Fourth Working Session of the International Network of Soil Information Institutions (INSII) 6-8 November 2018 | FAO HQ – German Room, Rome, Italy

1. Global Soil Laboratory
Network
(GLOSOLAN)
Ms. Lucrezia Caon

2. Outcomes of the 5thGSP Plenary Assembly
Endorsement of Pillar 5
Implementation Plan and
support to its execution,
includingthe establishment
of regionalanda Global
SoilLaboratory Network

3. RegionalSoilLaboratoryNetworks
(RESOLANs)

4. Why should countries join GLOSOLAN and RESOLANs?
Remember that
most soil characterizations
& recommendations
are based on…
Soil analytical results!

5. When sending a same soil sample
to any soil lab…

6. When sending a same soil sample to any soil
lab…
…your expectation is to get
the same result
(+/- uncertainty)

7. When sending a same soil sample to any soil
lab…
…and to obtain the same soil
classification or provide
similar recommendations, etc.

8. In reality…
Large differences are observed
between laboratories (even for
something as simple as pH)

9. P
Laboratory(confidential code)
pH
Laboratory(confidential code)
Example provided by SEALNET2.0 (ring
test, South-EastAsia)

10. Inconclusion,if yousendthesamesoil sample
to differentlabs…
Sometimesyougetdifferentresultsandconclusions

11. Inconclusion,if yousendthesamesoil sample
to differentlabs…
But which laboratory is right?

12. To help answering this question, GLOSOLAN was
launched on 1-2 November 2017
Main goals of GLOSOLAN:
• To strengthen the performance of laboratories towards the
development of standards
• To harmonize soil analyses in order to make soil information
across laboratories, countries and regions comparable and
interpretable
Overall, GLOSOLAN will help achieve the objectives of the 5
Pillars of Action of the GSP

13. Identify research gapse.g. which promising methods
require refinement and furtherdevelopment?
Area for investment,
technical cooperation,
extension services
Provision of reliabledata
to support the
establishment of the
Global Soil Information
System(GLOSIS)
Improve the basisfor decision making regarding
e.g.soil fertility, SOCmanagement

14. Chair
Mrs. Nopmanee Suvannang (Thailand)
Vice-Chair
ITPS Chair for Pillar 5
Working Group
Mr. Christian Hartmann (France)
Mrs. Floria Bertsch (Costa Rica)
Mrs. Rosa Cuevas (Mexico)
Mr. Nicolas Proix (France)
Mr. Maksym Solokha (Ukraine)
Ms. Olga Yakimenko (Russia)
The working group is open to further members
GLOSOLAN’s governance

15. FirstGLOSOLANmeeting: Roadmapandmain decisions
Action Status
Finalize the list of labs inGLOSOLAN
Dueon December2017
Executed!

16. Action Status
Finalize the list of labsin GLOSOLAN Executed!
Dueon December 2017
Onlinesurvey (lab characteristics) Executed!
Surveyparticipation:
-73 questions divided in 10 thematicareas
-300 submitted responses on 30 March 2018 (112 were complete
and used for the evaluation)
-732 views

17. Action Status
Finalize the list of labs inGLOSOLAN
Dueon December2017
Executed!
Onlinesurvey(lab characteristics) Executed!
Survey evaluation Executed!
Main conclusion: There is a dramatic need to develop a
Quality Control andAccreditation system.
Results to be presented and discussed at the 2nd
GLOSOLAN meeting

18. Actio
n
Support the establishmentof
RESOLANs
Status
• Asia (SEALNET)
20-24 November 2017
Chair:Mr.Jamyang,Bhutan
• SouthAmerica+CentralAmericaand the
Caribbean(LATSOLAN):
1-3March2018
Chair:Mrs.FloriaBertsch,CostaRica

19. Actio
n
Status
Support the establishmentof
RESOLANs
• Undergoing:
• EuropeandEurasia
(EUROSOLAN?)
• Pacific(SPACNET?)
• NearEastandNorthAfrica
• Africa
• NorthAmerica

20. Action Status
Concept Note for a
"Best practices manual" Submitted!
Report from GLOSOLANChair Executed!
during the 6th GSPPlenaryAssembly

