Under Ireland's Fifth Nitrates Action Programme published in 2022, the results of soil sampling and analysis need to be taken into account when planning fertiliser applications. All holdings above 130kg/ha and sown arable land needs to have a soil sample and analysis that is no more than 4 years old at the time of fertiliser or organic manure application.

A soil analysis is more than just a legislative requirement, it is essential for providing the factual information required to build a nutrient programme. Based on the soil results, fertiliser can be formulated for your crop to optimise your potential yields.

Using soil results enables you to adapt your nutrient inputs to maintain soil indices at target levels and to achieve the best yields for your crop.

• A wide range of analyses services will be offered by your local analytics laboratory:

  • Soil 'Standard' - Minimum Requirement

    • pH, P, K

  • Soil 'MOT' - Broad Spectrum

    • pH, CEC, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, Na, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn

  • Animal health

    • pH, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, Na, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Zn
    • Selenium
    • Cobalt

  • Standard plus calcium

    • pH, P, K, Mg, Ca

Key steps to taking soil analysis must be observed in order to ensure that samples accurately represent the area being sampled.

The Fertilizer Association of Ireland released a technical bulletin on Soil Sampling which details best practice on taking soil samples.

Download the Fertilizer Association of Ireland technical bulletin on soil sampling here

Talk to our Nutrition Agronomy team for more details.