
The International Capacity Development Group on Soil Spectroscopy (SoilSpecNet)
During the second GLOSOLAN-Spec Plenary Meeting in 2021, GLOSOLAN-Spec was tasked to collect and publish detailed information of advanced soil spectroscopy institutions and laboratories in relation to their capacities, research interests, joint projects, and scholarship opportunities. Based this information, countries will be able to find suitable partners for further spectroscopy development within their countries and regions in a more efficient manner. GLOSOLAN-Spec refers to this advanced soil spectroscopy institutions and laboratories group as SoilSpecNet.
GLOSOLAN-Spec encourages advanced soil spectroscopy laboratories and institutes to actively engage with countries and share their knowledge and experiences to support capacity development in different countries and regions. GLOSOLAN-Spec is actively exploring and inviting advanced soil spectroscopy institutions and laboratories to join SoilSpecNet and support further spectroscopy development in different countries.
The group aims to:
- Develop the capacities of at least one soil spectroscopy institution/laboratory per country that will thereafter join SoilSpecNet; and
- Under the auspices of GLOSOLAN, support the development of the Global Soil Information System (GloSIS) and the National Soil Information Systems by providing estimated soil property data to the International Network of Soil Information Institutions (INSII) for soil mapping and modelling purposes.
SoilSpecNet will be composed of
- Internationally recognized soil spectroscopy institutions and laboratories; and
- Private sectors (e.g. manufacturers and private laboratories) specialized in soil spectroscopy that prove not to have any conflict of interest with GLOSOLAN and GLOSOLAN-Spec.
Learn more about the institutes and laboratories registered with SoilSpecNet and the type of support they can offer.
- Australia
- Belgium
- Brazil
- China
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Israel
- Kenya
- Latvia
- Morocco
- Sweden
- United States of America
Australia
The Soil and Landscape Science Group (SLSG) at Curtin University in Perth, Australia
Contact(s): Raphael Viscarra Rossel

Laboratory Capacity
The SLSG conducts theoretical, methodological and applied research to improve understanding of soil processes and the drivers of soil and landscape variability at different spatial and temporal scales. In addition, the group’s research aims tounderstand better and predict how soil functions respond to climate and anthropogenic change. The specific research interests are in soil carbon sequestration science, the preservation of biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and food production.
The SLSG has expertise in developing new methods for soil sensing, spectroscopy, digital mapping, and monitoring and in the development and application of state-of-the-art statistical, chemometric, machine learning and mechanistic models for prediction. Professor Viscarra Rossel brings more than 20-years’ experience in soil spectroscopy, spectroscopic modelling, development of regional, national and global spectral libraries, and in the application of soil spectroscopy for digital soil mapping and modelling. He developed the stand-alone executable software “ParLeS” for chemometric analysis of spectroscopic data, which he gives away for free upon email request. The software is used for teaching and spectroscopic applications in medical, pharmaceutical, engineering, agronomic and soil science research.
The group is now developing web-based applications to enable soil spectroscopy globally and for the common good. The SLSG laboratory infrastructure consists of a laboratory for sample processing, preparation and automated grinding, instrumentation for soil organic and inorganic carbon analyses, and a soil sensing laboratory with a benchtop FT-IR DRIFT/ATR near-infrared and mid-infrared spectrometer, a portable visible–near-infrared spectrometer, a range of miniaturised visible and near-infrared spectrometers, a laser-induced breakdown spectrometer and field equipment. The group also has computing infrastructure and workstations optimised for deep learning with multi-core CPU and GPU

