A cone penetrometer for estimating available soil water

1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (88) ◽  
pp. 842 ◽  
Author(s):  
RG Fawcett
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
New South ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Cone Penetrometer ◽  
Cone Penetration ◽  
Swelling Clay ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents

The effect of cone diameter (9.5 to 24.4 mm; 9.5 mm shaft) on the entry of penetrometers into swelling clay soils, and the relations between penetration and soil water contents, have been studied in northern New South Wales. Cones with diameters of approx. 14 mm were chosen for calibration tests on farms. The depth of wet soil and the amount of available water within the wetted zone were both related to the depth of maximum cone penetration (r2 values of 0.78-0.98 at sites with relatively uniform profiles of soil texture). Available soil water contents and water potentials were also related to the force needed for cone penetration. The penetrometer will assist in estimating soil water contents in areas where grain yields are related to available fallow water at seeding.

The dielectric behaviour of clay soils and its application to time domain reflectometry

Soil Research ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 825 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ Bridge ◽  
J Sabburg ◽  
KO Habash ◽  
JAR Ball ◽  
NH Hancock
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Dielectric Behaviour ◽  
Swelling Clay ◽  
Network Analyser ◽  
Water Contents

The dielectric behaviour of 3 soils, a sandy loam (Red Chromosol), a highly structured non-swelling clay (Red Ferrosol), and a self-mulching swelling clay (Black Vertosol), was investigated using a waveguide and network analyser technique in the frequency range 3.0 GHz to 4.5 GHz. Curves relating the real part of the relative permittivity to water content are presented and compared with the general Topp curve. The Chromosol generally followed the Topp curve, but the Ferrosol and Vertosol both had curves below the Topp curve. The Ferrosol showed a maximum horizontal offset of 0.05 m3/m3 from the Topp curve in the mid soil-water content range of 0.2–0.3 m3/m3 offset from the Topp curve of 0.10 m3/m3, with a maximum of 0.12 m3/m3 occurring at a soil water content of 0.4 m3/m3. Similar dielectric curves were obtained for the Chromosol and Vertosol using time domain reflectometry (TDR). With this method, the Chromosol showed very close agreement with the Topp curve, but the Vertosol again gave a curve below the Topp curve, similar to the one obtained using the waveguide and network analyser, but with a smaller maximum horizontal offset of 0.08 m3/m3. The difference between the waveguide and TDR Vertosol curves was mainly attributed to low bulk densities in the waveguide where packing was difficult. Some was also attributed to the wider spectrum of frequencies used by TDR. Use of the Topp curve for TDR measurements in the Vertosol would underestimate its water content by at least 0.06 m3/m3. These results are in good agreement with others obtained from similar soils. Deviations from the Topp curve are attributed to bound water associated with the clay particles and this depends on clay mineralogy and clay content. The presented calibration curves improve the accuracy of TDR measurements in these types of clay soils. A field comparison between water contents measured by TDR and gravimetric sampling in a similar Black Vertosol is presented. This calibration showed that soil water contents can be severely overestimated by using TDR with long probes and cables. This unexpected and opposite result is discussed in terms of attenuated high frequencies in the 15-m-long connecting cable used, errors in depth of probe placement, and changes in bulk density and DC conductivity.

scholarly journals Simultaneous measurement of net nitrogen mineralization and denitrification rates in soil using nitrification inhibitor 3,5-dimethylpyrazole

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
B.J. Zebarth ◽  
D.L. Burton ◽  
J. Spence ◽  
M.K. Khosa
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
N Mineralization ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Nitrification Inhibitor ◽  
Net N Mineralization ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents

