I would like to do pot experiment on irrigation interval on growth and yield of rice. Treatments are continuous flooding, irrigation at field capacity, 90% field capacity and 80 % field capacity. I need to determine field capacity, 90% FC, 80% FC for irrigation.
1) fill a bare soil area with excess water inducing drainage.
2) cover the wet soil with a plastic cover
3) wait about 2-3 days
4) collect a soil sample
5) weigh moist soil, dry in a oven at 105°C till to constant; weigh (after about 24 hours) and weigh the dry soil.
6) Calculate moisture at field capacity
you can find the solution at here: http://www.agvise.com/educational-articles/water-holding-capacity/
best
In addition to the methods mentioned by the colleagues above, you can estimate the field capacity from the published data according to the soil texture.
I have summarized the data of three good references in the following table.
1) fill a bare soil area with excess water inducing drainage.
2) cover the wet soil with a plastic cover
3) wait about 2-3 days
4) collect a soil sample
5) weigh moist soil, dry in a oven at 105°C till to constant; weigh (after about 24 hours) and weigh the dry soil.
6) Calculate moisture at field capacity
Hi Thant Wai
All the above researchers suggest appropriate methods for FC determination depending on the facility/experience available. Field method as suggested by Francesco Danuso is more appropriate for undisturbed soils under field condition. However, in pot trial, you will also determine the FC of disturbed soil as follows.
Take a pot that you will use in experiment. Cover surfaces of pot by thin plastic film with proving several holes at bottom of pot to drain free water (soil particles must not remove with drain water). Take a known quantity of soil in pot. Saturate the pot soil for several hours with excess water (hence, all micro pores will filled up by water) and cover the top of pot to avoid evaporation. When the gravitational water will seizes (probable overnight), weigh net weight of moist soil. Calculate the amount of water held by soil i.e. 100 % FC. Subsequent calculate Water held at 80 and 90 % of FC. Further, looking your treatment, you might miss MWHC treatment in-between continuous flooding and 100 % FC.
Dear Sir,
The field capacity of soil can also be determined easily with the help of time domain reflectometer (TDR). For this, the soil in the pot is saturated with water in such a manner that excess water is drained out from the bottom holes of pot. The pot is covered with plastic sheet for 2 days to prevent evaporation and to allow downward redistribution of water. The TDR probes are then inserted vertically from the soil surface to determine field capacity.
Best regards
Jalal Shabaani , Can you please give the reference of this method ??
Dear Veena panday,
Can you please provide the reference of your method?
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