The goal of soil testing is to determine levels of plant available nutrients in a particular field in order to create accurate fertilizer recommendations.

It is a common misconception that achieving higher yields is all about choosing the right variety. Wrong, variety is third on the list of factors that have the biggest impact on yield. Ahead of variety are drainage and fertility.

We all strive to have soil test levels for each nutrient at the optimum level so that nutrients are not a yield  limiting factor, however this is a difficult and continuous project.

Micronutrients are just as important for plant growth as the primary and secondary nutrients, but are required in smaller quantities and the amount required varies by crop.  All plants need 8 micro-nutrients to grow: Iron, Copper, Chloride, Boron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Zinc. Of these essential micronutrients, manganese is particularly important for soybeans and wheat.