Important Soil characteristics

Mainul Ahsan
Principal Scientific Officer

To identify a soil series in the field 13 differentiating characteristics of the soil profile are
need to be identified in the field and laboratory. The name of the soil characteristics are
as follows-
1. Colour
2. Texture
3. Structure
4. Consistency
5. Cutans
6. Porosity
7. Roots, organic matter
8. Effervescence
9. Soil reaction (pH)
10. Horizon
11. Drainage
12. Parent material
13. Special information
a) Concretion
b) Pan
c) Krotovinas
d) Efflorescence

Soil colour: Each soil profile may consist of several horizons differentiating in colour.
The complete colour description should be recorded for each horizon under both dry and
moist condition in the field. Kind, amount, and distribution of organic matter, various
mineral substances, mainly iron compounds, and/or stagnant water table cause soils to
appear in different colours. Reddish, brownish, or yellowish colous indicate soils with
oxidized iron content, but when iron is reduced to ferrous state under wet anaerobic
conditions then soils will be grey to light grey sometimes with a bluish or greenish blue
tinge. Red colour of the soil indicates longer or pronounced weathering of the soil under
oxidized condition. Tropics and subtropics soils are generally red in colour. Red colour
originates from its patent material or lithology. Yellow colour indicates the poor
drainagecondition.CaCO3, MgCO3, Kaolin are responsible for grey colour.

The most widely used system is the Munsell Colour Chart (USA). Several hundred
different coloured chips are systematically arranged on pages by combination of three
variable factors-namely hue, value and chroma.

hue: It is the dominant spectral (rainbow) colour; it is related to the dominant wavelength
of the light. In other words it is the proportion of red, yellow, green, blue and purple.
The Munsell system has a spatial arrangement of colours in a cylinder form. On the top
base of the cylinder, being a circle, five colours are equally spaced and coded by the first
letter of their name: R=red, Y= yellow, G = green, B=blue, P=purple. The sector between
each two letters (72o = 360o/5) is subdivided into two parts ( 72o/2 = 36o), bring the
number to ten. The five newly developed notations are :
RP= red purple, YR= yellow red, GY = green yellow, BG= Blue green, and PB= purple
blue.
Each of the sectors of 36o is again further subdivided into four equal parts (36o/4 = 9o),
indicated by a number, namely 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10. ( The zero point, in this way
coincide with the 10 points of the next redder hue). Example for the hues YR and Y are :

0YR 2.5YR 5YR 7.5YR 10YR

yellow-red 0Y 2.5Y 5Y 7.5Y 10Y
yellow

In order to avoid double notation for one single colour, the zero is not used ( not 0Y but
10YR). The middle of each range -5- is considered as the pure colour, e.g. 5R = pure red.
Generally, when the hue value of a soil colour is 5Y it may be treated as young soil ,on
the other hand 10YR will be treated as old soil

value: It is considered as relative lightness of the colour. It can be considered as the axis
of the colour cylinder. It ranges from absolute black at the bottom of the axis to the
absolute white at the top of the axis. The range between 0 and 10 is subdivided in equal
parts, the chips being indicated with the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. The number 5
indicates the “perfect” grey. ( The value 0 and 10 are not used in the Soil Colur Charts,
because they are never really approached in soils).

chroma: Absolute purity concentration of the spectral colour. The chroma is obtained by
adding a certain anount of “value” ( from white to black) with the hue. The intervals are
equal and the anmount of added “value” decreases while the number of the chroma
increases from 10 to a maximum of amout 20. This means that the higher the chroma
number is the more vivid or bright the colour is. In the soil colour charts, chroma number
stops at 8.

The Munsell Soil Colour Charts cover the ranges from hues from 5R to 5 Y, this means 9
hues. For each hue a selection of useful colours for soils has been made. Besides, there is
a special page with a selection of near-grey colours from yellow through green and blue,
allocated for use in hydromorphic and submerged soil ( Gley-page). The number of
colour chips in the Munsell Soil Colour Charts, therefore, is close to 180.

In soil generally two types of colour should be recorded, these are a) principal colour or
dominant colour or base colour or matrix colour and b) mottling colour.

a) Principal colour ( Dominant/base/matrix colour)- When a colour occupies at least

60% of the expoased surface then it is called principal/dominant/base/matrix colour.
Soil colour recording technique in the field:

 Colours are normally recorded in adequate day light.