Areas of Interest
The group provides short courses on fundamental soil spectroscopy and spectroscopic modelling with modern chemometrics and machine learning methods. They supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students, host visiting scientists, and collaborate with researchers worldwide.
The Soil Science Group at the University of Sydney
The Soil Science Group at the University of Sydney provides research leadership in digital soil mapping, proximal soil sensing and soil chemometrics.
The University of Sydney started its work on soil spectroscopy in 1998 as means of gathering and analyzing high-resolution soil data, which has necessitated the development of a set of field-sensing technologies as opposed to more costly laboratory measurement ones. An important principle that emerged and motivated our work is that many cheap lower precision but spatially dense geo-located field observations are more useful for spatial management than a few very precise measurements of the same overall cost.
Contact(s): Alex McBratney, Budiman Minasny and Wartini Ng

Laboratory Capacity
Technologies used in The Soil Science Group at the University of Sydney's work includes the development of diffuse reflectance spectral methods, in the ultra-violet, visible, near- and mid- infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Extensive facilities on spectroscopy, include a suite of dedicated laboratory (vis-NIR/MIR) spectrophotometer for soil, FTIR with Hyperion 3000 microscope, Raman Spectrometer, and Spero-QT Infrared Microscope. We have extensive field equipment on proximal sensing, include electromagnetic induction instruments, gamma radiometer, on-the-go electrical resistivity sensing system, field NIR spectrophotometers, field portable XRF, NIR Spectro-penetrometer, on the-go pH sensor, crop yield and protein monitors. We have a collection of soil spectral libraries (NIR, MIR) covering all soils from NSW.
The groups research focuses on developing novel soil chemometric procedures, including using machine learning models, spectra and model fusion, deep learning, etc. and have a soil spectral inference system that enables transforming a spectrum into a multitude of soil properties. In addition to basic soil properties, we examine spectroscopy as a tool to screen for soil contaminants, microplastics, and provenance. This group has published the first textbook on digital soil spectroscopy and chemometrics Soil Spectral Inference with R (Springer, 2021) and have conducted training courses since 2015.
The group has active collaborations around the world, including the Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory, USA; ICRAF, Kenya; University of Sao Paolo, Brazil; Soil Health Institute, USA; University of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin, both USA; CSIRO; Rural Development Agency in Korea, Indonesian Agricultural Research Development Agency, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Cocoa Board of Papua New Guinea, etc.

Areas of Interest
The group is ineterested in joint project application with different countries, insitiutions, and research groups. etc; 2. host visiting students or researchers; 3. write joint publications; 4,organizing training courses
Advanced Soil Spectroscopy laboratories and Institutes are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) and any soil laboratories and institutes are encouraged to collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes for the capacity development of soil spectroscopy, by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Belgium
Ghent University
The Precision SCoRing group within the Department of Environment, at Ghent University, Belgium has about 20-years experience in spectroscopy, mainly vis-NIR, MIR, XRF and gamma ray spectroscopy for soil analysis.
Contact(s): Abdul Mouazen

Laboratory Capacity
The Precision SCoRing group are using the most advanced linear and no-linear tools for modelling and analysis of soil spectra. Their main focus is field spectroscopy for implementation of precision agriculture and for environmental and natural resources management. Lab spectroscopy is also part of their field. The group's experience in vis-NIR spectroscopy and chemometric tools (including machine learning tools) enabled the development of one of three internationally patented on-line measurement systems of soil properties.
With a laboratory established for sensor technologies equipped with the most advanced field and laboratory sensors, two multi-sensor platforms and a robotic platform to measure soil and crop characteristics and to implement variable rate technologies. The groups vision is to develop new sensing configurations for new field applications and transfer new sensing technologies from broader engineering sectors into agriculture. The group has spectral data of about 500 soil samples collected from Belgium.

Areas of Interest
The group is interested in collaborations as joint projects, joint publications, supervising postgraduate students and host visiting scientists.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Brazil
Geotechnologies in Soil Science (GeoCiS) Research Group, Department of Soil Science, “Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo
Contact(s): Jose Alexandre Melo Dematte

Laboratory Capacity
GeoCiS is a research group coordinated by Professor José A. M. Demattê, from the Department of Soil Science at ESALQ/USP, Brazil. The group aims to perform research in the areas of Soil Science using geotechnologies such as proximal and remote sensors, machine learning and cloud computing for understanding the soil interactions, soil mapping and land use planning.
Other areas of interest are fertility, chemistry, mapping, erosion, conservation, mineralogy, physics, biology, carbon and soil monitoring. The group also created the first Brazilian Soil Spectral Library with an online platform for spectra visualization and soil attributes predictions. The group also hosts the first training course called Brazilian Program of Soil Analysis via Spectroscopy, Probase.

