Linear Regression between CIE-Lab Color Parameters and Organic Matter in Soils of Tea Plantations

To quantify the relationship between the soil organic matter and color parameters using the CIE-Lab system, 62 soil samples (0–10 cm, Ferralic Acrisols) from tea plantations were collected from southern China. After air-drying and sieving, numerical color information and reflectance spectra of soil samples were measured under laboratory conditions using an UltraScan VIS (HunterLab) spectrophotometer equipped with CIE-Lab color models. We found that soil total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrogen (TN) contents were negatively correlated with the L* value (lightness) (r = –0.84 and –0.80, respectively), a* value (correlation coefficient r = –0.51 and –0.46, respectively) and b* value (r = –0.76 and –0.70, respectively). There were also linear regressions between TOC and TN contents with the L* value and b* value. Results showed that color parameters from a spectrophotometer equipped with CIE-Lab color models can predict TOC contents well for soils in tea plantations. The linear regression model between color values and soil organic carbon contents showed it can be used as a rapid, cost-effective method to evaluate content of soil organic matter in Chinese tea plantations.