Non Technical Summary
Plant health is governed to a large extent by soil fertility. Soil tests provide an intelligent guide to the use of fertilizers, limestone and other soil amendments. Until Dr. M. F. Morgan, of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, developed the first quick and reliable soil test in the 1930's, maintaining soil fertility was largely guesswork. The abandonment of Connecticut farmland throughout the 1800's was caused in part because soil fertility and associated crop yields were declining due to the lack of a method to determine the soil nutrients needed to sustain plant growth. Prior to Dr. Morgan, plant requirements for approximately 16 nutrients had been established, but no one had been able to develop a test that could mimic the nutrient extraction capability of a plant's root system. Dr. Morgan's breakthrough was the development of an extracting solution with the nutrient removal ability of a plant's root system. Called the "Morgan's Universal Extract," the solution could be analyzed for plant nutrients and, based on the results, crop needs could be predicted. The Morgan Soil Test is now the basis for many soil tests throughout the world. Currently, soil testing laboratories at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven and Windsor use the Morgan Soil Test to analyze over 10,000 samples each year from farms, lawns, home gardens, nurseries, golf courses and commercial grounds. The test determines levels of nitrate nitrogen (N03 -N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4 -N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). These are the nutrients most likely to be deficient in Connecticut soils. Other tests performed are pH (acidity or alkalinity), organic matter, and soil texture (percent sand, silt and clay). In addition to improving plant growth, soil tests can help reduce the pollution of groundwater, lakes and Long Island Sound by preventing the overuse of fertilizer.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
101	0110	2061	10%
102	0110	1010	90%

Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 101 - Appraisal of Soil Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0110 - Soil;

Field Of Science
2061 - Pedology; 1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Goals / Objectives
Provide soil identification and fertility analyses for Connecticut citizens. Enhance crop production and protect the environment by reducing unnecessary use of fertilizer.

Project Methods
Citizens will deilver soil samples to the laboratory for testing. The Morgan Universal Soil Test will be used to test for pH, organic matter, texture, No3-N, NH4-N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. Salinity will be tested by the conductivity method if requsted. Soil test results will be provided with suggestions for soil ammendments such as fertilizer and limestone based on the crop, best managementpracticies, and desire for "conventional" or "organic" methods.