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Soil Sampling Techniques for Crop Production

The document provides instructions for proper soil sampling techniques. It outlines the necessary tools needed which include a bolo, spade, plastic bag, soil auger, weighing scale, bucket, and marker. It describes when the best time is to take samples as well as precautions to observe such as using clean tools and avoiding contaminated areas. The procedures explain how to divide the field, remove surface litter, take samples at 15-30cm depth using an auger or spade, mix and reduce the bulk, and label and submit the composite sample for analysis. Soil testing is important to determine fertility levels and nutrient needs to increase yields and protect the environment.

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Cami Lyn Ligmayo
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155 views11 pages

Soil Sampling Techniques for Crop Production

The document provides instructions for proper soil sampling techniques. It outlines the necessary tools needed which include a bolo, spade, plastic bag, soil auger, weighing scale, bucket, and marker. It describes when the best time is to take samples as well as precautions to observe such as using clean tools and avoiding contaminated areas. The procedures explain how to divide the field, remove surface litter, take samples at 15-30cm depth using an auger or spade, mix and reduce the bulk, and label and submit the composite sample for analysis. Soil testing is important to determine fertility levels and nutrient needs to increase yields and protect the environment.

Uploaded by

Cami Lyn Ligmayo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Agricultural Crop Production NC III

Soil Sampling Techniques

Soil Sampling Tools


Bolo
Spade
Plastic bag
Soil auger
Weighing scale
Bucket
Marker
Time of soil sampling
 Thebest time to take soil samples
is when the soil is not too wet or
too dry taken before land
preparation or after harvest.
Precautions to observe in soil sampling

1. Don’t use contaminated tools, avoid rusty


equipment.

2. Don’t collect soil samples from boundaries


like buildings, trees, irrigation channels, wet
spots and sloppy areas.
Procedures of soil sampling

 1. Divide the field into different homogenous


units based on the visual observation and
farmer’s experience.

 2. Remove the surface litter at the sampling


spot.
3. Drive the auger to a plough depth of 15 to 30
cm and draw the soil sample.
 4. Collect at least 10 to 15 samples from each
sampling unit and place in a bucket or tray.

 5. If auger is not available, make a ‘V’ shaped


cut to a depth of 15 to 30 cm in the sampling
spot using spade.

1 inch / 2.5 cm                                  6 inches (15 to 30 cm)

 6. Remove thick slices of soil from top to


bottom of exposed face of the ‘V’ shaped cut
and place in a clean container.
 7. Mix the samples thoroughly and remove
foreign materials like roots, stones, pebbles,
gravels and air dry.

 8. Reduce the bulk to about one kilogram to form


a composite soil sample.

 9. Uniformly spread the soil over a clean hard


surface and divide into smaller compartments by
drawing lines along and across the length and
breadth. From each compartment a pinch of soil
is collected. This process is repeated till the
desired quantity of sample is obtained.
 10. Collect the sample in a clean cloth or
polythene bag.

 11. Label the bag with information like name of


the farmer, location of the farm, survey number,
previous crop grown, present crop, crop to be
grown in the next season, date of collection,
name of the sampler.

 12. Submit the composite soil samples in soil


laboratory for soil analysis.
Importance of soil sampling

 A soil test is essential to determine soil


fertility levels and make good nutrient
management decisions. Appropriate nutrient
application can increase yields, reduce
production costs, and prevent surface and
groundwater pollution.
Thank you!

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