A practical means to quantify the response of the rates of net N mineralization and denitrification over a wide range of soil water contents is generally lacking. This study examined the potential to use a nitrification inhibitor (NI) assay system to simultaneously estimate the rates of net N mineralization and denitrification, and applied the NI assay to assess the effect of water content on net N mineralization and denitrification rates in two soils with contrasting soil texture. The compound 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (DMP) applied at a rate of 200 mg kg−1 was found to provide essentially complete inhibition of nitrification over the duration of the soil incubation for two soils with contrasting soil texture (clay loam vs. sandy loam) and over a range of soil water contents (35%, 55%, and 85% water-filled pore space). This allowed net N mineralization to be estimated as the accumulation of soil ammonium ([Formula: see text]) and of denitrification as the disappearance of added nitrate ([Formula: see text]). Addition of DMP resulted in a small increase in soil respiration rate but did not appear to influence the rate of net soil N mineralization. The NI assay provides a practical means to quantify the rates of net N mineralization and denitrification simultaneously over a wide range of soil water contents. The assay can be readily scaled up to routinely test multiple soils in an efficient manner, has limited material costs, and is also relatively simple to perform.

scholarly journals The Effect of Irrigation Rate on the Water Relations of Young Citrus Trees in High-Density Planting

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1759
Author(s):  
Said A. Hamido ◽  
Kelly T. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Salinity ◽  
Planting Density ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Irrigation Rate ◽  
Biological Stress ◽  
Stem Water ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents

The availability and proper irrigation scheduling of water are some of the most significant limitations on citrus production in Florida. The proper volume of citrus water demand is vital in evaluating sustainable irrigation approaches. The current study aims to determine the amount of irrigation required to grow citrus trees at higher planting densities without detrimental impacts on trees’ water relation parameters. The study was conducted between November 2017 and September 2020 on young sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) trees budded on the ‘US-897’ (Cleopatra mandarin x Flying Dragon trifoliate orange) citrus rootstock transplanted in sandy soil at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) demonstration grove, near Immokalee, Florida. The experiment contained six planting densities, including 447, 598, and 745 trees per ha replicated four times, and 512, 717, and 897 trees per ha replicated six times. Each density treatment was irrigated at 62% or 100% during the first 15 months between 2017 and 2019 or one of the four irrigation rates (26.5, 40.5, 53, or 81%) based on the calculated crop water supplied (ETc) during the last 17 months of 2019–2020. Tree water relations, including soil moisture, stem water potential, and water supplied, were collected periodically. In addition, soil salinity was determined. During the first year (2018), a higher irrigation rate (100% ETc) represented higher soil water contents; however, the soil water content for the lower irrigation rate (62% ETc) did not represent biological stress. One emitter per tree regardless of planting density supported stem water potential (Ψstem) values between −0.80 and −0.79 MPa for lower and full irrigation rates, respectively. However, when treatments were adjusted from April 2019 through September 2020, the results substantially changed. The higher irrigation rate (81% ETc) represented higher soil water contents during the remainder of the study, the lower irrigation rate (26.5% ETc) represents biological stress as a result of stem water potential (Ψstem) values between −1.05 and −0.91 MPa for lower and higher irrigation rates, respectively. Besides this, increasing the irrigation rate from 26.5% to 81%ETc decreased the soil salinity by 33%. Although increasing the planting density from 717 to 897 trees per hectare reduced the water supplied on average by 37% when one irrigation emitter was used to irrigate two trees instead of one, applying an 81% ETc irrigation rate in citrus is more efficient and could be managed in commercial groves.

Mapping available soil water capacity in New South Wales, Australia using sparse data - An inverse Bayesian approach

2021 ◽  
pp. e00396
Author(s):  
P.D.S.N. Somarathna ◽  
Ross Searle ◽  
Daniel W. Gladish
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Bayesian Approach ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Sparse Data ◽  
Water Capacity ◽  
South Wales

Soil aggregate breakdown in a field experiment with different rainfall intensities and initial soil water contents

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 853-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Shi ◽  
S. Thorlacius ◽  
T. Keller ◽  
M. Keller ◽  
R. Schulin
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Aggregate ◽  
Aggregate Breakdown ◽  
Initial Soil ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents

MITIGATION YIELD SCALED METHANE EMISSION FROM RICE GROWN IN WATER STRESS CONDITIONS WITH BIOCHAR AND SILICATE AMENDMENTS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD ASLAM ALI ◽  
SANJIT CHANDRA BARMAN ◽  
MD. ASHRAFUL ISLAM KHAN ◽  
MD. BADIUZZAMAN KHAN ◽  
HAFSA JAHAN HIYA
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Saturated Soil ◽  
Rice Grain ◽  
Standing Water ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents

