Soil Types Based on Texture
Understanding Soil Texture - Soil texture is one of several soil physical properties such as soil color, soil structure, moisture content, bulk density, and so on. Soil Texture is a relative comparison between dust, clay and sand fractions in percent form. Soil texture is closely related to hardness, permeability, plasticity, fertility, and soil productivity in certain areas.
Soil texture indicates the relative ratio of various classes of soil particles in a mass. The relative size of soil particles is implemented in the form of texture which refers to the fineness or roughness of the soil.
Soil Types Based on Texture (Contrasting Soil Textural Classes)
Hanafiah (2005) states that clay-dominated soils will have small pores (not porous).
Land that is dominated by sand will have large pores (more porous). Whereas dust-dominated soil will have moderate pores (somewhat porous). Based on the texture class, the soil can be classified into:
1. Fine-textured or coarse-earth ground; it means that the soil has a minimum of 37.5% clay, whether it is dusty clay or sandy clay.
2. Medium textured or clay soil; meaning that this land is composed of:
Medium textured soil, including soil with the texture of dusty loam (silty loam), very fine sandy loam, loam (loam), or dust (silt).
Medium-textured but rather coarse soils, including soils that are fine sandy loam or sandy loam.
Medium and rather fine textured soil, including dusty clay loam (sandy silt loam), sandy clay loam (sandy clay loam), and clay loam (clay loam).
3. Coarse-textured or sandy soil; it means that land has a minimum of 70% sand, and / or sandy textured, and / or sandy clay.
soil type based on texture
Soil types based on texture class.
Soil Texture Function
Soil texture can serve to determine the water system in the soil in the form of penetration, infiltration speed, and the ability to bind water. Soil texture is very determining physical and chemical reactions in the soil, because the size of soil particles can be a determining factor in the surface area of the soil.
The dust and sand fraction has minimal (low) surface activity, so that chemically and physically it can be considered inactive. While the clay fraction is the most important because it has a maximum surface area (height).
The clay fraction can increase the cation exchange ability. In addition the clay colloidal system is a "cementing agent" (binding agent) which is very important in the soil aggregation system. Soils with a smooth texture have a minimum surface area, making it difficult to hold water and absorb elements present in the soil. Soil with clay texture has a maximum surface area, so that the durability and shelf life of nutrients is quite high (Hardjowigeno 2003).
If soil samples are analyzed the results will always show that the soil has particles of varying sizes, some of which have very fine, colloidal, fine, very coarse, and coarse sizes.
The size of such particles has been classified into certain groups or groups based on their diameter, regardless of their color composition, chemistry, weight, or other properties.
Particle analysis in which the soil particles are separated is often referred to as soil mechanical analysis. Analysis such as this results in a distribution model according to soil particle sizes (Hakim et al, 1986).
Soil texture greatly affects the ability of aeration, infiltration, water absorption, availability of water in the soil layer, and the rate of movement of water (percolation). Therefore, soil texture can also indirectly influence the development of plant growth, roots, and savings in fertilization.