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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 43(1)

Soil bulk density evaluation by conventional and nuclear methods

L. C. Timm A B , L. F. Pires A , K. Reichardt A , R. Roveratti A , J. C. M. Oliveira A and O. O. S. Bacchi A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, USP, C.P. 96, C.E.P. 13400-970, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.

B Corresponding author. Email: lctimm@cena.usp.br

Australian Journal of Soil Research 43(1) 97-103 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR04054
Submitted: 21 April 2004  Accepted: 22 October 2004   Published: 14 February 2005

Abstract

Among the methods used to measure soil bulk density, the following have been prominent: paraffin sealed clod (PS), volumetric ring (VR), and the modern methods like gamma ray computed tomography (GCT) and the neutron/gamma surface gauge (SG). The objective of this work was to compare soil bulk density values obtained through these methods, with the aim of assisting researchers on the choice of the more appropriate method. For this, a 200-m spatial transect was chosen in an experimental area cultivated with coffee, belonging to ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. The SG readings were first taken in the field and thereafter soil samples were collected at 8 different points, spaced at 25 m, for the other methods. The lowest values of soil bulk density were obtained for the SG method (average 1.468 g/cm3) and the highest for the PS (average 1.685 g/cm3), which was similar to the GCT method (average 1.684 g/cm3). The average soil bulk density for the VR method, which has been used in soil science as a standard method, was 1.544 g/cm3. The Tukey test indicates that the PS and GCT methods do not differ significantly (P > 0.05). They do differ in comparison with VR and SG, which also do not differ among themselves.

Additional keywords: soil bulk density, computed tomography method, surface gauge method, volumetric ring method, paraffin sealed clods method.


Acknowledgment

We acknowledge FAPESP (grants no. 02/05066-5 and 02/07407-4) for financial support.


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