1/24/2018

Learning Objectives
Soil Texture and Soil Structure •Explain soil structure, its formation,
and importance.

By •Differentiate various soil structures.

Dr. A.G.Adeogun

Learning Objectives What is soil texture?

•Describe the concept of soil texture and • Soil texture is the fineness or coarseness of a soil.
its importance. • The inorganic material in soil is called mineral matter;
•Determine the texture of a soil sample. it began as rock and was weathered into small
particles.
• Texture describes the proportion of three sizes of soil
particles.
1. Sand is the largest mineral particle.
2. Silt is a medium-sized mineral particle.
3. Clay is the smallest mineral particle.

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why is it important?
3. Soil workability is the ease with which soil may be
tilled and the timing of working the soil after a rain.
4. Most plants grow best in soils that have good
aeration and water-holding capacity.
– Some root crops like carrots and onions have
stunted growth in a fine-textured soil.

Why is Soil Texture important? How is the texture of soil determined?

• Soil texture is important because it affects water-
holding capacity, permeability, soil workability, and • Soil texture may be determined in one of two ways.
plant growth.
• The percentages of sand, silt, and clay may be tested
1. Water-holding capacity is the ability of a soil to in the lab.
retain water for use by plants. • Once tested, you may determine the textural class of
2. Permeability is the ease with which air and water the soil by referring to the textural triangle.
may pass through the soil.

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How is the texture of soil determined?

• There are 12 basic textural classes.
How is the texture of soil determined?
1. Silt
2. Silt loam • The relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay may also
be determined in the field using the ribbon method.
3. Silty clay loam
• Five textural classes may be determined using the
4. Loam, which contains some of all three soil particle ribbon method.
sizes 1. In fine-textured soil, a ribbon forms easily and remains long
5. Sandy clay loam and flexible.
6. Loamy sand 2. In moderately fine-textured soil, a ribbon forms but breaks
into pieces ¾ to one–inch long.
7. Sand
8. Sandy loam
9. Sandy clay
10. Clay loam
11. Silty clay
12. Clay

How is the texture of soil determined?

3. No ribbon forms in medium-textured
soil. The sample breaks into pieces less
than ¾–inch long. The soil feels smooth
and talc-like.
4. No ribbon forms in moderately coarse-
textured soil. The sample feels gritty and
lacks smoothness.
5. No ribbon forms in coarse–textured soil.
The sample is composed almost entirely
of gritty material and leaves little or no
stain.

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Measuring Soil Texture

What is soil structure?
• In the lab – based on how quickly particles drop Different soils have different soil structures.
out of suspension
• Soil structure is the arrangement of the soil particles
• In the field – Texture by Feel into clusters or aggregates of various sizes and
shapes.
• Aggregates that occur naturally in the soil are referred
to as peds, while clumps of soil caused by tillage are
called clods.

Measuring Soil Texture Definition

• In the lab – based on how quickly particles
drop out of suspension • Soil structure is the arrangement of the
• •In the field – Texture by Feel primary soil particles (sand, silt, and clay) and
other soil materials into discrete aggregates.

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Peds Granular Structure

• Structural units are called peds, and have distinct

boundaries and well-defined planes of weakness • Resembles cookie
between the aggregates. crumbs and is usually
• Peds consist of primary particles bound together by less than 0.5 cm in
cementing agents like organic matter, clay, and diameter. http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/pvg/gr
anular.gif

hydrous oxides of iron and aluminum. • Commonly found in

• Peds can take several shapes. surface horizons where
roots have been
growing.

http://soils.usda.gov/technical/manual/images/fig
3-30_large.jpg

Blocky Structure
Ped Shapes
• Granular
• Blocky • Irregular blocks that are
usually 1.5 - 5.0 cm in
• Prismatic diameter.
• Columnar • Can be subangular or
• Platy angular blocky.
• Single-grained
• Massive

http://soil.gsfc.nas
a.gov/pvg/blocky.
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gif
enimages.nsf/Images/gl167_profile/$
File/gl167_profile.jpg

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Prismatic Structure Columnar Structure

• Vertical columns of soil • Vertical columns of soil that have a salt "cap" at the
that might be a number top.
of cm long. • Found in soils of arid climates.
• Usually found in lower
horizons.

http://soil.gsfc.nas
http://soils.usda.gov/tech
a.gov/pvg/prismati
nical/manual/images/fig3
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-27_large.jpg
sa.gov/pvg/colum
nar.gif http://soils.usda.gov/techni
cal/manual/images/fig3-
28_large.jpg

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Platy Structure Single-grained Structure

• Soil is broken into individual particles that do not

• Thin, flat plates of soil stick together.
that lie horizontally.
• Always accompanies a loose consistence.
• Usually found in
• Commonly found in sandy soils.
compacted soil.

http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/pvg http://soils.ag.uidaho.edu/soilorders/i/
/platy.gif Arid_03.jpg http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/pvg/singlegrain
ed.gif

Massive Structure

• Soil has no visible structure, is hard to break apart

and appears in very large clods.

http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/pvg/massi http://soils.usda.gov/technical/manual/images/fig3-
ve.gif 31_large.jpg

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Grade of Soil Structure how does it form?