Areas of Interest
GeoCiS presents a multi and inter-disciplinary environment, working together with professionals from different areas and institutions. The group regularly receives researchers and students from all over the world in their laboratory to carry out research, as well as to build new international working links to enable joint projects. The group has several members from all over the world in their recent research group called Global Soil Satellite Sensing.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
China
College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University
Contact(s): Zhou Shi

Laboratory Capacity
The group has about 20 years’ experience in proximal soil sensing, including vis-NIR, MIR, XRF, LIBS and EM and aim to measure soil information (e.g., SOC, soil nutrients, EC, heavy metals) in a fast, labor- and cost-effective manner using spectroscopic techniques to support precision agriculture and soil survey.
Integrating proximal soil sensing and remote sensing, the group is also interested in digital mapping of soil information, and coupling of machine learning and geostatistical models across scales. They built the first Chinese National Soil Spectral Library in 2014 and contributed to the Global Soil Spectral Library built in 2016. The group continues to complete this national spectral library which now has more than 8500 soil samples that cover most provinces of China. We also have produced the first Chinese national soil property maps (e.g., SOC, pH) in 90 m resolution. The group has also published many high-quality peer-reviewed articles and keep a tight collaboration with world-leading universities and research centers.

Areas of Interest
The group is open to collaboration in the field of proximal soil sensing and digital soil mapping in forms of hosting visiting researchers/students, joint projects/publications, etc.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Czechia
The Soil Spectroscopy Group at the Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU)
Contact(s): Asa Gholizadeh and Luboš Borůvka

Laboratory Capacity
the Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection has long experience in soil spectroscopy, particularly laboratory and field visible and near infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy, but also in remote sensing image processing and exploitation in soil research. They are equipped with an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and Raman spectrometer and laboratory FTIR spectrometer for soil and environmental analyses.
Their main focus is on exploitation of VNIR spectroscopy for the prediction and mapping of soil properties, using and testing various machine learning and deep learning algorithms. The target soil properties are mainly soil organic carbon, soil texture, but also soil pollutants like potentially toxic elements.We develop the Czech soil spectral library. They also apply the prediction models based on soil spectroscopy in digital mapping of soil organic carbon contents and stocks, soil pollution, soil erosion, forest soil degradation, etc. and have published a number of scientific papers on these topics, both ourselves and in collaboration with the leaders in this field.
The Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection participates in several projects (e.g., STEROPES and ProbeField in frame of the Horizon 2020 EJP SOIL, and WorldSoils). Finally they are also involved in global initiatives like GLOSOLAN, GlobalSoilMap or Global Soil Partnership.

Areas of Interest
The group is interested cooperation in the field of soil proximal and remote sensing as well as digital soil mapping.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Denmark
Soil spectroscopy group at AGRO, AARHUS University, Department of Agroecology
Contact(s): Maria Knadel

Laboratory Capacity
Soil spectroscopy is one of the research areas within the Soil physics and Hydropedology group, at the Department of Agroecology, at Aarhus University, Soil spectroscopy. The group adapts such spectroscopic methods as vis-NIRS and Laser Induced breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to basic and functional soil properties’ estimation. These techniques are applied in conjunction with advanced multivariate data analysis including both linear and nonlinear techniques. Most of our sensors are lab instruments and for field applications we use a mobile sensor platform. We have developed a national spectral library for Danish soils (~ 6000 spectra) that is being used and constantly expanded in relation to different projects. The group is also about to upgrade our laboratory with an FTIR sensor to supplement the library with MIR spectra. The group organizes an intensive course on NIRS in soil science focused on both theoretical and practical aspects of spectroscopy as well as extensive hands-on experience in the la-boratory and with spectral modeling (Near infrared spectroscopy in soil science (au.dk)). Spectroscopy-based soil characterisation is also used by the scientists in the group in modelling and digital soil mapping.

