Agricultural Engineering 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Determining the field capacity of soil is fundamentally linked to the water retention properties of that soil. Field capacity refers to the amount of soil moisture or water content held in the soil after excess water has drained away and the rate of downward movement has decreased. It represents the balance point at which the soil can supply water to plants, without the water being lost due to gravity.

Water retention properties of the soil include its particle size distribution, structure, and texture, all of which influence how much water can be held in the soil and for how long. For instance, sandy soils have larger particles and tend to retain less water compared to clay soils, which have finer particles and can hold more moisture due to pore space.

While soil type classification, environmental conditions, and crop type can all affect agricultural practices and influence water availability, they do not fundamentally determine the intrinsic field capacity of the soil itself. Soil type classification helps in understanding the water retention characteristics, but it is the specific properties of water retention that directly define field capacity.