Root Research
Online ISSN : 1880-7186
Print ISSN : 0919-2182
ISSN-L : 0919-2182
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Technical Note
  • Masaaki HASHIMOTO, Stephen Njehia NJANE, Yuichi NAGASAKI, Shiho HIRAMA ...
    2025 Volume 34 Issue 2 Pages 25-31
    Published: June 20, 2025
    Released on J-STAGE: June 30, 2025
    JOURNAL RESTRICTED ACCESS

    In minirhizotron studies, ensuring close contact between the observation tube and the soil while minimizing soil disturbance is crucial. This study evaluates which of an electrically powered auger and an iron pipe, both easily available in Japan, is more suitable for installing tubes with minimal air gaps between the tube and the soil. The evaluation was based on the air layer area percentage per image captured by a minirhizotron system. Additionally, we examined which of a chain block, jack, and pipe wrench best facilitated pipe removal while minimizing labor and soil disturbance. The air layer area percentages were 18% for the electrically powered auger and 2% for the iron pipe. By removing soil from the iron pipe with a hand auger, a single person could extract the pipe using a pipe wrench. The pipe wrench, being smaller than the chain block and jack, was more portable, required less workspace, and minimized soil disturbance around the tube. These findings suggest that embedding the iron pipe using a hammer and hand auger, extracting it with a pipe wrench, and inserting the tube into the formed hole reduces labor while ensuring minimal soil disturbance and close soil-tube contact.

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