Soil Health Service Page

Are you interested in learning more about the true health of your soil? Our advanced Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and qPCR analyses provide in-depth insight into the microbiome of your soil. Thanks to our extensive database and advanced data interpretation systems, we translate your soil analysis results into actionable insights and advice.

Why Choose Our Soil Analysis?

Our clients seek answers to a variety of soil health questions, including:

  • which micro-organisms are crucial for healthy soil and how can I boost their presence?
  • how far along is a plot in its transition from an agricultural soil to a natural soil?
  • how can I monitor and improve soil health after environmental damage, such as pollution or flooding?
  • how can I ensure reduced dependence on fertilisers?
  • which management measures contribute most effectively to promoting soil health?
  • how does soil recovery progress after applying remedial measures (monitoring)?

Our aim is to provide you with a better understanding of your soil health and the most effective management practices.

qPCR Analysis

Our qPCR services are designed to search for specific genetic ‘fingerprints’ that indicate which micro-organisms are present in the soil and in what quantities. This allows us to determine, for example, whether certain plant growth-promoting micro-organisms are present in sufficient quantities in a given field.

  • Customised Primers: We develop customised primers for genes you are interested in. This allows us to identify and analyse specific targets tailored to your needs.
  • Available Primers: We have an extensive collection of primers related to soil health. These include genes involved in nutrient cycling (such as nitrogen and phosphate cycles) and types of micro-organisms that have positive effects on plant growth.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)

Our NGS services provide a complete and detailed picture of the soil microbial community. This technique provides a full inventory of all bacteria, fungi and archaea present, helping us to target interventions and optimise soil health, ultimately leading to healthier crops and better yields.

  • Broadly applicable: NGS can be applied to a variety of soil types, including agricultural, natural and industrial soils. In addition, sequencing of water and leaf material (phyllosphere) is possible.
  • Functional determination: Our database allows us to determine the function of the microorganisms detected. This provides insight into the ability of the soil to perform specific functions, such as nitrogen fixation or the production of plant growth hormones.

Contact us

We're always happy to answer any questions you may have about our services. Please get in touch with Eline Keuning or Jidske Knigge.

Eline Keuning
Lead soil health
Jidske Knigge
Soil Microbiology Specialist