Soil texture
- Refers to the relative proportion of particles or it is the relative percentage by weight of the three soils separates viz., sand, silt and clay or simply refers to the size of soil particles.
- The proportion of each size group in a given soil (the texture) cannot be easily altered and it is considered as a basic property of a soil.
- Has the following textural Classes:
- Sandy (Coarse-Textured) Soils:
- ≥70% sand and ≤15% clay by weight.
- Texture: Gritty, loose, and friable.
- Water & Drainage: Low water-holding capacity (WHC) but good drainage; prone to drought.
- Nutrient Status: Low; susceptible to wind erosion when bare.
- Tillage: Easy to till; requires light drawbar pull (“light soils”).
Subclasses:
- Sand: ≥90% sand (no ball forms).
- Loamy Sand: 70–90% sand.
- Loamy (Medium-Textured) Soils:
- Balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay.
- Texture: Smooth, intermediate between sandy and clayey soils.
- Water & Drainage: Moderate water-holding capacity; good for most crops.
- Suitability: Ideal for agriculture due to balanced properties.
Subclasses:
- Sandy Loam
- Loam
- Silt Loam
- Silt
- Sandy Clay Loam
- Silty Clay Loam
- Clay Loam
- Clayey (Fine-Textured) Soils:
- ≥35% clay content; clay characteristics dominate.
- Texture: Sticky, plastic, and cohesive.
- Water & Drainage: High water-holding capacity but poor drainage.
- Tillage: Difficult to cultivate; requires heavy drawbar pull (“heavy soils”).
- If plowed wet: Becomes impermeable.
- If plowed dry: Forms hard clods.
- Nutrient Status: High nutrient retention; acts as a nutrient reservoir.
Subclasses:
- Sandy Clay (more sand)
- Silty Clay (more silt)
- Clay