Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for - Aseanipm ...

Exercise No. 3.04
SOIL SAMPLING AND SOIL TEST kIT ANALYSIS:
PRACTICAL GUIDES IN UNDERSTANDING AVAILABLE
SOIL NUTRIENTS FOR IMPROVING ORGANIC
VEGETABLE PRODUCTIVITY
BaCKGroUND aND raTIoNalE 52
One basic requirement for proper and efficient use of organic
fertilizer is for farmers to be able to take and analyze soil
samples taken from their newly plowed and harvested
vegetable fields. Proper soil sampling from different points in
their own fields requires simple skills that extension workers
and farmers alike should possess. They must also know how
to take care of their soil samples after collecting them for
analysis later. In FFS, facilitators and farmers together can
64
Field Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for Organic Vegetable Production
when is this exercise most
appropriate?
ɶ In FFS, TOT, and VST
sessions, before land
preparation as component
of ‘Integrated Nutrient
Management’ and ‘Soil
Biodiversity’ topics; and
ɶ When farmers want to
learn from others some
innovative ways of
assessing soil fertility and
do hands-on of proper
soil sampling and using
STK for soil analysis.
do an analysis. In cases where this kind of arrangement is not possible, then collected samples can
be submitted to nearest provincial or regional soil laboratory for analysis.
To determine soil fertility: (a) a farmer can collect soil samples from his field and submit it to
a government soil laboratory for analysis, a process that usually takes time; (b) another method
is to analyze plant tissues for presence of nutrients, requiring highly qualified persons to do an
analysis; (c) still another method is to study crop yields over seasons; and (d) a quick method for soil
analysis is using a soil test kit [STK], although this may not be available in most areas. If available,
however, an analysis using STK is simple that even farmers can undertake by themselves even
without assistance from a trained extension worker.
Soil analysis by STK involves simple chemical analysis that measures amount of available soil
nutrients in plants. Results are interpreted and used as basis in making a recommendation on
the right kind and amount of organic fertilizers for a particular crop when grown in soil being
tested. STK is handy and easy to use. It does not require sophisticated laboratory instruments
and specialized training for users. Soil testing can be done right in vegetable fields and results are
obtained within a few hours. It is, therefore, a useful tool for farmers and extension workers who,
oftentimes, need immediate answer to question of what kind and amount of organic fertilizers to use
for a crop to be organically-grown in a particular soil.
52 Corado, M. 2008. Living Soil Exercises Developed for Farmer Field School. Reference material distributed during a Write-shop to Develop A Field
Guide of Discovery-based Exercises for FFS of IPM on Organic Vegetable Farming conducted in the Philippines on 17-19 June 2008 at the Headquarters,
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. 105p.