21. Despite multiple existing guidelines
and handbooks, the variability of
methods, machinery and analytical
quality is immense.
Pillar 5–Harmonization–foreseesthe development of abestpracticesguidelines.
• acompendiumofdifferentmanualsthatallows forthebestflexible approach:
o thecollectionofmanualscouldgrowovertime,depending onthe timefor
review,timeforallowing inputbyregional partners, and other aspects
o Inspecific cases,regionalspecificscouldalsobehighlighted,oreven
summarized inannexesordifferent volumes.
Link to the work done by the Regional Soil Laboratory Networks
(RESOLANs) in term of regional harmonization of the procedures to
assesssoil nutrientparameters.

22. Manual 1: Site characterization, sampling and sample pre-treatment.
Volume 1. How to collect a soil sample for soil nutrient assessment: site selection and
sampling. Extra notes on the content: equipment, sample transport and storage,
moisture conditions
Volume 2. Generic characterization of sites and samples Extra notes on the content: site
description, texture class, soil type, etc.
Volume 3: Soil pre-treatment
Manual 2: Soil chemical analysis (note that for each method there will be information
on the relevance/use, principle of measurement, apparatus, reagents, procedure,
calculations, report, and references)
Volume 4. Soil carbon
Volume 5. Soil pH
Volume 6. Soil Phosphorus
Volume 7. Soil Potassium
Volume 8. Soil Nitrogen
Volume 9. Exchangeable cations and CEC
Volume 10. Exchangeable microelements.
Volume 11. Soil carbonate content
Volume 12. Soil gypsum and salt content
Volume 13. Soil electrical conductivity
Volume 14. Special soil analysis for peats, mineral and organic soils, agriculture and
forests.

23. Manual 1: Site characterization, sampling and sample pre-treatment.
Volume 1. How to collect a soil sample for soil nutrient assessment: site selection and
sampling. Extra notes on the content: equipment, sample transport and storage,
moisture conditions
Volume 2. Generic characterization of sites and samples Extra notes on the content: site
description, texture class, soil type, etc.
Volume 3: Soil pre-treatment
Manual 2: Soil chemical analysis
Volume 4. Soil carbon
Volume 5. Soil pH
Volume 6. Soil Phosphorus
Volume 7. Soil Potassium
Volume 8. Soil Nitrogen
Volume 9. Exchangeable cations and CEC
Volume 10. Exchangeable microelements.
Volume 11. Soil carbonate content
Volume 12. Soil gypsum and salt content
Volume 13. Soil electrical conductivity
Volume 14. Special soil analysis for peats, mineral and organic soils,
agriculture and forests.

24. Manual 3: Soil physical analysis
Volume 15. Bulk density
Volume 16. Coarse fragments
Volume 17. Particle size distribution
Volume 18. Water retention curve
Manual 4: Soil biological analysis
Volume 19. Soil microbial biomass
Manual 5: Data quality, management and validation
Volume 20. Data quality requirements
Volume 21. Data management and validation
Manual 6: Data processing: Soil functions, classification, statistics

25. To disseminate the knowledge collected in the volumes, it is
proposed that each RESOLANselect one laboratory that will be called
a‘Regional ReferenceCenter (RRC).
-
-
-
to provide regional and international trainings(CAPACITYBUILDING)
to facilitate standardization and harmonization of the methods within
and between regions (also exchangeprogrammes)
to facilitate the execution of activities inGLOSOLANasneeded

26. Regional Reference Centers (RRC): Activities
WITHIN regions

27. Regional Reference Centers (RRC): Activities
BETWEEN regions (link to proficiency testing)

28. Estimated required budget
USD 500 000 to
- Write and publish the manuals
- Build the capacity of RRC
- Organize regional trainings in the RRCs

29. Action Status
Concept Note to launchan
international proficiency tests Underway
(collaboration with WEPAL) Regional proficiency tests are undergoing in
LatinAmerica andAsia– RESOLANs:
• Need for supportto exchangingsoilsamplesfor
researchpurposesunder GLOSOLAN
“The 6th GSP Plenary Assembly endorsed the proposal for
writing a planning document for proficiency tests under
GLOSOLAN and expressed the need for facilitating the
exchange of soil samples for research and technical
exchange purposes and asked the Secretariat to submit a
proposal in this regard.”

