Modern agriculture uses a lot of plastic, especially in the form of mulch film that farmers use to cover field soils. This keeps the soils moist for crops, suppresses weeds and promotes crop growth.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service Soil Testing Lab has new equipment that allows it to offer an expanded range of services to clients. A new carbon and nitrogen analyzer tests both ...

The Oklahoma State University Extension Soil, Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory on the OSU campus tests more than 58,000 samples each year to protect Oklahoma’s natural resources and support ...

The herbicide butachlor has been widely employed in agricultural practices as a pre-emergence agent against weeds, yet its persistence in the environment raises considerable concerns regarding ...

To grow good plants, you need good soil. The only way to tell what your soil really needs is to take a soil test. Applying too much fertilizer could be detrimental to your plants. You could waste ...

Anxious about the rueful state of his peas, radishes and onions, Rod Marquardt arrived at the University of Minnesota’s soil testing laboratory with two lunch bag-sized containers of dirt. “We’re just ...

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Regularly testing your soil is more important than you might think for helping your plants thrive. Soil tests measure soil pH and nutrient content. The soil of established gardens should be tested ...