Abstract
We improved the method for collecting soil monolith for root analysis by using a chain block. The chain block was hanged on the top of a ladder and a monolith collecting device was pulled up by reciprocating motion of the chain block's arm. Efficiency of the proposed method was compared with the conventional method; lever method. Although the new method did not reduce the sampling time compared to the lever method, it decreased the amount of labor necessary for pulling up monolith and reduced damage to the soil and the crops around the sampling position. The effectiveness of the new method was confirmed for more than 150 soils of differing pedogenesis: Eutric Fluvisol, Haplic Andosol and Umbric Andosol. In case of sandy soil, the monolith collecting device should be tilted and pulled up to avoid the soil loss.
