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Some Factors Affecting Soil Sampling¹

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to obtain information as to the effects of tools used and depth of sampling on results of soil analysis. All samples were analyzed for pH, phosphorus, potassium, and organic. matter. Some of the principle findings were as follows:

There was no significant difference between results of analysis for samples collected with a tube, spade, or trowel. The pH and organic matter values were significantly lower for samples collected with the auger as compared to the other tools. There was no significant difference between analyses for duplicate samples collected in a bucket.

There was a significant decrease in the pH of soil with depth from the 0 to 3 to the 3 to 6 to the 6 to 9 inch layers of soil in fields seeded to sod crops. The difference was not significant for comparable fields used for row crops. The amount of phosphorus, potassium and organic matter decreased with depth in fields used for sod crops as well as those in row crops.

The soil analyses results for pH, phosphorus, and potassium and organic matter were significantly lower for samples composited from 0 to 6-inch cores as compared to 0 to 3-inch cores for fields in sod crops in the Coastal Plains as well as the Piedmont and Mountains. Samples from 0 to 6-inch cores in fields used for row crops showed significantly lower results than those from 0 to 3-inches for pH, potassium, and organic matter in the Piedmont and Mountains but only for organic matter in the Coastal Plains.

¹ Contribution from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Department of Agronomy, North Carolina State College, Raleigh. Published with the approval of the Director of Agricultural Research as Paper Number 601 of the Journal Series.

² Soil Testing Specialist, North Carolina Department of Agriculture; and Professor of Agronomy, in charge of Soils Research, North Carolina State College, respectively. The authors are indebted to D. D. Mason, Department of Experimental Statistics for statistical analysis.

Received for publication November 2, 1955.