Colour variation in standard soil-colour charts

This paper presents colourimetric analyses of 6 standard soil-colour charts (1372 chips) from different manufacturers, editions, and degrees of use. The CIELAB hab, L*, and C*ab were found to have significant (analysis of variance, P < 0.05) variations among tested charts, and the Munsell hue, value, and chroma measured in most chips varied from their notation by as much as 1 unit. This discrepancy can be attributed to printing differences and/or colour fading. The Munsell loci of constant hue and chroma plotted in CIELAB colour space showed that colour fading is not uniform, so that visual steps between neighbouring chips change, and constant hue and chroma lines become deformed. The colour difference between chips identically designated in two charts ranged from 0.94 CIEDE2000 units (above perception threshold) for charts from the same manufacturer and degree of use, to 3.72 CIEDE2000 units for old charts from 2 different manufacturers. Chips from old charts became yellowish, darker, and less saturated. These colour changes are consistent with the responses of 10 observers who, on assessing 10 soil-colour samples, reported Munsell notations to have redder hue, lighter value and greater chroma. Periodic colourimetric checking of soil-colour charts would be advisable in order to avoid mistakes in soil-colour description.