PPT Slide
Much of the current work on soil health/quality is focused on determining a ‘minimum data set’ or the simplest group of soil parameters that can accurately assess the condition of the soil. The ideal set of soil properties would be simple to acquire and easy to interpret. Some factors the, such as infiltration, must be determined on soil in place in field. Other properties could be determined on samples sent to a laboratory, so there is the potential for developing procedures to test soil health/quality in a manner analogous to soil fertility testing procedures. Soil fertility recommendations, however, require extensive databases for accurate correlation and calibration, and much work remains to be done in establishing similar guidelines for a soil health/quality index.