Vineyard soil
Range of services: Vineyard soil
- Basic nutrient analysis (macronutrients P, K, Mg; Soil type according to finger sample, pH value)
- Trace/micronutrients (Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Na)
- Nmin
- Humus content, total N content, C/N ratio
- Lime content
- Salt content/electrical conductivity
- Grain size distribution and soil type
- Physical soil analysis (bulk density, dry space density, water capacity, water retention capacity)
- Pollutant analysis (pesticide substances, dioxins, PCBs, PFAS, heavy metals)
- Cation exchange capacity
- Microbial biomass
- Radionuclides
Frequently asked questions
When must a fertilizer requirement assessment be carried out?
If more than 50 kg nitrogen / 30 kg phosphate is applied, the fertilizer requirements must be determined for each field or farming unit. You can find more detailed and up-to-date information on the fertilizer advice website of the Rhineland-Palatinate Rural Service Centres (DLR).
How much sample material is required for a routine soil analysis?
For routine tests (basic and micronutrients, Nmin, humus, total nitrogen) we need approx. 300 - 500 g of sample.
Does the sample have to be cooled during transportation to the LUFA?
For the analysis of soil samples for Nmin and Smin, pesticides and their residues as well as microbiological properties, a maximum temperature of 4 - 7 °C must be maintained from sampling to arrival at the laboratory. Simple cooling or polystyrene boxes with sufficient cold packs are suitable for this purpose.
Briefly explained
Nutrient analysis Since the law of the minimum (Carl Sprengel, 1828), plant growth has been limited by the scarcest resource. Soil testing, in particular for the 12 essential plant nutrients, is therefore a basic prerequisite for fertilizing crops in line with their needs and is sometimes required as part of the fertilizer requirement calculation. |
Basic nutrients Image
Our standard analysis packages for basic nutrients include the parameters soil type, pH, phosphate and potash in the CAL extract and magnesium in the CaCl2 extract, which should be analyzed at intervals of three to four years. These can be extended to include the analysis of boron in the CAT extract, humus (Dumas) and total N (Dumas). |
Micronutrients In particular, the essential micronutrients copper, zinc, manganese and boron should be tested every six years. |
Nmin / Smin Image
The content of nitrates and ammonium from field-wet samples to determine the area-related content of mineral nitrogen of mostly three-layer soil profiles is directly available to plants and is required to determine fertilizer requirements. The Nmin content (and Smin if required) should be sampled every year in spring. |
Soil type Image
Knowledge of the soil type is necessary to classify the nutrient status. This is routinely determined by finger sampling as part of the basic nutrient tests. |
Physical soil analyses Image
Grain size distribution: The composition of the grain sizes is precisely determined by sedimentation and sieve analysis, either according to DIN (3 - 7 fractions) or USDA (3 - 9 fractions). Water balance: The water balance of soils is an important site characteristic and significantly influences their productivity. Maximum water holding capacity: The maximum water holding capacity describes the maximum amount of adhesive and capillary water that can be held against gravity and not seep away. Water retention capacity: The water retention capacity is investigated by applying negative pressure to water-saturated soil samples. This is required for microbiological degradation studies or for the formation of pF curves to determine the usable field capacity. At LUFA Speyer, pF values from 1 to 2.88 are examined. |
Heavy metals Heavy metals can be introduced into soils from industry, heavy traffic or flooding, among other things. We are happy to check whether and to what extent your soil is contaminated with lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, mercury, chromium, nickel, arsenic or thallium. |