• Pre Plant Analysis
• Post Plant Analysis
• Harvest Analysis
• Nursery Services

Pre Plant Analysis

Soil Testing

Managing the soil for a sustainable and profitable future has become a key focus over recent years. Crop Tech's crop nutrition management program begins with a comprehensive soil test, and independent fertiliser recommendations.

Soil testing prior to planting is a critical component of nutrition management. Deficiencies of essential macro and micronutrients can be detected and corrected, and chemical imbalances can be addressed. Soil nutrition recommendations have moved away from just the standard ameliorants and N, P and K chemical fertilisers, to including the use of rotation crops, micro-nutrients, natural fertilisers such as sugar cane filter press, and animal manures where appropriate.

Annual soil testing of perennial crops is also important to assess the levels of soil nutrients and to ensure that long term changes in soil chemistry are not creating potential problems in future years.

Crop Tech does not sell or promote particular fertiliser products and will provide soil test recommendations in products of your choice.

For more information on Soil Testing click here
For more information on Soil Sampling click here

Water Testing

Quality of irrigation water can be a limiting factor for agricultural production. Bore water quality can differ markedly from one area to another, and sometimes the quality will change between adjoining farms. An initial water test can determine the limitations for specific crop use, and subsequent testing may be necessary to monitor changes in quality. Recommendations may include proposals for corrective action if appropriate.

Recommendations can also be given for suitability for drinking, domestic, garden, stock and other use.

For more information on Water Testing click here
For more information on Water Sampling click here

Post Plant Analysis

Sap Test

The need for rapid monitoring of fertigated vegetable crops has led to the development of new procedures for plant nutrient analysis. Crop Tech was the first Australian company to develop the analysis of plant sap as a commercial enterprise. Sap Testing is a sophisticated system for identifying nutritional disorders, and to help in formulating on-going fertiliser programmes, and it is now widely accepted as an important tool for nutrient management. By regularly analysing plant sap extracts for essential elements and considering the dynamics of the changes in these levels, we can apply basic rules of plant physiology, and a detailed diagnosis of nutrient or other management problems can be made in much the same way that a GP uses a blood test to diagnose human illness. The sap test data can also be used to identify the effects of extreme environmental conditions that can be minimised by timely foliar applications of the correct nutrients.

For more information on Sap Testing click here
For more information on Sap Sampling click here
To view an example Sap Report click here

QuickSoil Test

QuickSoil nutrient tests were developed to enable the fast assessment of the readily available nutrients in the active root zone of a plant. Unlike conventional soil tests, the QuickSoil test is a monitoring tool, which is designed to examine immediate plant available nutrients only. Results can demonstrate the effect of irrigation practices and rainfall events on the nutrient levels in the active root zone, enabling prompt action when necessary. The tests can be turned around within three working days after arriving at the laboratory.

For more information on QuickSoil Testing click here
For more information on QuickSoil Sampling click here

Hydroponic Solution Analysis

Hydroponic solution analysis is used to ensure a balanced nutrient solution is fed to hydroponic plants on a continuous basis. The analysis assesses all essential solution parameters as well as the essential nutrient levels.

For more information on Hydroponic Solution Analysis click here
For more information on Hydroponic Solution Sampling click here

Harvest Analysis

Fruit Testing

Fruit testing allows for the final product to be assessed for specific quality parameters. Assessing the fruit parameters allows for cross checks to be made on the effectiveness of the fertiliser and nutrition program during the cropping stages to produce the desired quality of commodity.

For more information on Fruit Testing click here
For more information on Fruit Sampling click here

Nursery Services

Crop Tech has a range of monitoring tests used by nursery and cut flower production Nutrition services to nurseries include plant sap tests, chemical and physical potting mix analyses, and Crop Tech's new “QuickMix” test.

Uniform production of plotted plants has become a major issue if supplying supermarkets, and nutrition and irrigation management are critical for efficient nursery production.

Crop Tech's “PlantCheck” programme on hand held computers can be used for efficient IPM monitoring in nurseries.

For more information on Nursery Services click here