scholarly journals The water retention properties of biochar derived from broiler poultry litter as applied to the Botswana soil

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thapelo Shomana ◽  
Daniel Botha ◽  
Paul Şerban Agachi
Keyword(s):  
Water Loss ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Poultry Litter ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Zero Hunger ◽  
Water Retention Properties

Crop farming in Botswana is very modest and of high risk compared to its neighboring countries because of significant dependency on reduced and unreliable rainfall and as a result of soils with poor water holding capacity and low cation exchange capacity. For this reason, only about two thirds of the available arable land are planted and of the planted land only about half is harvested, which translates into only one third of productive arable land. This study examines how addition of poultry litter (PL) biochar affects water retention properties of Botswana’s sandy soils. While many variables should be studied to fully comprehend this aspect, this paper exploits in detail, effects of biochar addition in reducing rate of water loss by evaporation. This work provides convincing evidence that addition of PL-derived biochar (as little as 10%) can significantly reduce water loss by evaporation, thus increasing water soil retention. It is demonstrated that water retention properties increase with increasing rate of biochar application. Two types PL-derived biochar were studied: (i) one with sunflower husks bedding and another (ii) with woodchips bedding. Though both biochars showed similar response to the test, the biochar with sunflower husks was slightly superior. Biochar also indicated significant hygroscopicity, when dried and left exposed to the atmosphere, as moisture content increased with increasing humidity. Based on initial indicators, further study should be done at laboratory and field scale to determine optimum conditions of biochar application in the quest to improve food security for Botswana, as well as improve employment and environmental goals of the country. A comprehensive further study should critically examine Field Capacity, Permanent Wilting Point, and Plant Available Water. As an ultimate goal, enhancing soil moisture retention properties of Botswana’s sandy soil enables to increase success rate in the traditional farming sector and, consequently, offers potential to accomplish “No Poverty” and “Zero Hunger” sustainable development goals.

scholarly journals Analiza fizikalnih lastnosti šotnega substrata

2020 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 357
Author(s):  
Tilen ZAMLJEN ◽  
Ana SLATNAR ◽  
Vesna ZUPANC
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Water Losses ◽  
Fast Change ◽  
Water Retention Properties ◽  
Wilting Point

<p>Peat substrate is the main substrate for plant production, mainly for the cultivation of vegetable seedlings and ornamental plants. Peat has good water retention properties, low mass, low pH and is free from diseases and pests. The water retention properties are particularly important for optimizing irrigation and thus water consumption in plant production. We investigated the water retention properties of unused and used peat substrate and various mixtures with additives, as well as the occurrence of water repellency, as this influences water absorption into the substrate. Unused peat substrate and different mixtures retained between 3.4 % and 18.4 % more water than the used substrate. The daily water losses are lower for the used substrates that initially contain lower water content at full saturation. At tensions between 10 and 33 kPa, the unused peat substrate contained between 25 % and 32 % water. The wilting point (WP) for unused peat substrate (tension between 300 and 1500 kPa) was between 15 and 18 %. Peat substrate has a wide interval of field capacity and the transition from the field capacity to wilting point is fast (change in water content between 7 % and 10 %). After drying, the water repellency of both unused and used peat substrates increased.</p>

Microstructure and water retention of Oxisols in Thailand

Soil Research ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 973 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Tawornpruek ◽  
I. Kheoruenromne ◽  
A. Suddhiprakarn ◽  
R. J. Gilkes
Keyword(s):  
Pore Size Distribution ◽  
Pore Size ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Scanning Electron Micrographs ◽  
North East ◽  
The North ◽  
Pore Size Distributions

