Department of Agricultural Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal
*Present address: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani, Maharashtra
Field experiments were carried out for two years, wherein FYM, rice husk, saw-dust, wheat bhusa and neem cake were incorporated with the soil through 20 cm deep tillage. Water stable aggregate size distribution, geometric mean diameter (GMD), structural index and water retention characteristics were analysed to assess the effect of organic amendments. All the organic amendments used in this investigation significantly increased the GMD and structural index over that of control. The maximum GMD was recorded in the saw-dust amended soil. Water stable aggregates (> 0.25 mm) were significantly related (r = 0.99) with the GMD. Water retention at 1/3 and 15 bar were significantly increased by organic treatments.
Organic amendments, structural index, geometric mean diameter, soil moisture retention
