A field method for the determination of total nitrogen in plant tissue

Abstract

While studying sward quality in Kenya, East Africa, we established a field laboratory for the determination of total nitrogen. Using Kjeldahl digestion procedures and an indophenol colorimetric method, we successfully analyzed over 900 plant and fecal samples while living in a tent camp. Variation from one digestion to the next was corrected for by using a grass standard with each digestion. Independent tests by other laboratories verified the accuracy of our methods.