SOIL SAMPLING AND TESTING

Correct Sampling is imperative to ensure

accurate analysis and interpretation.
Precise Nutrient Management can only occur
with a quality representative sample.
Soil Sampling and testing

•Why sample?
• Sampling method?
•How to collect a sample?
•Where to sample?
•When to sample?
•What depth to sample?
•What properties to
measure?
Soil sampling, processing and storage
Soil sampling Principle
Soil testing is an essential component of soil resource
management. Each sample collected must be a true
representative of the area being sampled. Utility of the
results obtained from the laboratory analysis depends
on the sampling precision. Hence, collection of large
number of samples is advisable so that sample of
desired size can be obtained by sub-sampling. In
general, sampling is done at the rate of one sample for
every two hectare area. However, at-least one sample
should be collected for a maximum area of five
hectares. For soil survey work, samples are collected
from a soil profile representative to the soil of the
surrounding area.
Why sample?
The 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.
Additionally used:-
•To describe soil variability
• To Identify potential stresses
• To develop management recommendations
• To assess effectiveness of management
The key factors and principal point to be consider when determining a soil
sampling plan and a representative sample
 Sample different soil types separately
 Avoid unusual areas, stock camps, fertilizer dump sites, dam sites,
gates, troughs, trees.
 Avoid fence lines (old and new), sheds and roadways ,near main
bund
 Sample varying topography (Hills and flats) separately.
 Avoid poorly drained areas and wet conditions
 Avoid headlands ,at irrigation channel, dead furrows
 Ensure different fertilizer and rotation histories are sampled
separately.
 Avoid dung and urine patches in pastures
 Sample High and low yielding areas separately.
 don’t sample paddocks that have had ameliorants (lime) or fertilizer
applied in the past 2-3 months
 Avoid, or sample separately, areas like abandoned farmsteads and
feedlots, manure piles, fences, roads, eroded knolls, low areas, and
salty or wet spots.
 Collect the soil sample during fallow period.
 In the standing crop, collect samples between rows.
 Using appropriate sampling strategies
 Fields, which are similar in appearance, production and past-
management practices, can be grouped into a single sampling unit.
 Collect separate samples from fields that differ in colour, slope,
drainage, past management practices like liming, gypsum
application, fertilization, cropping system etc.
 For shallow rooted crops, collect samples up to 15 cm depth. For
deep rooted crops, collect samples up to 30 cm depth. For tree crops,
collect profile samples.
 Always collect the soil sample in presence of the farm owner who
knows the farm better
 Equipment, tools and Materials required
Your sampling tool should be constructed from stainless steel to
avoid contamination. Other metals can cause contamination.
A stainless steel soil sampling probe is the most commonly used tool
for collecting soil samples under normal conditions. The soil probe
provides a continuous soil core with minimal disturbance to the soil
that can be readily divided into various sampling depths. Vehicle-
mounted hydraulic probes are available and are a better choice
under adverse soil sampling conditions.
We will require:
1. Spade/shovel/ or auger (screw or tube or post hole type) 2.
Khurpi 3. Core sampler 4. Sampling bags
5. Plastic tray or bucket to pool the samples 6. For deep soil
analysis, a hand auger or hydraulic sampler.

7. Markers for identifying samples on sample bags.

Prepare and arrange Sampling equipment Adequate sampling tools should:

 Take a small enough equal volume of soil form each core site so
that the composite sample will be of an appropriate size to process
for analysis
 Be easy to clean
 Be adequate for dry sandy soil and moist sticky soil
 Be rust resistant
 Provide uniform cores of equal volume in all spots within the
representative sampling area.
 Tools should be clean, free of rust, and stored away from fertilizer
materials.
 DO NOT USE galvanized or brass equipment of any kind as it will
contaminate the samples with micronutrients.
Sampling method?

Obtaining a Representative sample

Soils are inherently variable across farms and single paddocks.
Therefore soil depth and the numbers of cores taken are critical.
For the chemical analysis of soil we are aiming to obtain a
representative sample of a single soil type. Guides to soil sampling
depths are provided based on the depths in which methods have
being calibrated, however it is also important to consider the plants
rooting depth and soil horizons when determining the ideal sampling
depth.

Apply recommended sampling strategies:

Transect (Random with bias)

Transect is the simplest of sampling strategies. APAL recommends
transect testing in most cases. Identify 2 markers (which ideally are
identified by GPS coordinates, can use trees or posts etc) and sample
between these markers. Transect testing allows for the sample line to
be used precisely in consequent years to monitor fertility trends.
Zigzag (Random with bias)
The zigzag sampling method is determined to obtain the best
coverage on smaller areas if care is taken. The degree and type of
bias will vary with experience of the operator. This is often the best
design for diagnostic work.