Areas of Interest
The group is interested in collaborations through joint project applications, publications, supervision of PhD students and postdocs, hosting guest researchers as well as training (course in NIRS).
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
France
French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development
A French public research institution, IRD supports an original model of equitable scientific partnership and interdisciplinary, citizen, sustainability science committed to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Contact(s): Cécile Gomez, BARTHES Bernard Barthes, Aurélie Cambou, Tiphaine Chevallier and Patricia Moulin

Laboratory Capacity
Vis-NIR and MIR soil spectroscopy are the group's main domain of expertise. These French scientists are part of several research laboratories, which all use Vis-NIR and MIR spectroscopy forstudying soils in laboratory or field conditions: LISAH which also develops work in digital soil mapping and remote sensing; Eco&Sols which has strong expertise in soil carbon and ecology; and IMAGO dedicated to the characterization of soil physico-chemical properties.
The group has at their disposal lab and field Vis-NIR-SWIR and MIR spectrometers. They also have experience in spectroscopy measurements, chemometrics and machine learning. We develop regression models based on local to national spectral libraries, for a large range of physicochemical soil properties over the world, thanks to their experience and partnership with countries in the Mediterranean and intertropical zone.

Areas of Interest
The group is interested in collaborations through joint project applications, publications, supervision of MSc and PhD students and postdocs, hosting guest researchers as well as training (course in Vis-NIRSWIR and MIR).
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Germany
The Hyperspectral remote sensing application group at the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences, Remote Sensing an Geoinformatics section
The Hyperspectral remote sensing application group have over 20 years experience in multi-platform and multiscale soil spectroscopy from the laboratory, field, to air- and space-borne platforms. The group is jointly affiliated to the Digital Soil Mapping group at the Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Soil Science
Contact(s): Sabine Chabrillat

Laboratory Capacity
The group supports advances in optical and thermal remote sensing for the definition of new hyperspectral spaceborne sensors and for the development of optical methodologies toward soil characterization and mapping indoor in the lab or outdoor/from afar.
Furthermore, they focus on the development of standards and protocols for soil spectroscopy in the Vis-NIR (0.4-2.5 µm) and MIR (Long-wave IR). The group is co-lead of the IEEE-SA P4005 Working group on Standards and protocols for soil spectroscopy, and a member of the Global Soil Laboratory Network GLOSOLAN of the FAO. We operate the GFZ spectroscopy laboratory .
Available instrumentation includes two Perkin-Elmer laboratory spectroradiometers on VNIR, MIR (Lambda 950 and Spextrum GX FTIR), various VisNIR-SWIR-LWIR field/laboratory spectroradiometers (e.g. ASD FieldSpec, Spectral evolution PSR+, Agilent 4300 Handheld FTIR), and hyperspectral cameras covering from the VisNIR to LWIR (HySpex VNIR-SWIR, Telops HyperCam LW). We have over >1000 spectral data collected from diverse sites with international collaborators (Germany, Spain, Greece, Tchecz Republic, Namibia, RSA, Australia, Israel)

Areas of Interest
The Group provides advisory services and capacity development to a number of labs globally, including on spectroscopy lab setup, lab workflows, instrumentations, spectral data analysis and management.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Israel
The remote sensing laboratory within the Porter School of Environment and Earth Science in Tel Aviv University Israel (RSL-TAU)
Leading laboratory in Israel that work with hyperspectral technology from all domains (space, air, field and laboratory)
Contact(s): Eyal Ben Dor

