Sixty Years of Soil Testing in Delaware.

The University of Delaware opened its soil testing laboratory in 1947 to provide soil testing services to Delaware farmers. Since that time the program has expanded to include many other land uses in Delaware including, but not limited to, residential lawns and gardens, commercial landscapes, and open greenspace. Soil test data collected and archived during the past 60 years, along with client supplied sample information such as location, tillage, prior crop and manure/fertilizer/liming history, provides useful information on the long-term relationship between management practices and soil test nutrient levels in Delaware. A brief history of the UD Soil Testing Program, a summary of the soil trends observed and a discussion of relevant issues such as changing land uses and more intensive nutrient management will be presented.