All plants need calcium rich soil to grow. The calcium is used by the plant in developing the plant cell walls and membranes. Furthermore, it is a non-leaching mineral (it will stay in the soil) and will improve water penetrability and reduce soil salinity. It is thus helpful to determine the amount of calcium contained in soil.

It is often necessary to measure the pH of plant tissue to determine plant health. At pH values above 6.4 plants can be prone to insect attacks and at pH values below 6.4 plants can be prone to specific diseases. Thus an optimal pH of 6.4 is desired.

A physiological disorder in greenhouse hydroponic sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), where the base of the plant’s stem becomes swollen below the cotyledon level and wounds develop at the base of the stem’s epidermis has been named “Elephant’s Foot”.

Sugar cane is a major source of sugar used in the food industry today. The growth of sugar cane crops is impacted adversely by soil salinity. Thus, it is necessary to determine the sodium content of the soil in areas where sugar cane crops are being grown.