Macronutrients
- Nitrogen (N)
- Phosphorus (P)
- Potassium (K)
Reviewed 19 October 2026
Technology, Certifications & Validation
Soilo Essence 5 is a certified, patented portable soil-testing technology reporting 16 soil parameters, including essential micronutrients, with approximately 97% overall observed accuracy under defined comparative conditions described in Soilo’s datasheet.
One-time device purchase. Lifetime mobile app access included. No monthly or annual mobile app subscription fees.
Typical results in approximately 60 seconds. Preparation and stabilisation depend on sample conditions; the component specification allows stabilisation of up to five minutes.
Three-year free replacement warranty, subject to Soilo warranty terms and eligible usage conditions.
Download the approved Soilo Essence datasheet (PDF)The approved 16 reported parameters
Count EC and salinity separately; magnesium is not manganese. Crop suitability and fertility scores are software outputs, not additional physical measurements in this list.
Micronutrients
- Boron (B)
- Zinc (Zn)
- Copper (Cu)
- Molybdenum (Mo)
- Iron (Fe)
Other nutrients
- Magnesium (Mg)
- Sulphur (S)
Soil properties and indicators
- pH
- Temperature
- Moisture
- Electrical Conductivity (EC)
- Salinity
- Organic Carbon
From sensor signals to a reported result
The integrated probe lists seven measurement channels: EC, temperature, moisture, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Reported outputs combine sensor signals, calibration and software processing, including derived indicators such as salinity. Sixteen reported parameters do not mean sixteen independent physical sensors. The datasheet’s analytical-method labels describe its evaluation table and do not establish that every laboratory technique is built into the portable device.
What the accuracy documentation states
Approximately 97% overall observed accuracy across tested parameters under defined comparative validation conditions, as stated in the Soilo Essence datasheet.
This is the datasheet’s reported overall result, not a guarantee of 97% accuracy for every parameter, soil or field reading. R² and CV describe calibration fit and variation; neither is an accuracy percentage. The underlying sample count and overall accuracy calculation are not specified in the supplied datasheet.
The datasheet describes multi-point calibration with certified reference standards, ordinary least squares regression and comparison against standard reference testing values. It cites an “ICAR Soilo Device Report” dated 29 August 2025. That original report, its named laboratory, sample count, raw paired observations and overall accuracy formula were not included in the published evidence package. We do not infer ICAR endorsement, accreditation or independent verification from that citation.
Sample type, soil, moisture, calibration, probe condition, operator handling and environment affect field results. Component operating ranges on page 4 differ from the comparative evaluation ranges below; they are not interchangeable performance guarantees.
Parameter-wise figures transcribed from datasheet page 3
The datasheet records PASS for every listed QC status. Analytical-method labels are reproduced as evaluation references, not a claim that the handheld device contains a laboratory instrument for every technique.
| Parameter | Listed analytical method | R² | CV | Tested range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pH | Potentiometric (ISFET) | 0.9921 | 1.40% | 3.5–9.5 pH units |
| Temperature | Thermistor (NTC) | 0.9968 | 0.50% | 0–60 °C |
| Moisture | Capacitive TDR | 0.9904 | 1.80% | 0–100% VWC |
| Electrical Conductivity (EC) | Four-electrode probe | 0.9887 | 2.10% | 0–20 mS/cm |
| Salinity | Derived from EC (NaCl equivalent) | 0.9871 | 2.30% | 0–10 g/L |
| Organic Carbon | NIR Spectroscopy | 0.9843 | 2.80% | 0.1–12% |
| Nitrogen (N) | Ion-selective electrode | 0.9856 | 2.60% | 5–500 mg/kg |
| Phosphorus (P) | Colorimetric (Molybdate blue) | 0.9834 | 2.90% | 1–300 mg/kg |
| Potassium (K) | Flame photometry | 0.9862 | 2.50% | 10–1,000 mg/kg |
| Boron (B) | Azomethine-H colorimetric | 0.9741 | 3.80% | 0.1–5 mg/kg |
| Zinc (Zn) | DTPA extraction / FAAS | 0.9782 | 3.40% | 0.1–20 mg/kg |
| Magnesium (Mg) | AAS (atomic absorption) | 0.9851 | 2.70% | 5–500 mg/kg |
| Copper (Cu) | DTPA extraction / FAAS | 0.9763 | 3.60% | 0.1–10 mg/kg |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | ICP-OES | 0.9712 | 4.10% | 0.01–2 mg/kg |
| Sulphur (S) | Turbidimetric | 0.9836 | 2.80% | 1–200 mg/kg |
| Iron (Fe) | DTPA extraction / FAAS | 0.9813 | 3.10% | 1–100 mg/kg |
Separate evidence: the paired-sample case study
The AGRICARE+ comparison reports 97.62% mean numerical concordance across eight nutrients in sample R343, with substantial EC and organic-carbon differences disclosed. It is a one-sample comparison and does not establish overall device accuracy.
Read the complete lab-comparison case study (PDF)Patents, certifications and procurement
Soilo positions Essence 5 as certified, patented technology. Patent and certificate identifiers are not published on this website.
Contact Soilo to discuss documentation applicable to your device model, destination country and procurement requirements. Product safety, radio conformity and analytical performance are different scopes; a wireless module specification or probe IP68 rating does not certify the complete device or every reported soil parameter.
No independent laboratory accreditation, regulatory approval or certification scope is asserted beyond the documents actually supplied. Statutory, disputed or methodology-specific results may require reference laboratory analysis. An organic-carbon indicator is not automatically a soil organic carbon stock measurement or carbon-credit quantification input.
Discuss technical and procurement documentationWorldwide use, with visible field examples
Soilo reports 5,000+ devices deployed across 110+ countries, serving agronomists, businesses and government programmes. These are Soilo-reported deployment figures, not a count of independently verified institutional endorsements.
Event attendance, a customer photograph or a university recognition does not by itself constitute a laboratory endorsement or regulatory approval.
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