The measurement of pH in agricultural and environments activities is very important due to the influence it has on the growth of the plant. Soil can be acid, neutral or alkaline, according to its pH value. Most plants prefer a pH range from 5.5 to 7.5; but some species prefer more acid or alkaline soils. Nevertheless, every plant requires a particular range of pH, for optimum growth.
Besides being supplied with a unique pH electrode made for soil analysis, this units has feature that alerts the user to potential problems during the calibration process. This is a very important since it is likely that the probe will be coated with soil. This coating can easily lead to errors in pH measurement. By comparing previous calibration data to the current calibration, the meter will inform the user, with display prompts, when the probe needs to be cleaned, replaced, or if the pH buffer might be contaminated. After calibration, the overall probe condition is displayed on screen as a percentage. The probe condition is affected by both the offset and slope characteristics of the pH electrode, both of which can be found in the GLP data including with the readings stored in the meter or transferred to a PC.
