Alliance among Hydro-physical and Physico-chemical Properties of Soil

Abstract

Estimation of water retention characteristics, penetrability, weighted mean diffusivity and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil is difficult though imperative to characterize any soil and study the soil water relation. Therefore, with the measured values of clay, organic and humus carbon, pore space, coarse sand, soil volume expansion, pH, saturated hydraulic conductivity and absolute specific gravity of twelve different soils, linear, quadratic and logarithmic regressions were evaluated separately in different relevant combinations for determining the above properties. Validation of relations reveals that linear and quadratic regressions with known values of clay, organic carbon and pore space/soil volume expansion determine the wilting point successfully, while quadratic relation was only found suitable to determine the field capacity of soil. Quadratic equation developed from clay and pore space per cent with organic/humus carbon can be used to determine available water capacity and penetrability of soil. However, the CEC of soil, derived from all regression functions developed on clay content, organic carbon, and soil volume expansion/pH, was found in good agreement with the actual value. The study thus provides some easy alternatives to be utilized appropriately for precise evaluation of important hydro-physical and physico-chemical soil properties.