30. Action Status
Develop the agenda of the 2nd
GLOSOLAN meeting (28-30
November 2018
Core topics of discussion:
- Establishment of RESOLANs in Africa, NENA, the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia
- Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) including the involvement of ISO
• How many SOPs are we going to develop under GLOSOLAN?
• Who to develop them?
• How to manage SOPs developed at the regional level in GLOSOLAN?
• Role of ISO
- Proficiency test including the involvement of WEPAL and the preparation of a planning document
plus a resolution to facilitate the exchange of soil samples under GLOSOLAN
• How are we going to manage regional and global ring tests? Regional ring tests need to be
harmonized!
• Capacity building at the national and regional level
• Data ownership and management (link to the GSP Soil Data Policy)
• Budget
• The issue of soil data results interpretation (how and when are we going to deal with it?)
• Implementation of the 6th GSP Plenary Assembly decisions
Executed!

31. Action Status
Develop the agenda of the 2nd
GLOSOLAN meeting (28-30
November 2018
Core topics of discussion:
- “Best practice manual”
• Is it needed or would it be a repetition of existing work?
• Objectives
• Timeline
• Leading authors
• Link to the Guidelines under development in SEALNET
- Data policy
- Lab accreditation
- New innovation techniques
Executed!

32. RESOLAN Asia:
SEALNET

33. Establishmentof SEALNET
20-25 November 2017
• Appointment of Chair andCo-Chair
• Establishment of the workinggroup
• Agree on the objectives ofSEALNET
• Setup of the Roadmapfor 2018
Appointed on 20-25 Nov2017
Established on 20-25 Nov2017
Agreed upon on 20-25 Nov2017
Setup on 20-25 Nov2017
All participating countriesdecidedto join SEALNET

34. Internal & External qualityassessment
•
•
•
Writing of “Guidelines for implementinggood
laboratory practices and quality managementin
soil laboratories
Internal quality assessment
Ringtest on agreed upon soil parameters (using
agreed upon methods)
Draft underpreparation
Duein July2018
Data results due in July2018
Results’analysisdue in September
2018
•
•
•
•
pHin water(method: 1:2.5, unit of measure: N/A);
Organic carbon (method: Walkley & Black,unit of measure:%Cairdry)
Exchangeable potassium (method: Ammonium acetate, unit of measure: cmolc K/kg or mg K/kg
airdry)
Available phosphorus (method: Olsen, unit of measure: mgP/kgairdry)
Workinggroupfor SEALNETto develop StandardOperational Procedures(SOPs)for the 4
parameters listed above
First draft to be delivered on: August2018
Internal revision: August– September 2018
Final draft: end of September 2018
Endorsement at 2nd SEALNETmeeting

35. Topics for discussion at the second SEALNET
meeting (Bhopal, India,19-23 November
2018)
o Review of the ring testresults;
o Review of the internal quality controlassessment;
o Review and endorsement of the SOPsfor pHin water, organiccarbon,
exchangeablepotassium and available phosphorus; and
o Identification of new soil parameters to developSOPson

36. RESOLAN Latin
America:
LATSOLAN

37. Launch of the Latin American Soil Laboratories Network (LATSOLAN),
1-3 March, 2018, Mexico
Participating countries: Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panamá, Dominican Republic,
Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile
and Argentina
Pending countries: El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti and Cuba

38.  ADirective Groupwas established
 Launchofa regionalring test
Advances
 3 samplesof 250 geach
(Specialletter forthe phytosanitary control offices of eachcountry allowed
the entry of 100%of the sampleswithout problem)
 Soil Parameters to evaluate:
• pH
• Total Carbon and Total Organic Carbon
• Oxydized Organic Carbon (Walkley & Black)
• Total Nitrogen (Kjeldahl y Dumas)
• Exchangeable Ca-Mg-K (Ammonium acetate)
 Two protocols:
• Labroutine
• Consensusprotocols (SOPs) 2nd LATSOLAN meeting:
11-14 March 2019

39. Thanks for your
attention and
contribution