 Direct sunlight is often uncomfortable and one can easily avoid it by facing away
from it, looking at the soil and charts in light reflected from the sun.
 The surface of a broken sample should not be so rough as to cast shadows which
take the sample appear too dark.
 Where the soils are dry and should be wet (moistened) in order to record the soil
colour in moist status, care should be taken not to add so much water such that
water drops cause refection, giving a false colour to the soil sample.
 Where ped coatings are strongly developed, or in mottled and/or variegated soils
special care are required to record the right colour.
 Where ped coatings are strongly formed, the colour of a crushed sample or wthin
ped should be recorded, preferably followed by the word “crushed” and/or
“within-ped”. or in mottled and/or variegated soils special care are required to
record the right colour.

b) Mottling colour ( Dominant/base/matrix colour)- When a colour occupies less than

40% of the exposed surface then it is called mottling colour.
When two or more colours are present in a soil mass in more or less equal proportion,
then it may be treated as mixed colour or matrix colour. It may be 50% ↔ 50%, 45% ↔
55%, 40% ↔ 60% ( mixed colour or matrix colour). For example- Grey = 40%.
Yellowish brown = 50% and strong brown = 10% Mixed clour.

Motting in soil is described by noting the colour, together with size and proportion of
mottles. Description of the pattern of mottles requires three sets of notations for a)
abundance , b) size, and c) contrast. The notations of mottling are summarized in the
following table:

Notations Terms with description Symbols

Abundance Few- < 2% of the exposed areas f
Common- 2-20% of the exposed areas c
Many- >20% of the exposed areas m

Size Fine - < 5 mm in diameter 1

Medium- 5-15 mm in diameter 2
Coarse- >15 mm in diameter 3

Contrast Faint- indistinct mottles f

( closely related hues and chromas of matrix and mottles)
Distinct- Mottles easily seen ( Mottles vary from matrix as d
much as 1 or 2 hues or several units in chroma or value)
Prominent- Conspicuous mottles. p
( Hue, value and chroma may be several units apart)

For example : Few, fine distinct yellowish brown mottles = f1d yb

Soil Texture:

Main textural group Textural subgroup Textural class

Sandy soils Coarse -textured - sand (s)
- loamy sand (ls)

Loamy soils moderately coarse-textured - sandy loam (sl)

- fine sandy loam (fsl)

medium-textured - very fine sandy loam

(vfsl)
- loam (l)
- silt loam (sil)
- silt (si)

moderately fine-textured - clay loam (cl)

- sandy clay loam (scl)
- silty clay loam (sicl)

Clayey soils fine-textured - sandy clay (scl)

- silty clay (sic)
- clay (c)

A simple manual texture test, useful in the field.

Textural class
Sand- -The remains loose and single grained an can only be heaped into a
pyramid.

Loamy sand- -The soil contains sufficient silt and clay to become somewhat cehesive
and can be shaped into a ball that easily falls apart;
-can be formed ribbon but broken.
Silt loam - as for loamy sand but the soil can be shaped by rolling into a short,
thick cylinder

Loam -because of about equal sand,silt and clay content the soil can be rolled
into a cylinder about 6 inch (15 cm) long the breaks when bent.
Clay loam -as for loam, although the can be bent into a U, but no further, without
being broken.
Light clay -the soil can be bent into a circle that shows cracks.
Heavy clay -the soil can be bent into a circle without showing cracks.
Cuten
Skin of the ped is called cuten. Three tesus are used to expressed the cutens. These are as
follows. I) Continuous-c, 2) Brokcn-b 3) palclay.b. Thicknes of the cuten can be defince
as follows. i) This-1 ii) Mod. Thick, iii) thick-3. On the bases of the position of the
cuten it may be cla***** as follows
i) Vertical-V, ii) Horzental-n, iii) Pores-p

Texture

Texture refers relative coassenes and fineness of the soil. There are twelve
textural clases. These are as follows.
1. Sand (S)
2. Loamy sand (Ls)
3. Sandy loam (Sl)
4. Silt (Si)
5. Silt loam (sil)
6. Loam (L)
7. Sandy Clay Loam (SCL)
8. Silty Clay Loam (Sicl)
9. Clay loam (Cl)
10.Sandy Clay (Sc)
11.Silty Clay (Sic)
12.Clay (C)

Description :

Sand : In dry it is loose, single grained and individual grains can easily be
fult in the land under most condition it will form a cost. It will crushable and
brcakalile when pressed. Soil material that contains 85% or more sand % of
silt + 1 % of clay shall not exceed 15 .