Differentiate between soil type and

typography (Random with bias)
It is important to sample differing soil types or typography
separately. Clearly identify (soil type A & soil type B) and sample via
transect sampling or Zigzag sampling (as discussed above).
Grid (non-random)
The grid approach allows for a systematic sampling design. The Grid
sampling procedure generally only applies for precision agriculture
technologies or when undertaking intensive horticultural
development. It can overcome landscape or yield variation. Allows
for repeat sampling with high precision. The most costly technique
due to the increased number of tested samples.
Procedure of field sampling for farming
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 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 cm
in the sampling spot using spade.
6. Remove thick slices of soil from top to bottom of exposed face of
the ‘V’ shaped cut and place in a clean container.

1 inch / 2.5 cm 6 inches (15 cm)

7. Mix the samples thoroughly and remove foreign materials like roots,
stones, pebbles and gravels.
8. Reduce the bulk to about half to one kilogram by quartering or
compartmentalization.
9. Quartering is done by dividing the thoroughly mixed sample into four
equal parts. The two opposite quarters are discarded and the remaining
two quarters are remixed and the process repeated until the desired
sample size is obtained.
10. Compartmentalization is done by uniformly spreading the soil over a
clean hard surface and dividing 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.
11. Collect the sample in a clean cloth or polythene bag.
12. 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 etc.

Collection of soil samples from a profile/sub

surface sampling/
Subsoil samples
Always consider:  Rooting Depth  Soil horizons

Crop Sub-Surface soil samples (cm) No

Cores
Crops(Cereals/ 10-30 ,30-60 ,60-90 ,90-120 8-15
oilseeds/legumes Deep Soil Nitrogen depths may
change pending rooting depth and
soil horizons.
Pastures 10-30 8-15

Orchard/ 15-90 8-15

Vineyard
Cotton 30-60 8-15
Sugarcane 20-60 8-15
Horticulture 15-30 8-15

Tree Crops 15-90 8-15

For diagnosing subsoil acidity in broad cereal crops and pastures 10-
20cm and 20-30 cm sample depths are recommended.
Procedure for sub surface sampling
1. After the profile has been exposed, clean one face of the pit carefully
with a spade and note the succession and depth of each horizon.
2. Prick the surface with a knife or edge of the spade to show up
structure, colour and compactness.
3. Collect samples starting from the bottom most horizon first by
holding a large basin at the bottom limit of the horizon while the soil
above is loosened by a khurpi.
4. Mix the sample and transfer to a polythene or cloth bag and label it

Soil sampling process

1. Review your required tests /objective of soil sampling and make
transect walk.
2. Determine an appropriate sampling plan
 ensuring a representative sample is obtained
 Avoid unusual areas
3. Ensure all your equipment is clean
4. Remove debris and plant material from the soil surface
5. Take the required number or cores utilizing a transect or zigzag
sampling plan
6. Pool your cores in a clean plastic bucket, breaking the soil into
small crumbs
7. Mix the sample thoroughly on the mats/in the buckets
8. Place your representative sample into soil test bags and fill to the
required line. Place no more than 1kg
9. Ensure your equipment and bucket is clean before moving onto
your next sample.
10. If using a shovel ensure the sample is consistent down to the
required depth ( eg take a slice down the side not a V sample)
11. If excess sample is collected ensure the sample is well mixed
before sub-sampling- try to reduce the sample to around 300-400 gms
to avoid excessive postage charges.

Sending the Sample to the lab

1. Ensure sample bags are filled to the desired line.
2. Ensure you have the correct submission form/label/ and the details
are filled out correctly with
Sample Identification
Along with each soil sample, sampling information sheets should be
filled out that describe the following
 Date of sampling Region
Zone Kebele
Area of land Owner name
Sample collector name Agro ecology
Slope Sampling
depth
History of farm Sample code
Location Past cropping
Management history Proposed
crops Complete

Selecting sampling spot Remove the surface litter

 at the sampling spot

Make a ‘V’ shaped cut to a ‘V’ shaped cut

depth of 15 cm in the
sampling spot
 Drive the auger to a Collect soils using khupri
lough depth of 15 cm and
draw the soil sample
Mix the samples thoroughly Remove foreign materials
like roots, stones, pebbles
and gravels

Quartering is done by Two opposite quarters are

dividing the thoroughly discarded and the remainin
mixed sample into four is mixed
equal parts

Collect the sample in a clea

cloth or polythene bag
Label with required
information