plant analysis
P
lant analysis has long been an integral part of
commercial greenhouse nutritional programs, but it’s
also a potential tool for smaller growers. Whether it’s to help
diagnose mysterious foliar symptoms or simply reassure
that all is well with nutrition, mineral analysis of the foliage
can provide useful and often insightful information on the
nutritional status of a plant or crop. However, it does have
limitations and some drawbacks that need to be understood
before the data is put to good use.
The Process
Plant or foliar analysis involves taking a small sample of
leaves—usually the youngest recently expanded leaf—from
a number of plants and sending them off to an agricultural
lab for mineral analysis. Plant analysis labs usually provide
information or a kit containing sample bags and details of
how to complete the sampling process. This includes the
number of leaves required and whether these should be
washed, refrigerated, or otherwise treated before sending
them in. If plants are particularly dusty or have been
sprayed with any chemicals or other products that may inter-
fere with the results, then washing the sample with reverse
osmosis or distilled water, followed by complete drying,
is advisable. Leaf samples can deteriorate quickly and so
should be sent off to the lab immediately.
“PLANT ANALYSIS
is often used to rule
out or confirm specific
nutrient issues so that
these can be rectified
quickly and correctly.”
Foliar analysis is a great tool for confirming a mineral deficiency diagnosis
when symptoms first start to show.
52
feature