Our Lincoln, Neb., laboratory was the first accredited soil testing facility in the world and the first to introduce electronic data transfer technology. Previously called Harris Laboratories and then MDS Harris, the Lincoln facility was purchased by AgSource in 2006. Today we continue the high standard of reliable test results and superior customer service.
Services
AgSource provides a wide range of analytical services for growers and producers, golf course superintendents, and landscape professionals in the Midwest and around the world. If you’re looking for reliable water, turf, media or agricultural testing services, look no further. We offer soil, soil health, plant tissue, manure, fertilizer and irrgiation water analyses.
Benefits
Choose our state-of-the-art facility in Lincoln, Neb., and enjoy the following benefits of working with an industry leader:
Full spectrum of agricultural analysis options
Flexible electronic reporting options
Knowledgeable laboratory technicians and customer-oriented staff
Contact Information
Ready to get started with our water and agricultural testing services? Please contact our professionals in Lincoln, Nebraska today!
Order Testing Supplies
Do you need supplies for testing? Just let us know what you are looking to test and we will send you what you need.
Contact Us
Chris Ibsen
Kevin Klink
Jacob Niewohner
Submission Forms:
NEW CLIENTS |
| New Client Information Form |
SOIL |
| Soil Submission Form – GRID Sample |
| Soil Submission Form – Composite/Zone Sample – Use this for single or multiple soil samples. |
| Soil Health Submission Form |
| Soil Nitrate Submission Form |
PLANT TISSUE |
| Plant Tissue Sample Submission Form |
| Corn Stalk Nitrate Sample Submission Form |
WATER |
| Irrigation Water Sample Submission Form |
TURF & GOLF COURSE |
| Turf Soil Samples |
| Turf Soil Health Samples |
| Turf Plant Tissue Samples |
| Turf Irrigation Water Samples |
Certifications
To ensure reliable results, we routinely evaluate our performance with internal controls, including check samples, client duplicate samples and re-analysis of archived samples. AgSource Laboratories in Lincoln maintains certifications from:
Soil Science Society of America (NAPT-PAP)
Agricultural Laboratory Proficiency Program (ALP)
Manure Analysis Proficiency (MAP)
When comparing results from one laboratory to the next it is important to determine the following:
- Laboratory method used for each analysis.
- Units reported for each analysis.
- Any conversion or calculation used for specific tests.
It is important to note that there is no perfect method for determining how much or little of an essential nutrient is available for plant uptake. Availability is affected by: soil moisture, temperature, soil pH, clay/organic matter content, soil drainage, physical barriers and many other factors. As these factors change the availability of nutrients also change. What a soil test measures is the degree of fertility; be it low, medium or high.
For a printable PDF, click here.
SOIL
– All soil samples are dried and ground.
Analysis | Units | Method Description |
Soil pH | N/A | 1:1 Soil/Water Slurry |
Soluble Salts (EC) | mmhos/cm | 1:1 Soil/Water Slurry |
Buffer pH | — | Sikora Buffer Method |
Cations: Ca-Mg-K-Na | ppm |
Ammonium Acetate Extraction |
Phosphorus (If pH < 7.2) | ppm | Bray 1 Extraction |
Phosphorus (If pH > 7.1) | ppm | Olsen Extraction |
Traces: Zn-Mn-Fe-Cu | ppm | DTPA Extraction |
Sulfur | ppm | Monocalcium Phosphate (ICP Determination) |
Boron | ppm |
Hot Water Extraction (ICP Determination) |
Nitrate-Nitrogen | ppm | Cadmium Reduction |
Particle Size Analysis
(Sand-Slid-Clay) | % | Hydrometer Measurement |
Salinity Evaluation | mmhos/cm
| Saturated Paste Extraction |
Other Methods Available | Pertains to country of origin | |
Extractable Soil Ammonium | ppm | KCI extraction |
Extractable Chloride in Soil | ppm | Calcium Nitrate Extraction |
Soil Moisture | % | Loss of Drying |
Organic Matter | % | Loss of Ignition (LOI), expressed as OM% |
Extractable Aluminum | ppm | Cesium Chloride Extraction |
Extractable Molybdenum | ppm | Ammonium Oxolate |
PLANT ANALYSIS
– All plant tissue samples are dired and ground.
Analysis | Units | Method Description |
Nitrate-Nitrogen | ppm | 2% Acetic Acid Extraction |
Phosphate-Phosphorus | ppm | 2% Acetic Acid Extraction |
Extractable Potassium | % | 2% Acetic Acid Extraction |
Total Nitrogen | % | Total Kjeldahl Digestion |
Total Phosphorus | % | Nitric Acid/Hydrogen Peroxide Digestion |
Plant Minerals | % & ppm | Nitric Acid/Hydrogen Peroxide Digestion |
GREENHOUSE MEDIA TESTING
– All samples are saturated before analysis.
Analysis | Units | Method Description |
Media pH | N/A | Saturated Media Extract (SMS) |
Phosphorus | ppm | ” |
Potassium | ” | ” |
Calcium | ” | ” |
Magnesium | ” | ” |
Sodium | ” | ” |
Zinc | ” | ” |
Manganese | ” | ” |
Copper | ” | ” |
Iron | ” | ” |
Boron | ” | ” |
Aluminum | ” | ” |
Nitrate-N | ” | ” |
Ammonium-N | ” | ” |
Extractable:
Zinc,
Manganese,
Copper,
Iron | ppm | DTPA Extraction |
Organic Matter &
Organic Carbon | % | Loss on Ignition |
Total Nitrogen | % | Total Kjeldahl Digestion |
Soluble P205 | % | Citric Acid Extraction |
Soluble K20 | % | Ammonium Oxalate Extraction |
Soil, plant tissue and greenhouse media test methods are described in:
- Analytic procedures used in US EPA Report SW-846, Test Methods for Evaluating Soil Waste, 3rd Edition, November 1990, as revised.
- Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) Official Methods of Analysis, 1990, 15th Edition.
- Methods of Soil Analysis, Parts I, II, and III. Soil Science Society of American. 1996.
- North Central Regional (NCR) Publication No. 221 (Revised). Recommended Chemical Procedures for the North Central Region Bulletin No. 499 (Revised) October 1988.
- Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 18th Edition, 1992.
- The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Tests Methods, 1988.