How SoilProve Works

Every number traces to a published equation.

How to read this page

This page mirrors the same constants and formulas used in the live recommendation engine.

The worked examples use realistic numbers so you can trace where each lbs/ac value comes from before applying anything in the field.

AI parses lab reports. Published equations set rates. No black-box AI prescriptions. No vendor blends. Every lbs/acre we recommend comes from MU Extension G9077 and University of Missouri soil-test interpretation guidance. Applied per zone, cosigned by your agronomist, and exported as a vendor-neutral WGS 84 shapefile.

The pipeline, end to end

  1. Step 1

    Map field

    Draw boundaries on satellite. We auto-grid into ~2.5-acre management zones.

  2. Step 2

    Drop in lab report

    PDF, CSV, photo, or text. AI extracts OM%, Bray-1 P, K, and pH per zone in seconds, then agronomists verify before application.

  3. Step 3

    Compute

    MU equations turn chemistry + targets + previous crop into per-zone N/P/K.

  4. Step 4

    Cosign

    Your agronomist reviews, overrides where warranted, and signs the binding rate.

  5. Step 5

    Export

    WGS 84 shapefile loads on any cab terminal. You stay equipment-agnostic.

Soil reports become grid cells

The AI parser pulls four values out of every lab report and writes them onto the matching zones. Agronomists review parsed values against the source report and can edit any zone before cosign:

  • OM %: organic matter (loss-on-ignition). Drives the N mineralization credit.
  • Bray-1 P (ppm): phosphorus availability. Below 30 ppm flags critical.
  • Ammonium-Acetate K (ppm): exchangeable potassium. Converted at 1 ppm ≈ 2 lbs K/ac (top 6").
  • pH: informational, flags lime conversations below 6.0.

Nitrogen · MU Extension G9077

The N equation, term by term

What this nitrogen formula means

Higher population and higher yield goal increase the nitrogen target, while higher organic matter reduces it via mineralization credit.

If previous crop is soybean, the soybean credit is also subtracted before the final total is shown.

N (lbs/ac) = (population × 4 / 1000) + (0.9 × yield goal) − (20 × OM%) − soybean credit
  • Plant credit: population × 4 / 1000. N removed by the standing crop, scales with planting population.
  • Yield term: 0.9 × yield goal. N required to reach the operator's bushel target.
  • OM credit: 20 × OM%. Natural mineralization from soil organic matter (subtracted).
  • Soybean credit: subtract 30 lbs N/ac when last year's crop was soybean (corn-after-soybean rotation).

Worked example

A typical Cape Girardeau zone: 32,000 pop/ac, 180 bu/ac yield goal, 2.8% OM.

Previous crop: corn

  • + 128 plant credit
  • + 162 yield term
  • − 56 OM credit
  • − 0 soybean credit
  • = 234 lbs N/ac

Previous crop: soybean

  • + 128 plant credit
  • + 162 yield term
  • − 56 OM credit
  • − 30 soybean credit
  • = 204 lbs N/ac (30 lbs/ac saved by rotation)

When we recommend split application

MU Extension recommends splitting nitrogen to limit denitrification and leaching loss when total N is high. We surface three banner triggers in-app:

  • Split-N recommended ≥ 180 lbs/ac (about 60% pre-plant + 40% sidedress at V6).
  • High-rate flag ≥ 260 lbs/ac (loss-prone; an N stabilizer is advised).
  • Low-OM flag ≤ 1.5% OM (limited mineralization, so the mineralized N credit stays conservative).

Phosphorus & Potassium

Phosphorus (Bray-1)

Below 30 ppm Bray-1 P is flagged critical: a 30 lbs P₂O₅/ac 2×2 starter band at planting is advised; the cosigning agronomist confirms the binding rate.

At or above 30 ppm, maintenance ≈ 0.43 × yield goal, capped 0–250 lbs P₂O₅/ac. Worked at our example yield (180 bu/ac): 30 lbs P₂O₅/ac (starter band; Bray-1 28 ppm is critical).

Potassium (Ammonium-Acetate)

Soil-test K is converted at 1 ppm ≈ 2 lbs K/ac (top 6"). At or above the 280 lbs/ac maintenance threshold, this year's broadcast can be skipped (the "K skip-broadcast" chip).

Below maintenance: build at 0.4 × yield. Above: maintain at 0.25 × yield. Worked at 145 ppm K and 180 bu/ac: 45 lbs K₂O/ac.

Per-zone yield & population overrides

Field-level yield goal and planting population are the default for every zone. Operators with VR planters or zoned yield maps can override either one per zone, and the dashboard breakdown labels every overridden term with (zone override) so the math stays auditable. Reset to field defaults is one click away.

How we compute savings

The savings card on every field dashboard compares your prescribed totals against a flat-rate baseline:

Baseline: 200 lbs N + 60 lbs P₂O₅ + 80 lbs K₂O per acre
Prices: $0.55/lb N · $0.65/lb P₂O₅ · $0.40/lb K₂O

We multiply each zone's prescribed N/P/K by the same prices, sum across acres, and subtract from baseline. Total $ saved, per-acre $, and methodology line are all on-screen, with nothing hidden.

Optional AI-assisted utilities can also explain formula outputs and summarize zone anomalies when those features are enabled.

Dual Protection Guarantee

$10/acre verified savings or your agronomist re-calibrates at no cost.

Every binding application rate is cosigned by a credentialed agronomist. Achieve a minimum $10/acre verified input reduction by Month 6, or our agronomist network calibrates your field plans at zero added cost if yield metrics change more than 2% against historical baselines.

References

Constants on this page are imported directly from the same agronomy formulas code that runs every prescription, so this page can never drift from the live engine.

Ready to see it on your field?