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4-Field Capacity

This laboratory exercise outlines the procedure to determine the field capacity of soil. Students measure a 1m x 1m area and saturate it with water. After 3 days, soil samples are collected and weighed both fresh and after being oven-dried. The field capacity is calculated as the percentage of water retained based on the weights. For one sample, field capacity was determined to be 12.37%, indicating a sandy loam soil type. Determining field capacity is important for efficient irrigation management.

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251 views

4-Field Capacity

This laboratory exercise outlines the procedure to determine the field capacity of soil. Students measure a 1m x 1m area and saturate it with water. After 3 days, soil samples are collected and weighed both fresh and after being oven-dried. The field capacity is calculated as the percentage of water retained based on the weights. For one sample, field capacity was determined to be 12.37%, indicating a sandy loam soil type. Determining field capacity is important for efficient irrigation management.

Uploaded by

bunaladi.jhon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LABORATORY EXERCISE NO.

4
Title: Determination of Soil Field Capacity

I. INTRODUCTION
For crops to grow, the ability of the soil to retain water after irrigation is
critical as this helps the crops to have accessible water supply for quite some
time.
The soil’s field capacity talks about the remaining amount of water in
the soil after water is applied on it. Water is being infiltrated in the soil once it is
applied. It can either be stored on the macropores, or become excess and
percolate down under. This is why after irrigation or precipitation occurred, we
can still notice that the soil is wet or the moisture content is still at normal level.
The time it takes for the water to drain depends upon the soil type. When you
pour some water on the sand, the water drains quickly, while clay soils which
do not have macropores take about two-three days before it happens.
According to the Northeast Region Certified Crop Adviser (NRCCA)
Study resources, the remaining volume of moisture for sandy soils is about 15-
25%, 35-45% for loam soils, and 45-55% for the clay soils. This proves that the
soil type greatly affects the crop growth.
The force that the soil exerts for the water to be stored in these pores is
called matric potential. At field capacity, the matric potential is around -1/10 to
-1/3 bar.

II. OBJECTIVES:

To know how to determine the field capacity of the soil

III. INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES:

Soil auger or soil tube, weighing balance, drying oven, soil sample can with
cover or small milk cans will serve the purpose, meter stick or tape measure,
pail or water hose

IV. PROCEDURE:

1. We measured an area with a dimension of 1m x 1m. We constructed a dike


around it and remove all the debris.
2. Using a pail or hose, we applied water in the area until it became saturated
or it is completely ponded with water. We made sure that water will not leak
on the dikes.
3. After three (3) days, we gathered three soil samples in the area.
4. Using a soil auger or tube, we took a soil sample about 100 grams in weight
from a depth of about 10 centimeters from the surface.
5. We carefully put the soil lump into the small can and cover it.
6. We brought soil sample to laboratory and got the total weight of can plus
soil sample.
7. We oven dried the sample at constant temperature of 105 to 1100C until the
sample is free of moisture. The process took about 12-24 hours.
8. We recorded the loss of weight and divided it by the weight of moisture-free
soil. We computed for the Field Capacity soil using the following formula:

FC(%) =(FW-OD)/(OD) x 100

Where: FC = Soil Field Capacity, %


FW = Fresh Weight, grams
OD = Ovendry Weight, grams

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:


We selected an area inside the greenhouse. We measured a square-
meter area and created dikes around it.

Selection of area and Construction


of Dike

After creating the one square meter dike, we saturated it with water using
a pail. The amount of water depends upon the desired volume.
Filling the dike with Water until it
becomes Saturated

After we saturated the dike with water, we went back to the site after two
days to gather soil samples from the dike using a milk can. After getting enough
samples, we weighed the soil sample before covering it with aluminum foil so
that we can oven dry it for one day. The fresh weight of the soil was 663 g.
After 24 hours, we went back to the farm and gathered the oven-dry weight of
the soil sample.

Gathering of the oven-dry weight

After oven- drying the soil, its weight lowered and became 590 g. Now that we
have the fresh and oven-dry weight of the soil sample, we can solve for the soil field
capacity of the area.
FC(%) =(FW-OD)/(OD) x 100
= (663 g – 590 g) / (590 g) x 100
= (0.1237) x 100
FC(%) = 12.37 %

Base on the resulting field capacity and the lectures given by our
professor, we can conclude that the soil in the area is a sandy loam.

VI. CONCLUSION:
After conducting this exercise about Field Capacity, we have been able to learn
the process of determining the soil field capacity and its importance in irrigation.
Determining the soil’s field capacity is a very important, but an unusually
practiced activity for most farmers. This is due to lack of knowledge about its
importance, and even if they had it, they will not apply it because they don’t care how
much water they irrigate on their crops. Well, most farmers got used to it, but as
agricultural engineers, we have to engage in a more efficient way of applying water
into the soil to minimized loss of resources.

VII. SUPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS:


1. What is the equivalent depth of water of the determined soil field capacity if
the bulk density of the soil is 1.5 g/cc and the soil depth is 30cm?
2. Using the soil field capacity in the area, compute for the volume of water
needed to irrigate a 1 ha corn field if the available moisture was depleted by
25% and the permanent wilting point is 12.43%. Rooting depth of corn is
assumed to be 0.5 meter and soil bulk density is 1.35 g/cc. Assume that
conveyance and other losses are 15% of the total volume of water needed.
3. How long will it take to irrigate the field in problem 2, if a 4” Satake pump
mounted to a 20 HP diesel engine will be used assuming that the pump can
fill up a 200 L drum in 30 sec.h

VIII. REFERENCE:
Retrieved today, September 5, 2018 from the following webpages:
• www.fao.org
• https://nrcca.cals.cornell.edu

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