With our Australian summer in full swing, the climate is again creating challenges with extremes in temperature and rainfall. Unexpected flooding, severe storms, bushfires, and heat waves are becoming the norm across the country, making forecasts increasingly unreliable.
Some things stay the same, however. But while the pressure on input prices (and grower returns) hasn’t diminished, we’ve got good news. Using accurate science-based analyses to determine current plant, soil, and water nutrient status is still your best strategy against unnecessary costs and for improving your bottom line.
We offer accredited nutrition tests for all agricultural enterprises. You’ll find the full details in our updated Product & Price List – please get in touch if you need a copy.
What’s inside this edition?
- Why you should rely on NU-test sap analysis
- Our new LIMS is about to take things up a notch
- Offering full-scale water analysis with same-day results
- Proving our commitment to quality – day in, day out
Why you should rely on NU-test sap analysis
When it comes to determining plant nutritional health status, there are two recognised and commonly used methods in Australia… sap analysis and dry ash analysis. Regardless of which test you prefer, these leaf and petiole tests offer an economical way for growers, advisors, and consultants to rapidly understand their plant’s nutritional status.
It’s easy to see why it should be a routine management tool in your paddock.
At AgVita, we’ve been providing sap analysis across Australia for over 25 years. During this time, we have developed a robust, repeatable method of extraction and use cutting-edge analytical equipment so you can count on detailed and accurate results.
For the fastest results, choose our NU-test sap analysis. Unlike a dry tissue analysis, you get sap results the day we receive your samples. Plus, our sap analysis of the petiole provides the current nutritional status of the crop, making it a responsive test that reflects current management practices (inputs, irrigation, etc).
We also provide guidelines to compare your results against well over 200 variety-specific crops. Most include data for multiple growth stages, meaning you can track the nutrition throughout the season and make smaller, more manageable changes as needed.
Our new LIMS is about to take things up a notch
With the final stages of testing underway, we’re on the verge of switching to our new Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). You can look forward to more efficiency, flexibility, and valuable time savings.
The first aspects of the new LIMS will likely go live this month (Feb 2024), with the remaining modules to be rolled out as they’re tested and reviewed.
These new features include an online sample submission process, improved reporting speed, and expanded reporting options – allowing you to request our standard Excel-based reports, PDF reports (via a link in the email), or simple .csv reports. You’ll also have access to previous sample history and test results for Aqua-Sure, Plant Response, Soil Response, and expressSoil.
Further options are planned once the new system is fully established. You can expect an update later in 2024.
Offering full-scale water analysis with same-day results
Did you know that we offer the fastest and most comprehensive water testing of any lab in Australia?
Our standard irrigation water test, the AQ16, is suitable for analysis of dam, bore, river, channel, or any unadulterated water source. The same day we receive your sample, you’ll be sent the results in a clear, easy-to-read report.
But that’s not all we do!
We’re also the preferred supplier to the Protected Cropping Association of Australia (PCA), meaning we provide the same rapid turnaround times for analysis of hydroponic water solutions – both drip and drain.
Our testing provides a complete analysis of all agriculturally significant macro and micronutrients, pH, EC, nitrate, ammonium, chloride, carbonate, and bicarbonate, plus a range of useful calculations like hardness, total cations, and TDS. However, if all you’re after is a pH or salinity check, we can do that too – also with same-day delivery!
What’s more, for ongoing work, we’ll send you suitable sample bottles on request – free of charge.
Proving our commitment to quality – day in, day out
Along with other leading labs in Australia, we participate in an internationally recognised proficiency testing program overseen by the Australian Soil and Plant Analysis Council (ASPAC). This process is recognised as the benchmark for laboratories to illustrate our accuracy and repeatability of analysis across a broad range of soil and plant analyses.
But it’s more than just a certificate.
Accreditation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing consistently high standards across all lab procedures, testing, and reporting.
The latest round of tests has been assessed, and once again, AgVita Analytical has been accredited by ASPAC for virtually every analyte and test we offer. Naturally, our entire lab team is extremely proud of this achievement!
You can check out our latest accreditation – and compare AgVita to other labs – at https://www.aspac-australasia.com.