FAO FERTILIZER AND PLANT NUTRITION BULLETIN 19

Guide to laboratory
establishment for plant
nutrient analysis

by
M.R. Motsara
New Delhi, India

and

R.N. Roy
Food and Agriculture Organization
Rome, Italy

Download full pdf - 791 Kb

    FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 2008

Table of contents

Part I  - 452 kb

Acknowledgements
Preface
List of acronyms, abbreviations and chemical symbols

1. Introduction

2. The basics of an analytical laboratory
    Laboratory safety measures
    Laboratory quality assurance/control
    Standard operating procedure
    Error, precision, accuracy and detection limit
    Quality control of analytical procedures
    Preparation and standardization of reagent solutions

3. Soil analysis
    Available nutrient content of soils
    Soil sampling
    Dispatch of soil samples to the laboratory
    Preparation of soil samples for analysis
    Analytical methods

4. Plant analysis
    Sample collection and preparation for analysis
    Analytical methods

Part II  - 437 Kb

5. Water analysis
    Important characteristics of irrigation water
    Collection of water samples
    Analytical methods

6. Mineral and organic fertilizer analysis
    Sample collection and preparation
    Analytical methods

7. Biofertilizer assay and production
    Types of microscopes and their use in the laboratory
    Examination of microbes by staining techniques
    Culture media
    Isolation and identification of important microbes
    Inoculation of culture medium
    Fermentation
    Measurement of microbial growth
    Quality control of biofertilizers
    Commercial production of biofertilizers
    References and further reading

Annexes

    1. Floor plan of a soil, plant, water and fertilizer analysis laboratory
    2. Floor plan of a biofertilizer laboratory and production unit
    3. Items required for a soil, plant and water analysis laboratory
    4. Items required for a fertilizer testing laboratory
    5. Items required for a microbiological laboratory
    6. Summary of plant nutrient estimation methods
    7. Automation of analytical procedures
    8. Examples of laboratory registers
    9. Grades of chemicals and glassware
    10. Equivalent and molecular weights of compounds
    11. Soil sample information sheet
    12. Colour change of solutions owing to pH change
    13. Glossary of biofertilizer terms
    14. Units and conversion factors

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