A New Pellet Soil-Sampler and Its Use for the Study of Population Dynamics of Rhizoctonia solani in Soil

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Abstract
A new soil sampler is described and its use for quantitative estimation of propagules of R. solani in soil is reported. The sampler produces soil pellets of predetermined weight and deposits them on any smooth surface, including an agar medium. It has been used either in the form of a multiple-pellet or as a single-pellet soil sampler. When used as a multiple sampler, 15 soil pellets, each weighing 50-500 mg (adjustable capacity), are produced and placed at a fixed position on an agar medium. With 10 successive samples, standard error of the mean wt is < 2%. Increasing dilutions of Rhizoctonia inoculum in soil related linearly to the number of Rhizoctonia-containing soil pellets when corrected for multiple colonization. Typical mycelium of R. solani growing from a pellet is easily recognized, and both presence and vigor of the propagules can be determined. The sampler is especially useful in counting soil microorganisms at levels ranging 1-10 propagules/g but lower levels can be measured by increasing sample size whereas for higher levels appropriate soil dilutions should be made. The use of this sampler in the study of soil microorganisms other than R. solani is possible.

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