The moisture characteristics and related pore size distributions of Thai Oxisols were determined for 11 representative pedons. These soils are Kandiustox and Kandiudox located in the North-east Plateau, South-east Coast, and Peninsular Thailand. They are generally acidic (pH 5–6), clayey, have low cation exchange capacity (5–15 cmolc/kg) and have low bulk densities (0.77–1.36 Mg/m3). The microstructures of these soils are mostly granular with compound packing 10–1500 μm voids between aggregates. Water retention curves for all soils are similar with amounts of water retained at 33 kPa (field capacity) ranging from 22 to 43 (%weight) and 1500 kPa (permanent wilting point) ranging from 17 to 34%. Water available to plants is 3–12%. There is a strongly bimodal pore size distribution with the modal macropore and micropore diameters calculated from the soil moisture retention characteristic curves being about 100 μm and 0.02 μm. The pore size distribution determined by N2-BET method indicates a modal micropore of about 0.01 μm. The total volume of pores >5 μm estimated by image analysis of scanning electron micrographs ranges from 20 to 50% with most of the variation in porosity being due to large differences in macropore (>75 μm) volume.

scholarly journals The use of in situ volumetric water content at field capacity to improve the prediction of soil water retention properties

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan Al Majou ◽  
Ary Bruand ◽  
Odile Duval
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Carbon Content ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Volumetric Water Content ◽  
Organic Carbon Content ◽  
Water Retention Properties

Most pedotransfer functions (PTF) developed over the past three decades to generate water retention characteristics use soil texture, bulk density and organic carbon content as predictors. Despite the high number of PTFs published, most being class- or continuous-PTFs, the accuracy of prediction remains limited. In this study, we compared the performance of different class- and continuous-PTFs developed with a regional database. Results showed that the use of in situ volumetric water content at field capacity as a predictor led to much better estimation of water retention properties compared with using predictors derived from the texture, or the organic carbon content and bulk density. This was true regardless of the complexity of the PTFs developed. Results also showed that the best prediction quality was achieved by using the in situ volumetric water content at field capacity after stratification by texture. Comparison of in situ volumetric water content at field capacity, with the water retained at different matric potentials as measured in the laboratory, showed field capacity to approximate 100 hPa, whatever the soil texture. Finally, the lack accuracy of PTFs that do not use the in situ volumetric water content at field capacity as predictor did not appear due to the test soils being unrepresentative of the soils used to develop the PTFs, but were instead related to poor correlations between the predictors used and the water retention properties. Key words: Pedotransfer functions, root mean square error, mean error of prediction, standard deviation of prediction, texture, bulk density, organic carbon content

PROPERTIES IMPROVEMENT AND HYDROPHOBICITY PREVENTION OF PEAT SOIL IN OIL PALM PLANTATION THROUGH STEEL SLAG APPLICATION

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
Winarna Winarna ◽  
Iput Pradiko ◽  
Muhdan Syarovy ◽  
Fandi Hidayat
Keyword(s):  
Soil Ph ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Steel Slag ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Ash Content ◽  
Oil Palm Plantation ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Four Levels

Development of oil palm plantation on peatland was faced with hydrophobicity problem caused by over drained. Hydrophobicity could reduce water retention and nutrient availability in the peat soil. Beside of proper water management application, addition of soil ameliorant which contain iron could increase stability and improve peat soil fertility. The study was conducted to obtain the effect of steel slag on peat soil properties and hydrophobicity. In this study, peat soil was incorporated with steel slag and incubated in 60 days period. The research was employed completely randomized design (CRD) factorial 2 x 2 x 4. First factor is peat maturity consists of two levels: sapric (S) and hemic (H), while the second factor is soil moisture which also consist of two levels: field capacity (W1) and dry (under the critical water content) (W2). The third factor is steel slag dosage which consist of four levels: 0 g pot (TB0), 7.17 g pot (TB1), 14.81 g -1 -1 pot (TB2), and 22.44 g pot (TB3). The result showed that application of steel slag significantly increase of soil pH, ash content, and water retention at pF 4.2. Furthermore, application of steel slag significantly reduce time for water reabsorption (wettability) in sapric. On the other hand, there are negative corellation between water penetration and soil pH, ash content, and water retention at pF 4.2. Overall, application of steel slag could increase wettability and prevent peat soil hydrophobicity.

scholarly journals Carboxylated nanocellulose superabsorbent: Biodegradation and soil water retention properties

