Abstract:
Plant analysis is an important tool for assessing soil fertility and plant growth. It complements soil analysis in identifying nutrient deficiencies, toxicities or imbalances. Plant analysis also serves to confirm symptoms that may be observed in the field, which may resemble pest damage. Further, where deficiency symptoms of one nutrient resemble those of another, plant analysis removes the uncertainty. Plant analysis can also be used to monitor soil fertility. Nutrients move and change depending on the stage of growth of the plant, hence for each crop there is a best stage and a best part to sample.