Advanced analytical plant, soil, and water testing equipment for enhanced capacity in Nova Scotia's soil amendment and bio-stimulant sector

近年来，由于相关的环境问题和昂贵的费用，生产者已经采取了减少农业无机肥料投入的运动。因此，农业行业正在寻找更环保的方法，同时降低成本，而不牺牲产量。这一需求促使企业开发环境友好型土壤改良剂和生物刺激剂，这些改良剂和生物刺激剂需要很少的投入，并且可以促进作物生长。为了帮助扩大和发展这一行业，需要进行研究和开发，以测试和推进现有产品和新产品，以提供科学证据证明这些土壤和作物添加剂对环境和经济有益。研究和开发将有助于建立一个知识数据库，并确定每种土壤改良剂和生物刺激剂如何影响植物，土壤和水的性质，以完善每种特定土壤和/或作物需求的添加剂。自2017年以来，新斯科舍省社区学院（NSCC）是环境和农业技术实验室（EATLab）的所在地，该实验室专注于与公司合作，帮助他们开发和推进生物刺激剂和土壤改良剂。因此，NSCC-EATLab需要三件设备，以帮助这些行业参与研究和开发，以确定这些添加剂如何影响水（养分可用性和污染物水平），土壤（养分可用性，污染物水平，持水潜力等）和作物（水果质量，化学品等）。向农民和生产者推销产品所需的关键决定。所要求的设备不仅将帮助目前的土壤改良剂和生物刺激剂公司，而且还将使EATLab能够探索新的应用，并在整个新斯科舍省和加拿大激发新的商业机会。.****

In recent years, there has been a movement by producers to reduce agricultural inorganic fertilizers inputs due to the associated environmental issues and costly expenses. As a result, the agricultural industry is looking into ways to be more environmentally friendly, while reducing costs, without sacrificing yields. This need has driven companies to develop soil amendments and biostimulants that are environmentally friendly, require little input, and can enhance crop growth. In order to help expand and grow this industry, research and development is needed to test and advance current and new products in order to provide scientific evidence that these soil and crop additives are environmentally and economically beneficial. Research and development will help build a database of knowledge and determine how each soil amendment and biostimulant influences plant, soil, and water properties in order to perfect the additive for each specific soil and/or crops needs. Since 2017, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) is home to the Environment and Agriculture Technology Laboratory (EATLab) which has focused on engaging with companies to help them develop and advance their biostimulants and soil amendments. As a result, the NSCC-EATLab is requesting three pieces of equipment that will help engage with these industries in research and development to determine how these additives impact water (nutrient availability and contaminants levels), soil (nutrient availability, contaminants levels, water holding potential, etc), and crops (fruit quality, chemicals, etc). Key determinations needed in order to market products to farmers and producers. The requested equipment will not only help current soil amendment and biostimulant companies, but will also allow the EATLab to explore new applications and stimulate new business opportunities throughout Nova Scotia and Canada. .****