Micronutrient testing
Macronutrient and micronutrient levels in plant tissue, growing media or nutrient solution, measured by ICP rather than estimated from a colour chart. Reported against the sufficiency range for the crop stage you tell us.
- Price
- Quoted
- Turnaround
- 5–7 business days
- Family
- Analyte panel
- Agilent ICP-OES
- Agilent 7850 ICP-MS
- pH meter and conductivity probe
Purchased new through authorised channels, performance-qualified by certified engineers, and the instrument ID prints on every certificate. View the bench.
What the panel measures
| Test | Method | Instrument | Reports as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macronutrients | MethodICP-OES after microwave digestion | InstrumentAgilent ICP-OES | Reports as% dry weight: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S |
| Micronutrients | MethodICP-MS, He collision cell | InstrumentAgilent 7850 ICP-MS | Reports asppm: B, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo |
| Sodium and chloride | MethodICP-OES and titration | InstrumentAgilent ICP-OES | Reports asppm, salinity indicator |
| Growing media pH and EC | MethodSaturated media extract | InstrumentpH meter and conductivity probe | Reports aspH units and mS/cm |
| Nutrient solution | MethodDirect ICP after acidification | InstrumentAgilent 7850 ICP-MS | Reports asppm per element |
| Sufficiency comparison | MethodAgainst published ranges by crop stage | InstrumentDerived from the assay | Reports asLow, sufficient or high per element |
Sample requirements and shipping
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Plant tissue | Requirement20 recently matured leaves, paper bag, not plastic |
| Growing media | Requirement200 g, sealed, taken from the root zone |
| Nutrient solution | Requirement250 mL in a clean bottle, no headspace |
| Condition | RequirementTell us the crop and growth stage so the sufficiency comparison means something. |
Order first, then ship. A prepaid label is emailed when payment lands, and the carrier scan on that label opens your chain of custody. We accept no walk-in drop-off, and we hold no DEA registration, so no Schedule I to V material.
Why the method matters
A tissue test taken from the wrong leaf at the wrong stage produces a confident number about nothing. We ask for recently matured leaves and the growth stage, and we state both on the certificate so the result stays interpretable months later.
Digestion matters as much as detection. We microwave-digest in closed vessels so volatile elements are not lost, which is where open hotplate methods quietly understate boron and sulphur.
What comes back
A public certificate
Every result, the method, the instrument ID, the LOD and LOQ and the signature, verifiable by accession number with no login.
The filmed route
Your package opened on camera, a photograph of each container, and the footage retained for three years. Released to you on request.
A retained sample
Held 90 days, so any result can be rechecked by us or by an accredited laboratory of your choosing.
Questions about micronutrient testing
Do you test the nutrient solution as well as the plant?
Yes, and running both on the same visit is how most growers find the problem: the solution shows what was offered, the tissue shows what was taken up.
How is this different from a heavy metals screen?
Different purpose and different reporting. Micronutrient work reports elements you want present, against sufficiency ranges. A heavy metals screen reports contaminants against safety limits.
Can you sample for us?
Yes within the greater Houston area. Field collection with documented chain of custody is quoted per visit.
Do you report nitrate separately from total nitrogen?
Yes on request. Nitrate by ion chromatography is an add-on and is useful when you suspect luxury uptake rather than a deficiency.
Submit a sample
Order in the builder, pay, and a prepaid label is emailed to you. The certificate publishes to the database the moment it is signed.