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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #208083
Title: Soil Quality Assessment -- A Value Added Opportunity for Soil Testing Laboratories

Author
item Karlen, Douglas
item Zobeck, Teddy
item Wienhold, Brian

Submitted to: Workshop Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2007
Publication Date: 2/28/2007
Citation: Karlen, D.L., Zobeck, T.M., Wienhold, B.J. 2007. Soil Quality Assessment -- A Value Added Opportunity for Soil Testing Laboratories. In: Proceedings of the Eighteenth Soil/Plant Analysts Workshop, February 27-28, 2007, Bettendorf, Iowa. North Central Extension and Research Activity (NCERA-13), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1325. p.63-69.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil-testing laboratories have an emerging opportunity to provide soil quality (SQ) assessment as a value-added service to clients interested in quantifying the sustainability of their agricultural practices. This presentation briefly reviews the evolution of SQ assessment and introduces four assessment tools with examples of their use in research studies. We conclude that providing SQ assessment services would be a valuable expansion of traditional soil testing, plant analysis and current environmental monitoring (e.g. phosphorus (P) Indices, stalk testing, manure management plans).