Scientific and Technical Services

The group provides scientific and technical services in the field of soil science, the characterisation of fertilisers and amendments, and the assessment of interactions between them. Our services range from the determination of physicochemical, hydrological and biological properties to the development of experimental trials to assess the efficiency and agronomic effects of different products and treatments.

🌱 Soil Analysis Services
General soil physicochemical properties

pH · electrical conductivity · bulk density · particle size distribution

Soil physical and hydrological properties

Gravimetric water content · water-holding capacity · plant-available water · total porosity

Soil exchange complex and chemical fertility

Exchangeable cations · effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) · base saturation · exchangeable aluminium · exchangeable acidity · available phosphorus · available macronutrients and micronutrients

Soil organic matter and biogeochemical cycles

Total organic carbon · particulate organic carbon · mineral-associated organic carbon · total nitrogen · soil organic matter

Iron and aluminium forms

Al and Fe extractable with acid oxalate, pyrophosphate and dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate

Soil biology and microbiology

Bacterial and fungal growth · basal respiration (SBR) · substrate-induced respiration (SIR) · enzyme activities · microbial biomass · microbial community structure (PLFA)

🧪 Fertiliser and Amendment Analysis Services
Characterisation of mineral fertilisers

pH · electrical conductivity · moisture · total and secondary macronutrients · micronutrients

Organic fertilisers and amendments

Organic matter · total organic carbon · total nitrogen · C/N ratio · macronutrients and micronutrients · pH · electrical conductivity

🔬 Integrated Soil–Fertilizer Services
Agronomic efficiency trials

Assessment of the effects of fertilisers and amendments on:

  • Soil pH
  • Nutrient availability
  • Organic matter and carbon fractions
  • Biological and microbial activity
  • Comparison of commercial products

Development of soil experiments using incubations and microcosms.

Fertilisers and soil biology

Assessment of the impact of fertilisers on:

  • Soil respiration
  • Microbial biomass
  • Enzyme activities
  • Microbial community structure using PLFA