Grainswest - Tech 2023

Tech 2023 Grains West 42 The automated Radicle Lab allows agronomists to process hundreds of soil samples quickly and efficiently. Photo:CourtesyofRadicleLab you’re using this organic amendment that is going to sequester carbon,” said MacKenzie. “It’s going to improve soil health, and it’s going to stimulate micro- organisms.” The question, he said, is whether or not farmers will get paid enough to compensate for the expense of applying compost. “If you’re using compost and biochar to maintain productivity, even if you’re supplementing with synthetics, that’s fine,” he said. “But if you’re using those materials, I believe you’re going to be sequestering more carbon. Farmer should get paid for that, right?” MacKenzie and his colleagues will continue to analyze the project’s below- ground results to determine how the various component combinations impact microbial activity and carbon sequestration. This will define how compost blends affect overall function across soil types. A TOTALLY RAD APPROACH TO SOIL SAMPLING The need for effective soil nutrient management is a pressing agricultural challenge. It is the key to farm profitability and plays an important role in environmental stewardship. To better address the need for sound soil management, Precision Planting of Tremont, Ill., developed Radicle Lab. The central component of its Radicle Agronomics system, the fully automated soil laboratory gives professional agronomists the ability to analyze hundreds of soil samples quickly and accurately. “It can be operated by anyone who can run a dishwasher. It’s that simple,” said Dale Koch, Radicle Lab product manager Radicle Lab is supported by a suite of tools that includes GeoPress, a collection module that mounts to the back of a truck or quad. Soil is collected using a conventional soil probe coring tool. Funnelled into the GeoPress, it is thoroughly blended and stored in a reusable tube. The tube is equipped with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that records geo-location and additional field data. The agronomist gathers quality samples without the onerous task of recordkeeping associated with the old bag-and-tag approach. Back in the shop, following sample collection, the tubes are loaded into a rack attached to the main body of the Radicle Lab. Like a wide refrigerator with a rollup shutter that reveals its complex inner workings, the unit automatically analyzes the samples. There is no need to download or upload information, as the data collected using the RFID tag is automatically stored in the cloud. The unit holds up to 400 samples simultaneously and begins to produce results, sample by sample, in as little as 15 minutes. While the lab is convenient and improves work efficiency it also improves sample accuracy by removing human touch from the lab analysis. “There are dozens of times that a person in a typical commercial soil lab would touch and handle the soil,” said Koch. “Unfortunately, every one of those touches is an opportunity for a problem to be created.” Michigan-based agronomist Kyle Kelley of Cropwatch LLC began to use Radicle Lab last fall. He’s impressed by the system’s overall efficiency and how quickly he can offer his clients accurate results. “With prices hitting all-time highs, guys were wanting to cut fertilizers,” said Kelley. A couple of features boost the system’s overall accuracy. A wet lab, it uses purified water in its analysis, and this allows for the precise measurement of potassium levels. Conventional labs dry soil samples prior to processing, which decreases the accuracy of potassium testing. Second, while most commercial labs assess hand-scooped samples by volume, the Radicle Lab makes its calculations more accurately by weight. The unit now measures pH, soil acidity, buffering capacity, phosphorus, potassium and calcium. Precision Planting aims to soon add magnesium to the mix, which will make measurement of cation exchange capacity and base saturation possible. In the future, the company hopes to also include analysis of micronutrients, including zinc, sulphur and copper. FEATURE