Soil Types and Textures

SOIL
Component definition: Mixture of mineral matter, organic matter, water, and air.

Air 25% Mineral Matter 45%

Water 25%

Organic Matter 5%

Physical Properties of Soil

Soil texture Soil structure Soil water

Soil Texture
The way a soil feels Particle size distribution the relative proportions of each size of soil particle

A clay soil is referred to as a finefinetextured soil (Heavy soil = difficult to till) whereas a sandy soil is a coarse textured soil (light soil = easy to till ).

Importance of Soil Texture Numerous soil properties are influenced by texture including: Drainage Water holding capacity Aeration Susceptibility to erosion Organic matter content Cation exchange capacity (CEC) pH buffering capacity Soil tilth

irrigation systems ( sandy soil=trickle or drip irrigation & sprinkler irrigation , whereas clay soil = flood irrigation suitable crops depend on soil texture (potatoes & groundnuts suitable for sandy soil Distance between drainage pipe slide sloping of irrigation canal and drain ( clay soil =1:1 or more , whereas sand soil = 2:1 or more)

Three Fractions of Mineral Matter

Sand Silt Clay

Soil Particles
Sand
Largest of the soil particles Feel gritty

Silt
Medium sized Feel soft, silky, or floury

Clay
Smallest particles Feel sticky

USDA Texture Triangle

12 Soil Texture Classes

Sand (S) Loamy Sand (LS) Sandy Loam (SL) Loam (L) Silt Loam (SIL) Silt (SI) Sandy Clay Loam (SCL) Silty Clay Loam (SICL) Silty Clay (SIC) Clay (C) Clay Loam (CL) Sandy Clay (SC)

Table (

): Size limits on major classes of soil separates.

Particle diameter (mm) USDA 2.0 - 0.05 0.05 - 0.002 less than 0.002 ISSS 2.0 - 0.02 0.02 - 0.002 less than 0.002

Soil Separate

Sand Silt Clay

Table ( ): Size limits on sand separates used by the USDA.

Particle Diameter (mm) 2.0 -1.0 1.0 - 0.5 0.5 - 0.25 0.25 - 0.10 0.10 - 0.05

Sand Separate Very Coarse sand Coarse sand Medium sand Fine sand Very fine sand

Terms used for various sizes, shapes, and compositions of soil course fragments.

Term Gravelly Cobbly Stony

Size 2 to 75 mm 75 to 250 mm > 250 mm

Shape Rounded Rounded Rounded

Properties of soil separate that affect soil properties: Sand is the largest textural class; Sandy soils: the soil contains 85 % or more sand and less than 15% of both silt and clay. 15% Sandy soils are dominated by the properties of sand: weak structure rapid infiltration rate, slight erosion potential, loose consistence,

Sand has no charge low fertility, Good aeration and drainage, low water retention, little surface areas leads to limited chemical activities. low elasticity

Silts are highly eroding able, relatively infertile soils. The silty soils contain 80 to 100 percent silt, 0 to 20 percent sand, and 12 percent or less clay. They can be molded into a ball that keeps its shape under gentle pressure. The low percentage of clay precludes the formation of a ribbon.

The coarser silt particles are similar to the finer sands in surface exposed and hence take very little part in the chemical activities of soil. The finer silt has sufficient surface to give it some slight chemical activity.

Clayey soils have: highly water & nutrient retention, slow infiltration rate, poor drain, very sticky and plasticity when wet,

form hard clods when dry , active chemical properties large surface areas. Negatively charge

The clay separates is composed of the smallest particles. This means that the amount of the surface in a gram of clay is much more it in silt or sand. Since a large part of the water in the soil is held as a film on the surface. Since a large part of the water in the soil is held as a file on the surface of the clay particles,

the amount of clay in the soil has a great influence on its total water-holding watercapacity. In addition, certain available nutrients are held on the surface of clay particles. Therefore, clay acts as a storage reservoir for the both water and nutrients. Clay may have thousands of times more surface area per gram than silt or sand.

The term loam refers to soils having a moderate amount of sand, silt, and clay. clay. Thus, loamy soils have textural properties intermediate to the

properties of the individual separates. separates.

Importance of studying soil texture: Pores size: which affect air and water holding capacity permeability (water conductivity). conductivity). Heat conductivity Drainage conditions air exchange (between soil air and outer air). air).

Specific surface area: Which affects, soil water holding capacity, water & basic saturation percent, soil exchange capacity, nutrient retention, and so on.

Mechanical properties of the soil: Such as consistency (which control wind and water erosion), swelling and shrinkage tillage operation.

Surface area: Surface area expressed the total surface area per unit weight or volume of the soil. (Square cm per gram or square meter in Kg). Surface area is important in its relation to plant growth since most of the available nutrients and water are adsorbed on the surface of soil particles.

Consistence: Defined as the resistance of soil to deformation or rupture. Forces causing consistence: Molecular attraction (Cohesion): Between similar substances, i.e.: between soil separates. Surface tension (Adhesion): Between soil particle and soil solution (between different substances).

Textural Determination by Mechanical Analysis

In order to accurately determine the percentages of sand, silt, and clay in a soil, it must be brought into a laboratory for analysis. Mechanical analysis is the physical separation of soil particles in order to ascertain the percentage of each separate. separate.

There

are

several

techniques

available, the most common being the pipette and hydrometer methods Most methods of mechanical analysis are based on the principle that larger particles will fall more rapidly through a liquid than smaller particles. particles.

Stoke's Law is the mathematical expression of the principle used in mechanical analysis.

@v = 2/9 g r2 (V s - V L) / L

Where: V = settling velocity (cm/s) g = acceleration due to gravity (cm/s2) r = particle radius (cm) Vs = particle density (g/cm3) VL = liquid density (g/cm3) L = liquid viscosity (g/cm s)

Methods of determination soil Texture

Textural Determination by Feel Pipette Method Hydrometer Method

Comparison between sandy and clay soils

Sandy Soils Percentage of dominant particles Infiltration- entry of surface water into the soil Water Storage. stored in pores. Aeration- movement of oxygen in to root zone. Tillage Power Required - Drawbar pull Tillability- ease of seedbed preparation Erosiveness - wind Erosiveness - water Fertility Potential. Nutrient Retention Surface Area Organic matter content CEC Temperature C o 70% of sand Rapid Clayey Soils 40% of clay very slow Fair to poor High very poor High Moderate Moderate Low to medium High High medium High low

Percolation. internal drainage and leaching. Excessive Very low Very good low Easy High low low low low low High