Sandy Loam : It has got sufficient silt and clay to make the soil mass
coherence. Dry It will form a cost but it should be careful handing.
Moist – It will form a cost and it can handle frecly. It will not form ribbon it
will breakdown.

Either clay % 20 or les and % of sand in 52 or more, the % of silt + twrce %

of clay exceed 30 or lesthan 7% clay, les than 50% silt and 43-52% sand.
Loamy Sand : Intermediate between sand and sandy loam. Under dry
condition it will not form a cost. Under most condition it will form a cost but
that cost will exist more than sand.
(a) Soil material that contains 85-90% sand, % of silt + 1 times % of
clay should be more than 15.
(b) At lower limit not lesthan 75-85% sand is present % of silt + twice %
of clay shall not exceed 30.
Loam : Even mixture of sand of silt and clay but still it has greety feeling.
Under dry condition it will form a cost but it needs careful handing. Under
most condition it will form cost, it can handle frcely.
% Clay = 7-27, % silt 28-50% sand<51

Silt : Under dry condition it will be a clud but it can not be broken easily.
Under most condition it is sticky and plastic. Under moust condition a
ribbon can not be formed but will give a broken appearance.
80% or more silt, <12% clay, Rest being send.

Silt Loam : In will loam half of the partides are so size are called silt. When
dry it appears just like a clod and it can not be break along with any finger.
When pulvarised or broken into pieces it feels flowry and soft. Under dry
condition it will form a cost but it needs careful handling and under most
condition it wil form a cost and it can be handled easily. It will not form a
ribbon but will give broken appearance.
% Silt-50 pr ,pre. % Clay 12-27
or % Silt- 50-80, % Clay <12
Rest being sand.

Sandy clay loam : It is similar group of clay loam but it has got more grecty
feeling however it will felt individual sand grain. Other qualities use just
like clay loam.
% Clay – 20-35, % Silt < 28% sand= 45 or more.

Silty Clay loam : It is also similar clay loam but it has got more silkey and
soapy feeling. No individual sand grain can be felt. Under most condition it
will feel smorth, soft and. Apongy.
% Clay = 27-40, % Sand <20,
Rest being silt.

Clay loam : When dry a clay loam is clod by appearance. It is hard and can
not be broken easily. Under moist condition it will form a ribbon but at the
time of bending it will break down. Under dry and moist condition it will
form a cost. It will also form a weak tounge
% Clay- 27-40, % Sand 20-45
Rest being silt

Sandy clay : It is similar to properties of clay but it will give a grecty feeling
which indicales more content of the sand,
% Clay-35 or more, % Sand 45 or more
Rest being silt

Silt clay : It is also similar to clay but it will not give grcety feeling just like
sandy clay but will give soapy feeling.
% Clay-40% or more % silt-40 or more
Rest being sand.

Clay : Under dry condition a clay forms a hard clod which can not be broken
by hand easily. Under wet condition it is sliky to very sliky condition it form
farm to very form. It will form a good ribbon with out any brcakage. It will
form a strong tounge.
% Clay – 40 or more, % Silt <40%, Sand-45

Goruping of the basic soil textural classes.

Sand Coarse textured soil Sandy soil
Loamy sand
Sandy Loam (Sl) Mod. Coorse
Sandy loam Fine Sandy Loam (FSL) texture soil
Very fine sandy loam (VFSL)

Silt
Loam Sledium textured soil
Silt loam
Very fine sandy loam

Loamy Soil

Sandy clay loam Moderateh fine

Silty clay loam textured soil
Clay loam
Sandy clay
Silty clay Fine textured clayey soil
clay

Textural name caused by particle size above 2 mm

Size of the
particlr
% of the particle 2-75 m.m 75-250 m.m >250 mm
>2-<15% Slighttly gravelly Susuly stony Bouldry
15-<30 % Gravelhy Stong Bouldry
50-<90% Very gravelly Very strong Very bouldry
90-> 90% Gravely Store Bouldry

The term muck used for well decomposed organic soil. Peat for raw and
coarse undecomposed material. The mucky is used as an adjective on the
textural clas name for hongons of inineral soils that contens roughly 15% or
more partialhy decomposed organic matter. Horigons deniguated mucky
loam or muely silty loam or mucky silty loam or mucky clay etc are
intergrades between muck and soil textural clas. The terms for coarse
fragments are also added has adjectives to the basic soil class names and
become a part it thus a gravelly sandy loam has 15-50% gravelt in the whole
soil has. Slightly storng loamy sand. It has got 2-15% of stone of the whole
soil man.

