July 16, 2018
As a researcher and agronomist at Agrarian Management based in Geraldton, WA, Craig says he sticks with APAL because of their dynamic, scientific approach to laboratory testing.
“With APAL it’s about science, not sales,” he says.
“They’re always researching and exploring new and improved testing so we can get more and better information.”
Craig says APAL’s work progressing the DGT test for phosphorus has been highly valuable in the sandplain and gravel soils he deals with.
“What we’ve learned with APAL is which of the different tests will give the most useful information for which situation,” he says.
Agronomist and researcher at Agrarian Management
Cropping
Geraldton, Western Australia
Craig says soil testing has significantly changed the way his clients invest in nutrition, with potassium (K) one key example.
“In the past growers may have learnt from years of experience how much K they needed, but as they have ameliorated their soils to improve performance, the K responses have changed,” he says.
Craig has also made use of some of APAL’s lesser known services, including MIR particle size testing and lime source testing. Agrarian are involved in the development of new testing methods at APAL to assess water holding capacity.
He says seeing the development and scientific approach APAL take to their testing methods gives him great confidence in the results.
“You can see when working with APAL that the science comes first,” he says.
“We can be confident that they’re always working to improve accuracy and find the best possible methods to tell us more about our soils.”
In fact, after engaging with APAL’s Ryan Walker at field days in Geraldton, Craig now has clients requesting he test their samples through APAL.