Laboratory Capacity
The laboratory has state-of-the-art hyperspectral cameras for the optical and thermal spectral regions and point spectrometers from different makes, and is furnished with homemade assemblies to measure soil surface in the field with a laboratory quality (SoilPRO®), soil endoscopy devise (SoilESC®) and a sophisticated software for automatic data machine learning to extract reliable proximal modeling in near real time (PARACUDA II ®).
A fleet of drones with miniature spectral sensors is also part of the laboratory infrastructure. The laboratory is managing the legacy soil spectral library of Israel (composed of more than 3000 samples) that is in evolving progress and has initiated the Mediterranean SSl under the GEOGRADEL H2020 project that is also under progress. Within the laboratory many applications have been developed for mapping soil from field and space under national and international collaboration.
The laboratory is very active in standard and protocol for soil spectral measurement and leading the P4005 WG entitle ” standard and protocol for spectral measurement of soil” within the IEEE SA . Some of the recent products from the laboratory are dealing with harmonization of SSL from different sources and origins (old and new), transfer function of laboratory SSL to the field and calibrating hyperspectral sensor to the point that they can be used as a data base to transfer SSL based model to map large areas globally. The laboratory servs as an advisor to the SHALOM ASI-ISA mission to mount hyperspectral sensor in space and develop commercial values to that end for soils.
The laboratory is part of the management group of CHAIM mission on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA) and responsible for the soil product. The laboratory is also part of the science team of EMIT- NASA which is a mission to mount an hyperspectral sensor onboard the Intentional Space Station in 2022and aims at tracking soil forming dust. The laboratory outcrops are more than 200 scientific papers, 3 patents and many graduated students that serve in the academia, industry and governmental institute worldwide.

Areas of Interest
The group is interested in research collaborations, supervising graduate students, hosting visiting scientists, providing training in soil spectroscopy, as well as joint scientific publications.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Kenya
World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
World Agroforestry (ICRAF) is a centre of science and development excellence that harnesses the benefits of trees for people and the environment Leveraging the world’s largest repository of agroforestry science and information, developing knowledge practices, from farmers’ fields to the global sphere, to ensure food security and environmental sustainability. ICRAF's vision is an equitable world where all people have viable livelihoods supported by healthy and productive landscapes. In 2019, ICRAF and CIFOR effectively merged. CIFOR-ICRAF is a center of research excellence delivering transformative science to create a future with healthy, biodiverse, and productive landscapes – for the benefit of people and the environment.
Contact(s): Leigh Winowiecki and Elvis Weullow

Laboratory Capacity
CIFOR-ICRAF has five main research themes. The Soil and Land Health Theme hosts the Soil Plant Spectral Diagnostic Laboratory.
CIFOR-ICRAF has more than 22 years of experience using dispersive vis-NIR, Fourier Transform (FT) mid and near infrared, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for predictions of basic and functional soil properties of soils, plants, manure and fertilizers. We have dedicated research staff within the Laboratory and offer analytical services and serve as a research lab to advance soil spectroscopy science. The available instruments include high throughput Invenios S HTs XT and Tensor 27 HTs XT FT-MIR spectrometers (Bruker GmbH, Germany), Multi-Purpose Analyzer (MPA) FT-NIR spectrometer (Bruker GmbH, Germany), Alpha I and Alpha II ZnSe spectrometers (Bruker GmbH, Germany) and Tracer Vi portable (handheld) XRF spectrometer (Bruker GmbH, USA) and Handheld NeoSpec spectrometer.
ICRAF has developed a global vis-NIR, FT MIR , NIR and pXRF soil spectral library. We also host a physical soil archive with over 120,000 geo-referenced soil samples, collected using a systematic data collection methodology, the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF). The LDSF is a landscape-level assessment of soil and land health indicators, enabled by soil spectroscopy. These field data are coupled with remote sensing for the production of highly accurate maps Spatial Data Science and Applied Learning Lab (SPACIAL)

