Parameters analysed in Soil Health Indicator (SHI)

The foundation: Physical

Parameter 

 SHI basic
 SHI standard
(Fertilisation Manager)		 SHI complete
Clay ✓ ✓ ✓
Silt ✓ ✓ ✓
Sand ✓ ✓ ✓
Carbonate lime (CaCO3) ✓ ✓ ✓
Soil organic matter (SOM) ✓ ✓ ✓
pH_CaCl2 ✓ ✓ ✓
pH_water ✓ ✓ ✓
Soil bulk density ✓ ✓ ✓
Na-plant available   ✓ ✓
Na-soil stock ✓ ✓ ✓
Exchangeable sodium (ESP)     ✓
Sodium absorption ratio (SAR)     ✓
Electrical Conductivity (EC) ✓ ✓ ✓
Risk soil slaking ✓ ✓ ✓
Risk on wind erosion ✓ ✓ ✓
Risk soil structural degradation ✓ ✓ ✓
Plant available water ✓ ✓ ✓
Field capacity (pF 2.0) ✓ ✓ ✓
Irrigation point (pF 3.3) ✓ ✓ ✓
Wilting point (pF 4.2) ✓ ✓ ✓
Effective CEC ✓ ✓ ✓
Ca-CEC ✓ ✓ ✓
Mg-CEC ✓ ✓ ✓
Na-CEC ✓ ✓ ✓
Base saturation CEC ✓ ✓ ✓

Soil biodiversity: Biological

Parameter  SHI basic SHI standard SHI complete
Total bacteria   ✓ ✓
Gram positive     ✓
Actinomycetes     ✓
Gram negative     ✓
Total fungi   ✓ ✓
Saprophytes     ✓
Mycorrhiza     ✓
Protozoa     ✓
Microbial biomass ✓ ✓ ✓
Microbial activity ✓ ✓ ✓
Fungi/Bacteria ratio ✓ ✓ ✓
Gram (+) / Gram (-) ratio     ✓
Diversity Index     ✓

Carbon storage: Carbon

Parameter SHI basic SHI standard SHI complete
Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) ✓ ✓ ✓
Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC) ✓ ✓ ✓
Total Carbon (TC) ✓ ✓ ✓
Carbon in microbial biomass     ✓
Carbon in bacterial biomass     ✓
Carbon in fungal biomass     ✓
Active carbon (POXC)     ✓
Soil Organic Matter (SOM) ✓ ✓ ✓
Carbon in soil organic matter ✓ ✓ ✓
Nitrogen in soil organic matter     ✓
Sulphur in soil organic matter     ✓
C/N ratio ✓ ✓ ✓
C/S ratio ✓ ✓ ✓
Clay/SOC ratio ✓ ✓ ✓

Nutrients: Main Nutrients

 Parameter SHI basic SHI standard SHI complete
N-plant available (mineral N)   ✓ ✓
N-dissolved NIRS* ✓    
Total N stock ✓ ✓ ✓
N-supplying capacity ✓ ✓ ✓
S-plant available    ✓ ✓
S-dissolved NIRS* ✓   ✓
Total S stock ✓ ✓ ✓
S-supplying capacity ✓ ✓ ✓
P-plant available   ✓ ✓
P-plant available NIRS* ✓    
P-soil stock (P-Al) optional optional optional
Total P stock ✓ ✓ ✓
K-plant available   ✓ ✓
K-plant available NIRS* ✓    
K-soil stock ✓ ✓ ✓
Ca-plant available ✓ ✓ ✓
Ca-soil stock ✓ ✓ ✓
Mg-plant available   ✓ ✓
Mg-plant available NIRS* ✓    
Mg-soil stock ✓ ✓ ✓

Nutrients: Micro Nutrients

Parameter SHI basic SHI standard SHI complete
Fe-plant available   ✓ ✓
Zn-plant available   ✓ ✓
Ni-plant available   ✓ ✓
Mn-plant available   ✓ ✓
Cu-plant available   ✓ ✓
B-plant available   ✓ ✓
Mo-plant available   ✓ ✓

Nutrients: Beneficial nutrients

Parameter SHI basic SHI standard SHI complete
Si-plant available   ✓ ✓
Co-plant available   ✓ ✓
Se-plant available    ✓ ✓

Contaminants

Parameter SHI basic SHI standard SHI complete
Aluminum, Al   optional ✓
Titanium, Ti   optional ✓
Vanadium, V   optional ✓
Arsenic, As   optional ✓
Cadmium, Cd   optional ✓
Chromium, Cr   optional ✓
Lead, Pb   optional ✓
Tin, Sn   optional ✓
P-binding capacity      ✓
P-saturation     ✓

Advice

Parameter SHI basic SHI standard SHI complete
Crop + soil-based recommendations optional optional optional
Organic carbon balance optional optional optional

Notes

  • Analyses may be performed using wet chemistry or NIRS (Near Infrared Spectroscopy), depending on laboratory capabilities.

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