Section III consists of 53 colleagues from the fields of research, testing, consulting and from the industrial sector.

It is the task of this group to develop and validate methods for the official and unofficial (private) analysis of fertilisers as well as to review and revise existing methods. The objective is to offer technically advanced analytical procedures. The methods are published in volume II.1 and volume II.2 of the VDLUFA Methods Book.

Nearly all traditional methods for the analysis of fertilisers, which are based on gravimetric analysis, were developed by VDLUFA. Today, these procedures serve as standard reference methods.

Methods from VDLUFA include:

• sampling methods for solid, pasty and liquid fertilisers as well as fertiliser suspensions;
• analytical methods for nutrients, desired components (such as nitrification inhibitors) and undesired components (such as inorganic and organic pollutants);
• methods for the determination of physical parameters;
• biological and microbiological methods, inter alia, for the determination of epidemic and phytosanitary parameters.

The matrices investigated include fertilisers (national, EC), soil additives, growing media and plant additives. Traditional analytical procedures (gravimetric methods) as well as state-of-the-art methods (e.g. AAS, ICP, HPLC, GC) are applied.

VDLUFA develops new methods and optimises existing methods with the objective of improving precision and optimising costs. The quality of methods is verified by means of interlaboratory tests. Validated methods are published as “Verbandsmethode” (VDLUFA Association Method) in volume II.1 and volume II.2 of the VDLUFA Methods Book.

To support member laboratories in their effort to quarantee a high level of quality of analysis, the section performs ring tests on commercially available fertilisers, soil additives, cultural substrates and plant additives.

Section III represents the interests of VDLUFA in the field of fertiliser analysis and assessment in national and international committees (e.g. DIN, CEN) where the group is active in the validation and development of CEN and EU methods.

Moreover, the expert group acts as a political advisor for Federal and Länder ministries.

In the context of changes within the national and European Fertiliser legislation, section III contributes its expert knowledge concerning the establishment of new analysis methods within the framework (e.g. for admission of new fertilisers).

1. Chairman: Dr. Karl Severin
Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen, Geschäftsbereich Landwirtschaft
Hans-Böckler-Allee 20, 30173 Hannover, Germany
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Phone: +49.511.3665.4296
2. Chairman: Dr. Jörn Breuer
Landwirtschaftliches Technologiezentrum Augustenberg (LTZ), Referat 12 Ökologischer Landbau und Agrarökologie
Neßlerstraße 25, 76227 Karlsruhe, Germany
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Phone: +49.721.9468.130   Fax: +49.721.9468.5130