Plant Analysis | Leaf & Plant Tissue Sampling Procedure

Sampling procedure varies by crop. Please consult the table below for instructions for your plant type

Field Crop		Stage of Growth	Plant Part to Sample	No. of Plants to Sample
Corn		Seedling stage (Less than 12″)	All the above ground portion	20 – 30
		Prior to tasseling	The top leaf with collar	15 – 25
		From tasseling to early silking	The entire leaf at the ear (or immediately below it)	15 – 25
		Sampling after brown silk is not recommended.

Field Crop		Stage of Growth	Plant Part to Sample	No. of Plants to Sample
Soybeans or other beans		Seedling stage (Less than 12″)	All the above ground portion	20 – 30
		Initial flowering	Two or three fully developed leaves at the top of the plant	20 – 30
		Sampling after pods begin to fill is not recommended.

Field Crop		Stage of Growth	Plant Part to Sample	No. of Plants to Sample
Small Grain		Seedling stage (Less than 12″)	All the above ground portion	50 – 100
		Boot to heading	The above ground portion	20 – 30
		Sampling after grain fill is not recommended.

Field Crop		Stage of Growth	Plant Part to Sample	No. of Plants to Sample
Alfalfa		Bud stage to 1st flower	The upper 1/3 of the plant	15 – 25

Field Crop		Stage of Growth	Plant Part to Sample	No. of Plants to Sample
Milo		Very early heading	Second leaf from top of plant	15 – 25

Cover Crop Plant Analyses Sampling Procedure:

1. When sampling cover crops, a measuring tool is helpful. Examples include a 9 square foot (3’X3’) square made of PVC pipe or a hula-hoop with a known diameter. It is important that you know the exact size of the area you sample for biomass calculations later.
2. Toss or place your measuring tool at random in an area of the field.  Cut green foliage 1 inch above the soil surface within the sampling area and place the cut sample in a large plastic bag.  
3. Collecting one random sample per 40-acre block is a good starting point.  Sampling 3 or 4 areas will provide more precise per acre measurements of the cover crop yield and nutrient values.
4. Submit each sample in a large plastic garbage bag.  This allows us to account for the moisture and to calculate total dry matter and nutrient values per acre.
5. Samples should arrive to the lab promptly to ensure accurate biomass and analytical measurements.

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