Environment : In most situations where organic matter forms very rapidly

than its decomposition peat defaination are formed.

If the organic remains are sufficiently fresh and intact to permit

identification of plant froms of times the material is regarded as peat. If the
peat has under gone sufficient decomposition to make recognition fo plant
parts of issue impossilele the decomposition material in called muck sluck
has high mineral content than peat.

Soil structure
Soil structure can be defined as the aggrication of primary soil particles into
compound particles or clusters of primary particle. Soil structure refers as
the arrangement of the soil mass into natural fragment.
Ped : An individual natural fragments is called a ped.
Ped faces : Exterior surface of the peds is called ped faces.

Clod : Clod can be defined as artificial accumulation of soil man caused by

distarbences such as ploughing digging etc that moulds the soil to a
transitional mas that makes with repeated weting and drying.

Generally soil strucfure can be express by three sets of notation.

1. Type ii. Class iii grade.
2. Type Type can be defined as the shape and arrangement of the ped.
There are four primary types of soil structure. These are as follows
a) Plate like b) Priam like c) Block lide and d) sphesoil dal.
b) Prism (Pr) : With particles arrcenged around a vertical line and
bounded by relatively that vertical surface.
c) Block (bk) With particles arranged around a point and boccnded by
flat or rounded surface
d) Spherodal (Sp) : With particles arranged around a point and bounded
by cavered or irreqular surface.
Pstsm like :
Psismatic (Pr) : Without cap or without rounded at the upper end.
Cloumner (CPr) : With cap at the upper end.

Blocky :
Angular blocky (abk) : Bounded by planes intersecting at relatively shap
angles.
Sub angular blocky : Having mixed rounded and plane faces with mostly
rounded vertices.

*Blocky structure generally found in young soil.

Sphesoidal :
Granular (gr) : Relatively porous
Crumle (Cr) : Very porous.

 In Bangladesh primatic and blocking structure are common. Blocky

strxture always refers only angular slacky
Class : The class designation refers to the size of the peds. There are five
sets of clases.
 i) very fine (vf).
ii) Fine (f)
iii) Pledium (m)
iv) Coarse ©
v) Very coarse (Vc)

Platy (pl) Prismatic (pr) Anegular bk of Granular + (gr)

Or sub anqular bk cremb (cr)
Columner (cpr) (sbk)
V. fine < 1 m. m. < 10.mm < 5m.m. <1m.m
Fine 1-2 m.m. 10-20m.m 5-10m.m 1-2m.m
Plediumm 2-5 m.m 20.50m.m 10-20m.m 2-5 m.m
Coarse 5-10m.m 50-100m.m 20-50m.m 5-10m.m
W. Coases > 10 m.m. > 100 m.m > 50m.m > 10.m.m

Note : For platy structure thin (th) should writtrren in the of fine and thick
(thk) for coasses.

Grade : Degree of aggregation or development or distremes and duraliitily

regarded as grade. In the field practice grade of structure is determined
mainly by noting the duralility of the aggregates and the properties between
aggregated and non aggregated materials that result when the aggregates are
displaced or gently crust. Grade of structure varics with the mostening of the
soil and should be deseribed at the most important moisture conten of the
soil horizon. With exposure, structure may become much alterce, often much
stronger. Old roud cuts are not suitable places to determine the grade of
structure but they often afford a clue to type of structure present, where the
grade is so weak that can not be identified in the undisturbed soil.
Four forms are used to determine the grade of structure
(a) Structure les (1) weak (2) Moderate (3) strong
(a) Structure les () : There are no observable ped
i) St. les massive (om) : The soil massive (om) when it is coherent
ii) St. les single grain (Osg) The soil is called single gruened if it is
non-coherent.

b) Weak (1) Peds are poorly formed and barely observable in the
undisturbed soil. When disturbed soil breaks into a mixture of few entire
peds many broken peds and much unaggregated material.
c. Modegate (2) Ped are well formed and moderately durable in undisturbed
soil. When disturbed soil ***** down into ------- of many distance entire
*** some broken peds and little unaggregated material.

e) Strong (3) : Peds are very much evident and strongly durable in
undisturbed soil when disturbed soil consists of mainly cutire peds,
few proken peds. Little or no unaggregated material
 Strong Coarse prismalic (3cpr) when breaks it will form storng coarse
angular blocky (Bc abk)

Consistancy

Soil Consistancy : Soil consistency comprises the attributies of the soil

material that are expressed by the degree and king of adhesion and
cohesion or by the resistance to deformation or by repture. Consistance in
the field desesibed at three standard moisture condition.

