As winter sets in around the country, some growers are finally getting a well-earned rest while others are busy with ground preparation and sowing.
But with price pressures still a concern, the need to apply accurate and timely analyses to better manage your crops has never been greater. As the largest 100% Australian-owned independent analysis laboratory, we’ve developed new soil and plant offerings this year to better support our national industry and buffer the price burden on our farmers.
You’ll find details below and in our updated Product & Price List – please get in touch if you haven’t yet received your copy.
What’s inside this edition?
- How a NEW leaf vs. OLD leaf analysis tells you more about your crop health
- The fastest turnaround times in the country – guaranteed!
- NEW soil test option: Particle Size Analysis
- NEW soil test option: Total Organic Carbon Analysis
- A small change in prices, same outstanding service
- How to get the best value from your Precision Ag provider
How a NEW leaf vs. OLD leaf analysis tells you more about your crop health
We’ve adapted our plant sap methodology to include a paired sap analysis.
This test uses both the old leaf and the YFEL from a crop to generate two separate analyses, producing a report highlighting the mobilisation of nutrients through different parts of the plant.
Usually, this mobilisation occurs because there are insufficient nutrients available or absorbed through the root system, so the plant scavenges nutrients from the old leaf to ‘feed’ the growth of the new leaves.
The plant part used for a paired sap analysis is generally leaf material, not the petiole from the YFEL like our regular NU-test sap analysis. This means the data generated from this analysis will not directly relate to our Desirable Levels library.
However, the results from a paired analysis give you valuable information on your crop’s current nutritional status. And since no other test highlights this nutrient mobilisation, it gives you the opportunity for remedial input applications to achieve a better outcome.
If you have any questions or are unsure which plant parts are required for this paired analysis, please contact us for help.
The fastest turnaround times in the country – guaranteed!
We know you don’t want to waste precious time waiting for test sample results.
That’s why our team will always be committed to delivering the fastest and most consistent turnaround times for soil, plant, and water analysis in Australia.
How do we achieve this?
Unlike most other labs that batch plant sap or water samples by waiting for a few days, we analyse every day!
Of course, since some tests are run over a longer timeframe than others, see below for our guaranteed turnaround times:
You’ll get your results the same day we receive your samples for:
- NU-test (sap)
- Aqua-Sure (water)
- N-Check (soil N)
You’ll get your results in a guaranteed number of days of us receiving your samples for:
- Plant Response (dry ash plant) – 4 business days
- expressSoil – 5 business days
- Soil Response – 6 business days
NEW soil test option: Particle Size Analysis
If you’re looking for additional soil testing options, we now offer a soil texture analysis by % sand, % silt and % clay measurement.
We use the traditional hydrometer chemistry method to give you an accurate reading every time and reference the published Australian soil triangle for classifications.
For a standalone test, you’ll receive your particle size analysis results within four business days of your sample arriving at our lab.
Or, to make your soil sampling and testing more efficient, we can add these results to existing soil combinations for expressSoil and Soil Response.
NEW soil test option: Total Organic Carbon Analysis
For another new soil testing option, we now also offer soil Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis.
This test adds to our already popular soil Total Carbon% and soil Organic Carbon% analyses that you may have used before. Plus, since our process follows the accredited ASPAC test code, you know you’ll be getting precise results with every test.
For a standalone test, you’ll receive your TOC analysis results within five business days of your sample arriving at our lab.
Or, to make your soil sampling and testing more efficient, we can add these results to existing soil combinations for expressSoil and Soil Response.
A small change in prices, same outstanding service
No one likes to see prices rising. That’s why we’ve fixed the cost of all our analytical tests for the past six years.
However, with inflation now looming, we’ve imposed a small increase to most test pricing from the 1st of July 2022, so we can continue providing you with the most accurate lab testing services and fastest turnaround times in the country.
In general, our prices have risen by just one or two dollars per test, though some remain unchanged.
Please get in touch for a revised price list if you haven’t already received one.
How to get the best value from your Precision Ag provider
You may be aware that there’s an abundance of companies – both startups and well-established businesses – offering software to manage your Precision Ag farm data.
Some even offer sampling and dispatch for analysis services.
The good news is, we have long-running relationships with a number of these companies and can offer competitive pricing for customised soil packages, reported through their platform.
This means you get the best of both worlds if you use one of these software solutions.
How does it work?
When your next project comes up, get in touch with us directly. You’ll benefit from our fast turnaround times, plus we have the flexibility to tailor a suite of analytes as needed to provide you with the most effective PA program.
Or, you can select AgVita Analytical from the suppliers listed by your software and still enjoy all the benefits of our unbeatable service.
It’s a win-win scenario.