Climate change and water scarcity may badly affect existing rice production system in Bangladesh. With a view to sustain rice productivity and mitigate yield scaled CH4 emission in the changing climatic conditions, a pot experiment was conducted under different soil water contents, biochar and silicate amendments with inorganic fertilization (NPKS). In this regard, 12 treatments combinations of biochar, silicate and NPKS fertilizer along with continuous standing water (CSW), soil saturation water content and field capacity (100% and 50%) moisture levels were arranged into rice planted potted soils. Gas samples were collected from rice planted pots through Closed Chamber technique and analyzed by Gas Chromatograph. This study revealed that seasonal CH4 emissions were suppressed through integrated biochar and silicate amendments with NPKS fertilizer (50–75% of the recommended doze), while increased rice yield significantly at different soil water contents. Biochar and silicate amendments with NPKS fertilizer (50% of the recommended doze) increased rice grain yield by 10.9%, 18.1%, 13.0% and 14.2%, while decreased seasonal CH4 emissions by 22.8%, 20.9%, 23.3% and 24.3% at continuous standing water level (CSW) (T9), at saturated soil water content (T10), at 100% field capacity soil water content (T11) and at 50% field capacity soil water content (T12), respectively. Soil porosity, soil redox status, SOC and free iron oxide contents were improved with biochar and silicate amendments. Furthermore, rice root oxidation activity (ROA) was found more dominant in water stress condition compared to flooded and saturated soil water contents, which ultimately reduced seasonal CH4 emissions as well as yield scaled CH4 emission. Conclusively, soil amendments with biochar and silicate fertilizer may be a rational practice to reduce the demand for inorganic fertilization and mitigate CH4 emissions during rice cultivation under water stress drought conditions.

scholarly journals Effect of Nano-Carbon on Water Holding Capacity in a Sandy Soil of the Loess Plateau

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beibei Zhou ◽  
Xiaopeng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Sandy Soil ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Soil Mixture ◽  
Cumulative Infiltration ◽  
Nano Carbon ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents

The poor water retention capacity of sandy soils commonly aggregate soil erosion and ecological environment on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Due to its strong capacity for absorption and large specific surface area, the use of nanocarbon made of coconut shell as a soil amendment that could improve water retention was investigated. Soil column experiments were conducted in which a layer of nanocarbon mixed well with the soil was formed at a depth of 20 cm below the soil surface. Four different nanocarbon contents by weight (0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1%) and five thicknesses of the nanocarbon- soil mixture layer ranging from 1 to 5 cm were considered. Cumulative infiltration and soil water content distributions were determined when water was added to soil columns. Soil Water Characteristic Curves (SWCC) were obtained using the centrifuge method. The principal results showed that the infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration increased with the increases of nanocarbon contents, to the thicknesses of the nano carbon-soil mixture layer. Soil water contents that below the soil-nano carbon layer decreased sharply. Both the Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten models could describe well the SWCC of the disturbed sandy soil with various nano carbon contents. Both the saturated water content (θs), residual water content (θr) and empirical parameter (α) increased with increasing nano carbon content, while the pore-size distribution parameter (n) decreased. The available soil water contents were efficiently increased with the increase in nanocarbon contents.

Diffusivity and sorptivity determination at different soil water contents from horizontal infiltration

Geoderma ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 338 ◽  
pp. 88-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Villarreal ◽  
Luis A. Lozano ◽  
Esteban M. Melani ◽  
María Paz Salazar ◽  
María Florencia Otero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Horizontal Infiltration ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents

Soil water contents for tillage: A comparison of approaches and consequences for the number of workable days

2019 ◽  
Vol 195 ◽  
pp. 104384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bilson Obour ◽  
Thomas Keller ◽  
Johannes L. Jensen ◽  
Gareth Edwards ◽  
Mathieu Lamandé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Contents ◽  
Soil Water Contents
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