Department of Soil Science, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Paninagar, Nainital, Uttar Pradesh
The existing procedures for field water retention characteristics are tedious and time consuming. A simple model based on pore-size distribution theory is tested and discussed. The proposed characteristic curve (model) agreed closely with the field measured data. The model under-estimated the moisture content in comparison to laboratory data for sieved soil samples. A procedure is discussed for reasonable estimate of the field water retention characteristic when a reliable curve is not available. Moisture content and pressure at air entry and at 15 bars are the required input parameters which can be determined or readily estimated from published data.
Moisture retention characteristics, pore-size distribution, 15 bar-moisture, model
