SOYL vs. SoilQuest

[Wobblebox]

Going to go down the route of VR P+K soon, then VR N and VR seed after that, but don't know who to go with, each say they're the best and the others aren't as good etc.

SOYL say they are best because they take 20 or so samples from every hectare whereas Soilquest do a conductivity test to determin each soil type and then sample each type

But in reality, what do people reckon to each techinque?

 

[Jamin]

Just had pk maps back from Soyl and doing vr n. Can't fault them as a company always very helpful if u have a problem or question.

Not got any experience of vr seed so can't comment but very happy with Soyl so far.

 

[RTFM]

Been with courtyard partnership for four years now doing VR fert and seed very good backup etc you can change prescriptions yourself using their online toolbox so you don't have to wait for them to send your prescriptions going to be using some of their satellite imagery on a couple of fields of rape next week only experience I've had of other company's is the "hard sell in yard" type of approach hope that helps
www.courtyard-partnership.co.uk

 

[tr250]

we do soil quest not sure which is best but i like the system cos nutrients usually follow soil types and data can be used for other things such as variable seed although dearer in first year its cheaper in following years

 

[Yorkshire Farmer]

Also use the courtyard partnership for variable p&k and also seed. Good company to work with very professional and reliable. Found their zones to match up to our variable soil types well. Plans are easy and quick to create using the online toolbox.

 

[tr250]

we contract farm a block thats been soyl tested and the rate seems to vary a lot more than soilquest prehaps a little too much im not sure. does anyone test grassland or is it just an arable thing

 

[Robigus]

Soilquest here. The more variable your soils then the more tests they take per hectare. Soil nutrient content is linked to clay and humus levels, so following the soil type should make sense; whether any of it links to nutrient availability is debated by some on here.

 

[Wheatland]

We started using SOYL about 8 years ago. I think it's a good place to start. You can pay for the four year service equally over the term which might help cash flow. We also tried their VR N which to be honest I think is flawed. The reIability of It's maps depend on your location and cloud cover.

I think that there are merits in taking theP & K low spots out with a grid system like SOYLs' .In the medium term and beyond, some type of soil zone sampling possibly using electo conductivity is the way forward although the costs and management will be higher. This should be financially rewarding.

If your land is on shorter contract farm agreements or FBT, why not consider making P&K application maps based on yield maps?

 

[septimus]

We have tried both systems on a limited acreage. Soyl take something like 16 samples per Ha but these are all in a short radius of the centre of the Ha and then they are all bulked together to get one sample and one result per Ha. On a small is field you can't get much of a pattern from 3 or 4 results also if one Ha is ph 5 and an other is ph 7 the computer guesses that the area in between is ph 6. I think to get a better accuracy you would need at least 4 samples but it would cost 4 times as much.
SoilQuest using the scanner splits the field into zones that are sampled seperatly. How good the scanner is at selecting the right zones i am not sure. When we have done some more fields next year we will see if the zones flow from one field into the next as the should if it is following them correctly.

I would just go with which ever company you get on best with

 

[Mounty]

The soilquest method wont help address pH issues very accurately if you have variability of pH.

Grid mapping will often identify differences in soil type by the variation of nutrient data. Horses for courses really but think the Soilquest vs. Soyl issue is a way to gain a sale, so you can argue the merits of one against the other rather than selling the same service as one another at a more competitive price.
We provide both services so farmers can choose the option that they prefer.

 

[Brisel]

SOYL here. pH is done based on the SOYL results followed by a more detailed inspection by my lime supplier (who also does the sampling for SOYL in the area). Chalky soils can skew results in NRM lab tests as lumps of chalk in the sample get ground up - a low pH soil can be neutralised by an inert bit of calcareous matter.

My first round of sampling was on the 1ha grid method, but where I have done a few fields with a conductivity survey & ground truthing I will probably take the same number of samples per field next time but do it by soil zones & anomalies.

The expensive bit of soil sampling is the lab testing - you can be as accurate as you like if you are prepared to pay for the extra sampling.

Applications based on yield maps are fine to a point - K leaches & yield maps might not be accurate enough to calculate offtake. What about straw where it is baled? Does anyone GPS map straw yield???

 

[tr250]

SOYL here. pH is done based on the SOYL results followed by a more detailed inspection by my lime supplier (who also does the sampling for SOYL in the area). Chalky soils can skew results in NRM lab tests as lumps of chalk in the sample get ground up - a low pH soil can be neutralised by an inert bit of calcareous matter.

My first round of sampling was on the 1ha grid method, but where I have done a few fields with a conductivity survey & ground truthing I will probably take the same number of samples per field next time but do it by soil zones & anomalies.

The expensive bit of soil sampling is the lab testing - you can be as accurate as you like if you are prepared to pay for the extra sampling.

Applications based on yield maps are fine to a point - K leaches & yield maps might not be accurate enough to calculate offtake. What about straw where it is baled? Does anyone GPS map straw yield???

I had never thought about straw yield mapping but i think it would be very sensible on our farm where we bale every acre cut. what about mapping the staw walker losses for chopped straw this would show the higher losses on green straw as well as bulk well if the combine stays at same speed and drum settings not changed so not sure if its practical