Areas of Interest
ICRAF is interested in providing advisory services and capacity development to a number of labs globally, including on spectroscopy lab setup, lab workflows, instrumentations, spectral data analysis and management.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Latvia
Forest Environment laboratory, Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”
Research team leader: Andis Lazdiņš
Head of the laboratory: Aldis Butlers

Laboratory Capacity
The Forest Environment laboratory, which holds ISO 17025 certification, routinely analyzes about 3,000 soil samples collected in Latvia each year for scientific research purposes using soil analysis standard methods. Samples stored in the soil archive serve as a foundation for creating the national spectral library – by 2024 a library of mid-infrared spectra of 10,000 air-dry soil samples and a library of near-infrared spectra of 3,000 naturally moist soil samples have been obtained.
The laboratory is equipped with FTIR spectrometers Bruker Invenio with HTS – XT accessory and Bruker Tango.

Areas of Interest
The laboratory aims to integrate soil spectroscopy into routine soil laboratory activities and research including characterization of soil properties (physical and chemical parameters), soil C stock and nutrients monitoring, and soil mapping. The laboratory is involved in research related to land use greenhouse gas emission forecasting capacity building, as well as the planning, implementation, and monitoring of climate change mitigation measures, and the monitoring of forest and soil resources.
We are interested in collaborations, including joint projects and publications.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Morocco
Soil spectroscopy group at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), being located at Benguerir, Morocco, is dedicated to a world class teaching, research and innovation in core areas of science, engineering, humanities, business etc. focusing on the African continent at large. UM6P is exceptionally known by its action of “learning by doing” approach whose contribution to the economic development of Africa is mammoth as it strives to catering skilful next generation professionals.
Contact(s): Fassil Kebede and Leila Tajeddine

Laboratory Capacity
Among the many programs of UM6P, the Center of Excellence in Soils and Fertilizer Research in Africa (CESFRA), is an entity of the AgroBioScience Program of UM6P, which dedicates to teach and conduct advanced research in soil and fertilizer sciences and whose research outputs should boost the productivity of African agriculture through the design of fertilizers tailored to the continent’s soils.
CESFRA possesses a Soil Spectroscopy Laboratory (SSL), which has been recently designated by FAO GLOSOLAN to be a regional champion laboratory for the NENA region. SSL is equipped well with latest equipment such as Tensor II FTIR, Alpha Spectrometer, pXRF, etc.; and engaged in building electronic data systems to streamline data collection and enforce high data quality, exploring the use of artificial intelligence and new sensing technologies to reduce the costs of measuring many soil properties and testing and validating a digital soil mapping model to predicatethe soil suitability for various land unitization types. CESFRA has developed a profound working relationship with esteemed institutions worldwide. For example, CESFRA is conducting a research on new soil and plant tool development for fertilizer recommendation with the Rothamsted Research Ltd., the Cranefield University, UK, and ICRAF. Moreover, we are also involved in research on digital farming with the Institute for Data,Systems and Society of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. Finally, CESFRA maintains a working relationship with Kellogg Soil Lab, USDA, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Areas of Interest
The group is interested in collaborations through research , mainly focusing on digital soil processing including application of infrared spectroscopy to predict many soil properties, building web-based system for soil fertility evaluation, preparing digital map for soil health monitoring and land uses, etc. running training courses, hosting visiting researchers, and joint projects, etc.
Soil laboratories and Institutes from any country are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) or Collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
Sweden
The Soil Spectroscopy Group at the Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU)
The Department of Soil and Environment, Precision Agriculture and Pedometrics.
Contact(s): Johanna Wetterlind and Bo Sternberg

