The most basic soil test shows the amount of plant available N, P, and K.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Only N

Answer: (A)

Understanding what a basic soil test shows helps you translate soil data into fertilizer decisions. A fundamental soil test is meant to estimate the nutrients that turf plants can use right away. In practice, that means reporting the plant-available fractions: nitrogen in the inorganic forms (nitrate and ammonium), phosphorus that is readily extractable for uptake, and potassium that is extractable and available to plants. Along with these, the test usually provides pH and lime needs, because those affect nutrient availability.

So the statement is true because the core purpose of a basic test is to quantify the N, P, and K that plants can access from the soil now, guiding how much and when to fertilize. The nitrogen part is reported as nitrate-N or ammonium-N, reflecting immediate availability, though it’s understood that nitrogen dynamics in soil are more variable than P or K.