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Understanding Soil Texture for Effective Land Use

Soil texture is a classification system based on the content of sand, silt, and clay in the soil. It determines agricultural suitability, water holding capacity, runoff rates, irrigation methods, and nutrient retention. Different textures like sandy, clay, silty, or loam have varying properties influencing land use.

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Understanding Soil Texture for Effective Land Use

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  1. Soil Texture

  2. What is Soil Texture ? * Soil texture is a use classification of soils.. *It is based on its relative content of sand, silt and clay or the % of each of these particles in a given amount of soil. *At one extreme we have pure sand, and at the other, pure clay. Most soils are mixtures that fall between these extremes *This is how we determine the common name that most of us apply to a particular type of soil, ie. “Sandy”, “Clay” , “Silty” or “loam”.

  3. So What? Soil Texture determines the uses and the limitations of the soil.

  4. The Type of agricultural crops that are best suited for a type or “Texture” of soil

  5. The type of trees and shrubs that will grow in the soil.

  6. How fast rainfall will run off of the soil. Heavy soils ( clay) = more total water holding capacity but Percolation rate and “Infiltration rate are slower. This results in morerunoff. Light soils ( Sand) = less water holding capacity but higher Infiltration” rates and higher “Percolation” rates. This results in lessrunoff.

  7. The type of irrigation that can be used on the soil.

  8. How hard it will be to work or till the soil.

  9. The nutrient holding capacity of the soil. Clay particles have a negative charge. Nutrient compounds normally have a positive charge. Clay soils or “heavy”soils are better at holding nutrients. Sandy soils or “light” soils don’t hold nutrients as well.

  10. Soil Texture Triangle • Sand:Silt:Clay:Texture • 25% 65%10% Silt Loam

  11. Soil Texture Triangle • Sand:Silt:Clay:Texture • 35% 45%20% Loam

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