• Structure is formed in two steps.

• The terms weak, moderate, or strong are used to 1. A clump of soil particles sticks loosely together due
describe the grade or how stable the peds are and to:
how hard they are to break apart. a. Plant roots surrounding the soil and
separating clumps
• What do you think
b. Freezing and thawing of soil
the grade would be
c. Soil becomes wet and then dries
for this picture? d. The soil is tilled
e. Fungal activity

http://soils.usda.gov/technical/manual/images/fig3-
27_large.jpg

Class of Soil Structure how does it form?

2. Weak aggregates are cemented to make them

• The size or class of the peds is described as distinct and strong.
fine, medium, or coarse. – Clay, iron oxides, and organic matter may act as
cements.
– When soil microorganisms break down plant
residues, they produce gums that also glue peds
together.

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Why is Soil Structure is important? Degree of Water Movement

• Soil structure is important for several reasons.
1. It improves soil tilts. Structure
2. It improves permeability.
Water
3. It resists the beating action of raindrops, minimizing Moveme
the formation of crusts that reduce crop stands. nt

http://ohioline.osu.edu/b905/images/006.jpg

How does structure affect water

movement in soils?
Altering Soil Structure
• In soils with good structure, the pore space
that occurs between peds is relatively large • Unlike texture, structure
and facilitates water and air movement. can be altered by tillage
• Well-developed structure is very important in or traffic.
clayey soils. • Tilling soils that are too
wet, or compacting soils
• Clayey soils with poor structure restrict water
with heavy equipment
and air movement. can break down the
natural structural units. http://www.ny.nrcs.usda.g
ov/programs/images/tract
or-tillin.jpg

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Bulk Density in the Field Soil Permeability

• Soil permeability is the ease with which air, water, or
plant roots penetrate or pass through soil.
• Bulk density of organic soils can be very low, • Soils with large pores that are connected are more
such as 0.5 g/cm3. permeable.
• Rainwater soaks in readily and moves down through
• Clayey soils have higher bulk densities. the soil profile.
• Compacted clay soils have very high bulk • Clayey soils can have greater total porosity than sand
densities, between 1.6 and 1.8 g/cm3. and still be less permeable than sand since the pores
are small.

Porosity Soil Strength

• Soil porosity is the percentage of a soil that is pore • Soil strength is defined as the amount of force
space or voids.
required to move or rearrange soil particles.
• The average soil has a porosity of about 50%, and
the pores are filled with air or water depending on • Soil strength is an important physical property
the moisture content. affecting plant growth and seedling
• Sands have larger pores, but less total pore space emergence.
than clays. • It is affected by three main factors; moisture
• If both bulk density and particle density are known, content, soil texture, and bulk density.
the total porosity can be calculated using these
values.

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Moisture Content & Soil Strength Soil Texture & Soil Strength
• Soil texture also affects soil strength.
• Water content is the most important factor • Soil strength of aggregated soils increases as clay
determining soil strength. content increases.
• The lower the soil water content, or the drier • Poorly aggregated or single grain soils (sands, loamy
the soil, the greater the soil strength. sands, sandy loams) usually have the weakest soil
strengths unless they are cemented or compacted.
• Soils that are saturated, or waterlogged have • Individual particles of single grain (sandy) soils are
weak soil strengths. easy to rearrange, but these soils are susceptible to
compaction, sometimes resulting in the formation of
hard pans.

Moisture Content Bulk Density & Soil Strength

• Bulk density is the third factor affecting soil
• Which soil would have the greater soil strength? strength.
• As bulk density of a given soil increases soil
strength also increases.
• Remember that soil is composed of solids and
pores, and the greater the bulk density the
greater the amount of solids, and the smaller
the amount of pore space.
http://www.wy.blm.gov/ http://www.research.noaa
botany/pics/cob- .gov/spotlite/archive/ima
duckswamp-500wfo.jpg ges/drysoil.jpg

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Review/Summary
Soil Management Problems
•What is soil texture and why is it
important?
• Two examples of management problems caused by •How is the texture of soil
increasing soil strength are soil crusts and tillage
pans. determined?
• A soil crust is a thin soil layer that forms at the soil
surface following heavy rains. •What is soil structure, how does it
• Tillage or hard pans are high bulk density (>1.7 form, and why is it important?
g/cm3) layers that occur within the Ap and E
horizons. •What are the various soil structures
• Compaction caused by traffic of equipment, vehicles, and what do they look like?
or even foot traffic often increases soil strength to
levels that restrict root penetration and plant
growth.

Penetrometers

• The force required to push a

rod into the soil is a measure
of soil strength.
• Penetrometers are devices
used to measure the
resistance of a soil to
penetration to estimate the
effect of compaction on
growth, and to detect layers of
different soil strength.

http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailyn
ews/stories/SOIL/photos/May0
505a-lr.jpg

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