Precision Agriculture Based Soil Sampling Strategies

Soil sampling plays a major role by assisting in developing management zones and prescription maps in precision agriculture. Integrating soil sampling into precision agriculture ultimately increases the accuracy of necessary inputs (primarily fertilizers and lime to adjust pH). Grid and Zone sampling are the two main soil sampling strategies used to determine where to collect samples. These sampling strategies result in the same number of core samples per unit area, but differ in sampling location. This article will assist row crop, specialty crop, and vegetable producers, turfgrass managers, and foresters in identifying the best soil sampling strategy for their needs. General guidelines for physically collecting samples, and when to sample are also reviewed