Soil Testing and Plant Diagnostic Services

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Submitting soil samples
Samples should be accompanied by a soil sample information form. sample boxes and soil Information forms can be obtained from your local Extension centers or by contacting the lab.

We encourage you to submit samples to an Extension center. The rates for soil analysis are for samples submitted directly to our lab.

Sample submitted directly to the lab should be accompanied by the sample information form and a check for the amount due payable to MU Soil Testing, unless you have an account with us. If you have an account with us fill in the firm and outlet number and we will bill you at the end of the month.

Extension centers usually charge slightly higher rates to cover postage. Firms or individuals can set up an account with the lab in order to do business directly with the lab.

Submitting plant samples
Plant samples should be submitted with a plant analysis information form. These can be obtained from an Extension center, the Website or by contacting the lab.

Turnaround time

  • Soil sample analysis: 1.5 working days
  • Plant, compost, greenhouse media, water and manure analysis: 4 to 5 working days.

Minimum sample size

  • For soil; one cup
  • For compost, manure, greenhouse media and water; one quart

Electronic data access
Soil test reports can be emailed or accessed using our web site with a password assigned by the lab.

Volume discounts
We offer discounts for large numbers of samples. For more information, please contact the Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory.

Tests and fees

Method of payment

  • We only accept checks as payment for samples submitted directly to the lab. Samples should be accompanied by sample information form duly filled and a check for the amount due payable to MU Soil Testing.
  • Do not send cash with samples. If you have an account set up with the lab fill the firm and outlet number so that we will bill you at the end of the month.


Soil tests

  • Regular analysis, $10
    • pHs, neutralizable acidity, organic matter, Bray-I phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, cation exchange capacity, fertilizer recommendations
    • $5 per individual nutrient analyses
  • Secondary and minor nutrients
    • Zinc, $4
    • Sulfur, $4
    • Iron, manganese and copper, $4.50
    • Sodium, $2
    • Boron, $5
  • Other tests
    • Nitrate-N, $5
    • Ammonium-N, $5
    • Nitrate-N and ammonium-N, $9
    • Total exchangeable bases: calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, $6
    • Electrical conductivity, $6
    • Particle size analysis, $12
    • pHs, $4
    • pHw, $4
  • Special tests
    • Total Kjeldhal nitrogen, $12
    • Total phosphorus, $15
    • Total potassium, $15
    • Sodium absorption ratio, $12
    • Exchangeable sodium percentage, $12
    • Base saturation percentage, $12
    • Chloride, $6
    • Cation exchange capacity, addition method, $10
    • Cation exchange capacity, NH4OAc-distillation method, $18
    • pHs and neutralizable acidity, $5
    • Bray-I or Bray II phosphorus, $5
    • Mehlich III or Olson phosphorus, $5
    • Total carbon (TC) by combustion, $9
    • Total nitrogen (TN) by combustion, $9
    • Total sulfur (TS) by combustion, $9
    • Total CN/NS/CS (any two of the above combination), $16
    • Total carbon, nitrogen and sulfur by combustion (TCNS), $24
    • Potentially mineralizable N, $16

Compost tests

  • Complete analysis, $40
    • Total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, carbon/nitrogen ratio, pH and electrical conductivity
  • Total nutrients analysis, $20
    • Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium
  • Total micro-elements analysis, $6
    • Iron, copper, zinc, manganese
    • $1.50 per element when requested with total nutrient analysis
  • Total Kjeldhal nitrogen, $10
  • Total carbon, $4
  • Carbon/nitrogen ratio, $12
  • Moisture percentage, $4
  • Electrical conductivity by saturation paste method, $6
  • pH by saturation paste method, $5
  • Nitrate-N and ammonium-N, $7

Environmental tests

  • Total lead (Pb), $20
  • Extractable lead (Pb), $10
  • Cadmium (Cd), $20
  • Cobalt (Co), $20
  • Molybdenum (Mo), $20
  • Arsenic (As), $20
  • Chromium (Cr), $20
  • Selenium (Se), $20
  • Heavy metals package (Cd, Co, Mo, Ni and Pb) $30
  • Trace elements package (As, Cr, Se) $25
  • Metals package (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb and Se)  $50
  • Setup charge of $50 for less than 10 samples; $25 for batches of 10 or more samples

Note
Setup charges are applicable to all ICP analysis

Greenhouse media tests

  • Complete media analysis, $16
    • pH, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and total salts
  • Total micro-elements analysis, $6
    • Iron, copper, zinc, manganese
    • $1.50 per element when requested with total nutrient analysis
  • Nitrate-N and ammonium-N, $6
    • When requested with other tests
  • Individual element analysis, $6
  • Sulfate-S analysis, $6.50
  • Boron analysis, $5
  • Chloride analysis, $6.50
  • Moisture percentage, $4
  • Setup fee if submitting fewer than five samples, $10

Manure tests

  • Complete manure analysis, $40
    • Total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, ammonium-nitrogen, pH, electrical conductivity and percent moisture
  • Total nutrients analysis, $22
    • Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and percent moisture
  • Total micro-elements analysis, $6
    • Iron, copper, zinc, manganese
    • $1.50 per element when requested with total nutrient analysis
  • Moisture percentage, $4
  • Electrical conductivity by saturation paste method, $6
  • Total Kjeldhal nitrogen, $12
  • Ammonium-N, $8
  • pH, $5
  • Individual element analysis, $6
    • Phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium

Plant tissue tests

  • Regular analysis, $17
    • Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium + drying and grinding.
  • Regular analysis plus micro nutrients, $23
    • Copper, iron, manganese and zinc (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn)
  • Complete analysis package, $30
    • Includes regular and micro-nutrients mentioned above and boron
  • Individual analyses
    • Total Kjeldhal nitrogen, $10
    • Phosphorus, $5
    • Potassium, $5
    • Calcium, $5
    • Magnesium, $5
    • Iron (Fe), $5
    • Copper (Cu), $5
    • Manganese (Mn), $5
    • Zinc (Zn), $5
    • Sulfate-S, $6.50
    • Nitrate-N, $8
    • Boron, $5
    • Chloride, $6.50
    • A grinding fee of $2 per sample for individual analysis will be added for all plant samples that need to be dried and ground.
    • The testing fee for the second of a paired good/abnormal sample will be half the regular price.

Water tests

  • Domestic suitability, $35
    • Hardness, pH, nitrate-N, sulfate-S, chloride, sodium, carbonate, bicarbonate, iron, manganese, copper, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids
  • Irrigation suitability, $35
    • pH, nitrate-N, sulfate-S, chloride, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, electrical conductivity, carbonate, bicarbonate, total dissolved solids, sodium absorption ratio
  • Livestock suitability, $40
    • pH, nitrate-N, sulfate-S, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sodium, copper, iron, manganese, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids
  • Poultry suitability, $45
    • Hardness, pH, nitrate-N, sulfate-S, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, chloride, sodium, potassium, carbonate, bicarbonate, copper, iron, manganese, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids

Updated 11/8/12