Laboratory Capacity
Soil spectroscopy is one of the research areas within the Precision Agriculture theme in the Soil Nutrient Cycling group at the department of Soil and Environment, SLU. With over 20 years of experience using vis-NIR spectroscopy for predictions of basic and functional soil properties with a focus on farm and filed scale variations for agricultural soil and crop management.
The research also includes the MIR region and more recently also remote sensing applications. We have also developed a Swedish national vis-NIR soil spectral library (>12 500 top soil samples). The spectroscopy lab is a research lab and therefore not included in the service labs at the department with dedicated laboratory staff. The majority of our instruments have the possibility for in-field measurements. The available instruments include ASD FiledSpec and ASD QualitySpec Trek Portable Spectrometer (Malvern Panalytical, Massachusetts, US), Agilent 4300 Handheld FTIR (Agilent, California US), Alpha II (Bruker GmbH, Germany) and Veris P4000 vis-NIR-ECa-IF probe (Veris Technologies, Kansas US. We also have a Tec 5 AgroSpec (Tec5, Germany) dedicated for on line manure analysis.

Areas of Interest
The Department of Soil and Environment, Precision Agriculture and Pedometrics, are interested in collaborations, including joint projects, joint publications, supervising postgraduate students and host visiting scientists.
Advanced Soil Spectroscopy laboratories and Institutes are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) and any soil laboratories and institutes are encouraged to collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes for the capacity development of soil spectroscopy, by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].
United States of America
KSSL Laboratory
The United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Soil and Plant Science Division, Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory (KSSL) located in city of Lincoln, State of Nebraska, USA.
Contact(s): Rich Ferguson

Laboratory Capacity
KSSL develops a freely available, well-organized, and easy-to-use database with a mid-infrared (MIR) spectral library with associated reference and meta-data that are suitable for building calibrations to estimate diverse soil properties at various geotaxonimic scales.
KSSL represents over 90,000 soil samples and growing, and the KSSL MIR library captures the compositional variability of soils that while mainly from USA.

Areas of Interest
KSSL offers three free capacity building resources:
- KSSL's large soil spectal library. KSSL data can be used as a free open data resources for different purposes on the topic of soil spectroscopy, such as research, education, soil assessment, soil monitoring, etc.
- Training. NRCS MIR training welcomes applicants from outside of NRCS on a space-available basis, and has included students at all levels from Canada, the Netherlands, India, New Zealand, Morocco, USA, etc. The training empowers participants to independently query the KSSL database or similar relational databases, do preliminary map-based assessment of the likelihood of model success, build and refine calibrations through modeling MIR spectra with reference data, validate calibration performance with true test samples, and perform instrument operation and control.
- Sample exchange. The KSSL accepts up to 300 samples from countries interested in using KSSL MIR and reference data compare methods and performances on conventional methods of analysis.
The University of Nebraska - Lincoln Department of Biological System Engineering
The University of Nebraska -Lincoln Department of Biological Systems Engineering hosts the Sensor Technologies for Agricultural Research Lab.
Contact(s): Yufeng Ge

Laboratory Capacity
The Sensor Technologies for Agricultural Research Lab conducts research in precision agriculture and both proximal, and remote-sensing applications for soil characterization and mapping.
The lab is equipped with an ASD LabSpec, a Spectralevolution SR3500, and a Bruker Alpha II FTIR. The lab is also equipped with low-cost spectrometers such as those from Neo-spectra and Ocean Insights for soil analysis. Other instruments including a Portable XRF, Gamma-ray sensor, and EMI sensor are available within the University. Our lab is near the USDA-NRCS National Soil Survey Center and Kellogg Soil Survey Laboratory. Therefore we have strong partnership with the KSSL to utilize their national-scale soil VisNIR and MIR spectral libraries (>100,000 samples primary from the U.S.) for the development of new methods and algorithms in soil spectroscopy.

Areas of Interest
The Sensor Technologies for Agricultural Research Lab offers the following capacity building resources: supervising graduate students, hosting visiting scientists, providing training in soil spectroscopy, as well as joint scientific publications.
Advanced Soil Spectroscopy laboratories and Institutes are highly welcome to join SoilSpecNet (SSN) and any soil laboratories and institutes are encouraged to collaborate with listed SSN labs and institutes for the capacity development of soil spectroscopy, by sending an email to [email protected] and [email protected].