Central Laboratory

SIRI's Laboratory has been expanded and modernized to become the analytical centre of the industry. Essential to fertilizer advisory service provided to cane growers across the country, the lab offers quick, reliable diagnosis of plant and soil samples measuring the content of nutirents (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.) important to plant growth. In addition, the lab makes determinations of soil pH, organic matter content and a range of tests essential in making correct manangement decisions.
	Analyses Conducted at the Lab
	*Sample*	*Analyses*
	Sugar	pol, moisture, ash, dextran, insolubles, reducing sugar, grain size.
	Molasses	pol, brix, reducing sugars, sucrose, dextran
	Cane Juice	pol, brix, reducing sugars, sucrose, dextran
	Soil	pH, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Cu, Mn, B, Zn, CEC, organic matter, mechanical analysis, SAR
	Plant Tissue	pH, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Cu, Mn, B, Zn
	Water	pH, EC, K, Ca, Mg, Na, SAR
	Waste water	pH, BOD, COD, DO, TSS,
	Fertilizer	N, K, P, and Micro nutrients or as stated on label

Water from various irrigation sources is routinely analyzed for salinity as a measure of its suitablity for agricultural use. Fertilizer samples are also sometimes tested for comparing blends labelled.

Recognizing the quality of the laboratory services offered, several other industries, eg. banana, coffee, citrus, etc., have over the years taken sample to the lab for analysis.

The laboratory now performs the important task of conducting weekly quantitative tests on all sugar and by-products produced at our factories. Export sugar must meet exacting specifications if costly penalties are to be avoided.

Facilities for the analysis of industrial effulent discharged are also available to sugar factories, distilleries and other processing plants. Analyses include Biological Oxygen and Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Phosphate, Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Totals Dissolved Solids (TDS).