    
Wheat and Alfalfa                                           
Extension Bulletin E-2567 (New), July 1995                  

M.L. Vitosh, Michigan State University; J.W. Johnson, The   
Ohio State University; D.B. Mengel, Purdue University;      
Co-editors                                                  

The accuracy of a fertilizer recommendation depends on      
how well the soil sample on which the recommendation was    
based represents the area on which the recommendation       
will be used. The physical and chemical characteristics     
of soil in an area can vary considerably from place to      
place because of natural factors and the management to      
which the area has been subjected. Natural variation        
arises from soil-forming processes (such as mineral         
weathering and erosion) that lead to accumulations or       
losses of nutrients at different sites. Management          
factors might include tillage and fertilization             
practices, crop selection and irrigation. It may be         
necessary to take many samples from a given area (at        
random or in a systematic manner) to assess its fertility   
accurately.                                                 

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