Research Institutions & NGOs

Our Services for Research Institutions & NGOs

SOIL ANALYSIS

This is an essential part of profitable farm management for all field crops. Based on the soil fertility problems identified in the soil test, we recommend a soil health correction program and a crop specific fertilizer program, meaning farmers are always investing wisely by applying the right inputs, at the right quantity, to increase yields and profitability.

1. ROUTINE SOIL ANALYSIS

We are specialists in soil fertility management and developing fertilizer programs for farmers.

We carry out fast and affordable soil analysis in our laboratory, and we use the results to make the right recommendations for your farm. We are independent and don’t sell any farm input products and we only offer you the best advice.

Soil testing is essential for building a sustainable soil fertility and fertilizer management program for your farm, to increase your crop yields and reduce your input costs.

2. NITROGEN FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS

Our lab analysis determines the amount of available nitrogen in your soils and we give you calculated nitrogen fertilizer recommendation based on the results.

3. SOIL HEALTHCARE PROGRAM

Our Soil Health Care Program is a complete service package for growers who want to sustain farms profits, through building and maintaining high levels of soil fertility in each of their fields.

The service includes:

On farm per field sampling by our technician before each crop
Full Soil Health Audit and Soil Fertility Analysis in our Laboratory
Detailed lab report including full Soil Fertility Correction and Fertilizer Recommendations
Farm visit every 6 months by our Soil Health Advisors to monitor the program and advise on additional soil health practices such as crop rotations and green manure crops

4. SOIL LIFE TEST

Soil and plants interact in the search for and supply of nutrients. Soil provides the environment for plant growth while plants participate in building and sustaining soils by releasing exudates and leaving behind their own residues. This dynamic cycle is best described as the soil-plant system. In the process, humus is formed and carbon dioxide (CO2) is released due to microbial activity. The relationship between these processes is an important indicator of soil fertility. Declining rates of CO2 respiration are associated with intensive tilling, compaction and over fertilizing. These soil practices are potentially destructive and inhibit the soil’s ability to sustain its humus content, the natural reservoir of organic nutrients and soil life. As soil declines, microbes starve for food and the rate of CO2 respiration decreases, indicating deteriorated soil quality. Being able to evaluate the turnover of organic matter via CO2 respiration is important for a number of reasons:

• Indicator of soil health – The rates of CO2 release is generally regarded as an indicator of Soil Health and is favorably improved with practices such as cover cropping, where the quality of soil is improved by building the organic matter through accumulation and decay of roots and plant litter.

• Indicator of soil nutrients – Measure and evaluate the rate of carbon exchange, to estimate potential release of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are components of humus.

LEAF ANALYSIS

This is a valuable crop management tool to identify any nutrient deficiencies in the crop at critical growing periods. Corrective measures are recommended to balance the crop nutrients, including which fertilizers or foliar feeds to apply to improve yield and quality.

Leaf analysis in combination with soil testing brings out a clear picture of your crop’s whole nutrition system.

The laboratory results for each nutrient are compared against well known optimum guide levels for each crop type providing a quick diagnosis on what could be limiting your yields and the corrective recommendations.

REGIONAL SOIL MAPPING

Soils are a major factor in driving food security initiatives and interventions. Therefore knowing the situation of the soils is very important for any government that is looking to strengthen its pillars in Agriculture. We conduct regional and national soil mapping surveys that provide vital soil fertility information to policy makers and various fertilizer industry stakeholders.

Through the application of GIS technology, determination, analysis and interpretation of soil surveys is achieved and easy to consume high quality maps are generated that act as a powerful tool and indicator of the soil fertility levels and guide the policy makers in their efforts of alleviating food insecurity and elevating social-economic standards of the people by providing strategies on lime and fertilizer use and distribution.

SOIL CLASSIFICATION & CROP SUITABILITY SURVEYS

SOIL CLASSIFICATION & CROP SUITABILITY SURVEY

Planning your land use properly is an essential part of the success of your farm and can prevent making costly mistakes. Soils may vary considerably within a field and each variation has different land use potentials. Reading the soils in your fields is key for knowing what they can sustain, whether it is a field of maize or a house.

Our expert team of soil scientists will assess your fields and produce a map delineating the different soil types in your field. Our expertise and technology will allow us to take targeted soil samples, hence reducing the total number of soil samples that would otherwise be required when doing grid sampling.

We will then select strategic spots to dig soil pits in the area.

We will then send soil samples to our labs which will enable us to characterize all your soil types in terms of chemical, physical and biological characteristics. Each soil type will come with its profile description and with expert advice on their limitations and the crops it can sustain.

Get a quote and find out more by contacting our specialists.

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PLANT PATHOGEN SCREENING

Plant Pathogen Screening identifies most common fungal and bacterial pathogens that attack plant roots and leaves. From the results we can provide recommendations on how to control the disease, avoiding further crop losses.

We carry out plant disease diagnostics for commercial growers and small holder farmers. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of disease is always necessary before proper control measures can be suggested. Practical and experienced recommendations are given with each report.

These services include investigations of plants, leaves, roots, soils, water and substrates for routine crop disease diagnosis, including common fungi and bacteria, such as leaf spots, root rot diseases, cankers and wilt diseases.

