Open AccessEffect of Organic Matter and Initial Moisture Content on Water Transmission Characteristics of Alfisols of Assam
Author(s) -
Mayak,
D.K. Patgiri,
T.C. Baruah
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
agropedology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0971-1570
DOI - 10.47114/j.agroped.2017.jun5
Subject(s) - sorptivity , water content , organic matter , thermal diffusivity , soil water , soil science , moisture , hydraulic conductivity , chemistry , environmental science , materials science , porosity , composite material , geology , geotechnical engineering , physics , thermodynamics , organic chemistry
A study was conducted to study the effect of organic matter and initial moisture content on water transmission behaviour of three texturally different Alfisols. Saturated hydraulic conductivity showed a variable increase with increase in organic matter. Soil water diffusivity D (θ) showed an irregular trend with increasing levels of organic matter while sorptivity (s) increased with increasing levels of organic matter, penetrability (P) of wetting front decreased. Weighted mean diffusivity did not show any particular trend amongst the treatments, however, it was found to be higher in treated soils as compared to untreated control. Specific water capacity increased with increasing levels of organic matter, while capillary conductivity (k) did not show any definite trend. All the water transmission parameters except sorptivity were found to be increased with an increase in initial moisture content. Diffusivity was in general higher at lower initial moisture content indicating that soil water diffusivity was greatly influenced by initial moisture content. Prediction of D (θ) was, by and large, satisfactory in coarse textured soils and inconclusive in case of K (θ) relation in most of the soils.