Our laboratories at FAST Ltd. have been providing analytical services to the horticultural industry in the UK and beyond for over 25 years.
Our laboratory staff, headed by Mark Botting, work closely with our agronomic advisors to provide a meaningful results and interpretation service, tailored to the needs of individual growers. |
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Equipped with modern analytical instrumentation and now based at Brogdale Farm the home of the National Fruit Collections, FAST Analytical are able to provide a unique analytical service based on the companies’ deep understanding of the modern horticultural industry.
We offer nutritional analysis of soil, water & feed solutions, leaf tissue, fruit, and plant sap samples as part of our agronomic services to our grower members as well as other groups and to individual growers and agronomists. |
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| Our soil analysis services range from the traditional standard horticultural pH and extractable P, K, and Mg, to the soluble and extractable nutrient Quicksoil and Longsoil analysis developed alongside plant sap analysis by CropTech in Australia. Their technology is now being marketed worldwide by Crop Systems International. Our association with them means we have access to their own database and expertise of a wide range of crops. |
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Irrigation water is analysed for nutrient content and for bicarbonate as standard. An interpretation of the suitability of the sample for irrigation is given and can include an indication of the volume of acid required to neutralise any excess water hardness.
Feed solutions and growing media samples are analysed for nutrient content, again with an interpretation of the results if required. |
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| Leaf analysis is a useful technique not only for assessing the status of the crop, but also for the diagnosis of nutritional disorders. Where possible, interpretation of results takes into consideration varietal and seasonal growth stage influences. |
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Analysis of apple (and some other fruits) is a useful indicator of the risk of some physiological disorders that become apparent during fruit storage. We are able to analyse from small fruitlet stage through to harvest and as we have many years experience and understand the dilution curves of the major nutrients, are able to interpret results and provide an indication of storage potential up to ten weeks prior to harvest for apples and pears. |
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The need for rapid monitoring of fertigated fruit and vegetable crops has led to the development of sap analysis for rapid plant nutrient status analysis. Sap Testing is a sophisticated system for identifying nutritional disorders, and to help in formulating on-going fertiliser programmes, and it is now widely accepted as an important tool for nutrient management.
By regularly analysing plant sap and soil extracts for essential elements and considering the dynamics of the changes in these levels, we can apply basic rules of plant physiology, and a detailed diagnosis of nutrient or other management problems can be made. The sap test data can also be used to identify the effects of extreme environmental conditions that can be minimised by timely foliar applications of the correct nutrients. |
| Types of analysis available are as follows:- |
Standard soil level 1 |
pH, plus extractable P, K, & Mg |
Standard soil level 2 |
pH, plus extractable P, K, & Mg, and extractable nitrate nitrogen & ammonium nitrogen |
Quick Soil |
SIL(soluble ion load), pH, water extractable Nitrate nitrogen, Ca, Mg, K, & Na |
Long Soil |
pH, SIL, extractable nitrate & ammonium N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Fe, Zn, B, Cu, plus organic carbon |
Compost/coir (growing media) |
Nitrate & ammonium nitrogen, EC, pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Na |
Short sap (code SLA) |
Nitrate nitrogen, P, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, B for 'sappy' crops such as potato & tomato |
Long Sap (code OLA) |
Nitrate nitrogen, P, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, B for other crops that require a longer extraction procedure |
Water |
Nitrate & ammonium nitrogen, EC, pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Na, Cl |
Feed solution |
Nitrate & ammonium nitrogen, EC, pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Na |
Tissue (leaf) |
N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, B |
Fruit/Fruitlet for storage potential |
N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, B |
Sample collection |
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Please contact us for the prices* of the above analysis.
For Fast Members please click here |
| *All prices quoted will be exclusive of VAT. |
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