2021 ◽  
pp. 51495
Author(s):  
Ruth M. Barajas‐Ledesma ◽  
Vanessa N. L. Wong ◽  
Karen Little ◽  
Antonio F. Patti ◽  
Gil Garnier
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Soil Water Retention ◽  
Water Retention Properties

scholarly journals Applications of Hyaluronic Acid in Ophthalmology and Contact Lenses

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2485
Author(s):  
Wan-Hsin Chang ◽  
Pei-Yi Liu ◽  
Min-Hsuan Lin ◽  
Chien-Ju Lu ◽  
Hsuan-Yi Chou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hyaluronic Acid ◽  
Dry Eye ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Contact Lenses ◽  
Anterior Segment ◽  
Vitreous Body ◽  
Material Surface ◽  
Connective Tissues ◽  
Water Retention Properties ◽  
Bull's Eye

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan that was first isolated and identified from the vitreous body of a bull’s eye. HA is ubiquitous in the soft connective tissues of animals and therefore has high tissue compatibility for use in medication. Because of HA’s biological safety and water retention properties, it has many ophthalmology-related applications, such as in intravitreal injection, dry eye treatment, and contact lenses. Due to its broad range of applications, the identification and quantification of HA is a critical topic. This review article discusses current methods for analyzing HA. Contact lenses have become a widely used medical device, with HA commonly used as an additive to their production material, surface coating, and multipurpose solution. HA molecules on contact lenses retain moisture and increase the wearer’s comfort. HA absorbed by contact lenses can also gradually release to the anterior segment of the eyes to treat dry eye. This review discusses applications of HA in ophthalmology.

Soil wetting-drying and water-retention properties in a mine-soil treated with composted and thermally-dried sludges

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 696-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Ojeda ◽  
S. Mattana ◽  
M. Bonmatí ◽  
S. K. Woche ◽  
J. Bachmann
Keyword(s):  
Water Retention ◽  
Mine Soil ◽  
Soil Wetting ◽  
Water Retention Properties

Influence of temperature on the water retention properties of compacted GMZ01 bentonite

2014 ◽  
Vol 73 (8) ◽  
pp. 4053-4061 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Wan ◽  
W. M. Ye ◽  
Y. G. Chen ◽  
Y. J. Cui ◽  
J. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Retention ◽  
Influence Of Temperature ◽  
Gmz01 Bentonite ◽  
Influence Of Temperature On ◽  
Water Retention Properties

scholarly journals Assessment of pedotransfer functions for estimating soil water retention curves for the amazon region

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 730-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Carlos Medeiros ◽  
Miguel Cooper ◽  
Jaqueline Dalla Rosa ◽  
Michel Grimaldi ◽  
Yves Coquet
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Direct Determination ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Pedotransfer Functions ◽  
Water Retention Curve ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Soil Water Retention Curve ◽  
Soil Water Retention

Knowledge of the soil water retention curve (SWRC) is essential for understanding and modeling hydraulic processes in the soil. However, direct determination of the SWRC is time consuming and costly. In addition, it requires a large number of samples, due to the high spatial and temporal variability of soil hydraulic properties. An alternative is the use of models, called pedotransfer functions (PTFs), which estimate the SWRC from easy-to-measure properties. The aim of this paper was to test the accuracy of 16 point or parametric PTFs reported in the literature on different soils from the south and southeast of the State of Pará, Brazil. The PTFs tested were proposed by Pidgeon (1972), Lal (1979), Aina & Periaswamy (1985), Arruda et al. (1987), Dijkerman (1988), Vereecken et al. (1989), Batjes (1996), van den Berg et al. (1997), Tomasella et al. (2000), Hodnett & Tomasella (2002), Oliveira et al. (2002), and Barros (2010). We used a database that includes soil texture (sand, silt, and clay), bulk density, soil organic carbon, soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and the SWRC. Most of the PTFs tested did not show good performance in estimating the SWRC. The parametric PTFs, however, performed better than the point PTFs in assessing the SWRC in the tested region. Among the parametric PTFs, those proposed by Tomasella et al. (2000) achieved the best accuracy in estimating the empirical parameters of the van Genuchten (1980) model, especially when tested in the top soil layer.

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