Systems and method for predicting the lime requirement in soils
AssigneeUniversity of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsDavid E. Kissel, Miguel L. Cabrera
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems related to soil testing are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment of a system of the present disclosure includes a calibrated near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer and a soil sample with an unknown value of at least one of pH and b disposed in proximity to the calibrated NIR spectrophotometer, the NIR spectrophotometer configured to produce a spectrum from a reading of the sample.
Claims15
A method of testing a soil sample with unknown pH and/or buffering capacity (b), the method comprising:
- producing near-infrared (NIR) spectra for a plurality of preselected soil samples;
- measuring an initial pH (pH1) of each preselected soil sample;
- determining b of each preselected soil sample;
- correlating the initial pH and buffering capacity (b) of each preselected soil sample with each NIR spectrum produced for the respective preselected soil sample
- to produce a calibration curve;
- producing a NIR spectrum for a soil sample with an unknown value of at least one of pH and b;
- and
- producing a value of at least one of pH and b for the unknown sample based on the calibration curve.
A system for testing a soil sample with unknown pH and/or buffering capacity (b), the system comprising:
- a calibrated near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometer calibrated using an initial pH and a determined value of b for each of a plurality of preselected soil samples;
- and
- a soil sample with an unknown value of at least one of pH and b disposed in proximity to the calibrated NIR spectrophotometer, whereby the NIR spectrophotometer can produce a spectrum of a reading of the sample;
- wherein the value of at least one of pH and b is determined for the unknown soil sample based on the spectrum produced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.