Our services give you the information you need to make the right decisions, ensuring you apply the correct product, quickly and effectively. Our services save you money.

PLANT DISEASE DIAGNOSIS

DAKTARI WA UDONGO

Small holder farmers in Africa do not currently have access to fast and reliable soil testing services, and as a result lack the necessary soil information to purchase the correct inputs for increasing their yields. To meet this need in Kenya, we have developed a professional Soil Testing and SMS Fertilizer Use advisory service, called Daktari wa Udongo (Soil Doctor), specifically for small holder farmers.

The main objective of the Daktari wa Udongo service is to deliver timely and integrated fertilizer recommendations to the smallholder farmer by SMS, which gives them the knowledge and advice to improve their crop yields through building soil health and improving fertilizer management. By utilizing this service and following through with the recommendations given, small holder farmers are able toimprove the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their farms.

This service is supported and implemented by appointed and professionally trained agent network distributed throughout all agricultural productive counties in Kenya.The service utilizes ICT and mobile phone solutions which combine innovation, science and technology to communicate with these farmers.

Daktari wa Udongo Service, through its many years’ experience and expertise in soil testing, can competently supply farmers with soil amendments inputs and fertilizer management recommendations based on the soil results. As a service, do not sell any farm inputs, so our advice is always independent.

Through the Daktari wa Udongo Service, we are bringing world class laboratory and soil fertility advisory services to small holder farmers who have, in the past been marginalised from getting such agronomic services.

COMPOST & MANURE ANALYSIS

Compost & Manure Analysis determines the quantity of nutrients in these organic materials. Based on the nutrient content, the carbon:nitrogen ratio, and the rate of application, we can then advise farmers on how much additional fertilizer applications can be reduced in their crop management program.

Compost quality is the key to seeing great results and poorly made compost can cause more harm than good. Ensure you manage the C:N ratio, moisture and temperature in your compost carefully. If natural compost processes are not working properly there may be a problem with E.coli and Salmonella pathogen in the compost which can be a very big issue for edible horticultural crops. We offer a test for these so you can be sure that your compost is pathogen free before application. We also offer compost liquid extract analysis to look at the pH, EC and levels of available nutrients.

NEMATODE ANALYSIS

Nematodes are microscopic worms that cause major yield losses in many crops by attacking the roots, and in some cases the leaves. From soil and root samples, we carry out nematode identification and counts of the most economically important nematodes, and then provide suitable control recommendations to reduce and manage these crop pests.

Nematodes Analysis helps in identifying the nematodes that cause damage to many crops such as yield loss, stunting, yellowing, wilting, nutrient deficient symptoms and malformations of the root.

We process the analysis results to provide you with reports and the appropriate recommendations.

ANIMAL FEED ANALYSIS

Animal Feed quality is essential for productive healthy livestock. Using a combination of NIR (infrared) an wet chemistry techniques we can carry out both proximate analysis (protein, energy etc) and mineral content of animal feeds and ingredients, to help livestock farmers and suppliers to better formulate and manage feed quality.

We’ll help you check your animal feed quality and give proper recommendations on what additional additives you need to balance your animal feed.

FERTILIZER QUALITY ANALYSIS

This brings peace of mind to farmers. We can determine the precise amount of each nutrient in the fertilizer sample, indicating whether the quality is acceptable or not.

We offer fertilizer testing services for all the main fertilizers and foliar solutions, which includes determining the concentration of all expected nutrients, and also heavy metals if required.

LIMESTONE QUALITY ANALYSIS

Limestone powder for correcting soil acidity varies widely in its quality. By analyzing lime for calcium and magnesium content, acid neutralizing value and fineness, we can tell farmers whether the lime is suitable for use or not.

Based on soil test data, we’ll offer you accurate recommendations on the rate of lime to apply per acre and also the type of lime suitable for your shamba.

It is worth knowing the type of lime to use on your shamba as the 2 kinds of lime available (Dolomitic and Calcitic lime) got different levels of calcium and other minerals.

DRINKING WATER ANALYSIS

Drinking Water Analysis indicates if the drinking water is safe to drink. Drinking water can contain a wide range of chemical and biological contaminants, including harmful salts, heavy metals, fluorides and faecal coliform bacteria for example. Using the water analysis results, we can recommend on suitable treatment measures to purify your drinking water.

We offer a complete water analysis, including full chemistry, heavy metals, physical and ISO 17025 accredited microbiological analysis.

The results are compared against international World Health Organization guide lines for drinking water quality, so that you can see which parameters are high and need further treatment.

IRRIGATION WATER ANALYSIS

Irrigation Water Analysis indicates if there are any harmful salts, such as sodium, being irrigated onto your crops. Knowing the quality of your irrigation water is important, as problems can be better managed to avoid the harmful build up of salts in your soil, which results in reduced yield and crop losses.

High Sodium, excess salinity, high bicarbonates are all big problems when irrigating crops. Knowing the chemistry of you water will help you better manage the water and your soil.

The sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) for example, is a critical calculation for assessing the suitability of irrigation water and is based on relationship between sodium, calcium and magnesium in your water.

Water with a high SAR can quickly degrade soil structure – but this can be avoided, with the use of gypsum and planting crops more resistant to saline waters – click here to see salt tolerant crops.

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