A. Dry condition B. Ploist Condition C. Wet condition.

Soil consistence in dry condition : The consistence of soil material when

dry is characterized by rigidity. Brittleness, maximum resistance to
pressure more or less tendency to crush to a powder or to fragments with
rather sharp cdges and inalility of the crush to cohere again when preses
together.
In the field we can express the soil by six notation.
O. loose 1. Soft 2. Slightly hard 3. hard
4. very hard and 5. Eytrenly hard
O. Loose (dl) : Non-Coherent
1. Soft (ds) : Soil man is very weakly coherent and fragilete breaks to
powder or inaividual grains under slight presoure.
2. Slightly hard (dsh) : Weakly resistant to pressure easily broken
between thumle and forefinger.
3. Hard (dh) : Moderately resistant to pressure, can be broken in the
hands without much difficulty but is bas cly brcakable between thumb
and fore finger
4. Very hard (dvh) : Very resistant to pressure can be broken in the hands
only with difficulty but not breakalale between thumle and forcfingel
5. Extrenly hard (deh) : Extrenly resistant to pressure can not be broken is
hands.
 B. Soil consistency is moist : Consistancy when most is determine at a
moisture content appxly midway between air capacily and field capacity
by crushing in the hand a mass of soil that is nighty moist
In the field we can express the soil consistency by six ****. These are as
follows.
0. Loose (ml): Non coherent
1. Ueng frible (mufr) : Soil material that crushes under very gentle
pressure but cheeses when pressed together.
2. Frible (mfr.): Soil material that crushes easily under gentle to
moderate pressure between thumb and forefinger and coheres when
pressed together.
3. Fism (mf.) : Soil material that croshes under moderate pocesure
between thumb and finger.
4. Very firm (mvfi) : Soil material crushes under strong pressure basely
crushalele between thumb and forctinger.
5. Extrcmly firm (mefi): Soil material that crushes only under very
strong pressure can not be creshed between thumb and forefinger and
must be broken a part bit by bit .
C. Soil Consistancy when wet : Soil consistancey when wet is
determine at or rightly it is determince by two sets of notatias.
These are as follows.
a) Strckines b) Plasticity.
Stickiness : Stickness is the quality of adhesion to the objects. For field
evaluation of stickness soil material is pressed between thumle and finger
and its adherence is noted. Degree of stickiness is deseribed as follows.
O. Nonsticky (wso) : After release of pressure practically no soil material
ahere to thumle orfingel
1. Slightly stickly (Wss) : After release of pressure soil material adheres to
both thumle and fore finger but comes of one or the othel rather cleanly.

2 Sticlly (ws ) : After pressure soil material adheres to both thumb and
finger and tends to strctur & pull apart rather than pulling frce from
either thumb orfinger (digit)
3. Very sticky (wvs) : After pressure soil material adheres strongly to
both thumb and forefinger and desided strectch when they are
separated.
b) Plasticity : Plasticity is the ability to change shapes continuously
under the influence of an applied stress to rctain the impressed shape
on removal of the stress. In the field plasticity is determined by solling
 the soil material between themb and finger and observed whwater as
not a wire or thin rod of soil can be formed.

Degree of plasticily is as fund as follows .

0. No plastic (wpo) : No wire is formable
1. Slightly plastic (wps) wire is formable but soil mas is casily
deformable
2. Plastic (wp) : Wire is formable but moderate pressue required for
deformation of the soil mans.
3. Very plastic (wvp) : Wire formable but much pressure required for
deformation of the soil.
Cementation : Comentation of soil material refers to a brittle hard
cansistancy caused by some cementing sulastance other than clay minerals
such as CaCO3 silica or oxides or salt of Fe and AL cementation can be
described by three sets of notation.

1. Weakly cemented (cw) : Comented more is brittle and hard but can be
broken in the land.
2. Strongly cemented (cs) : Cemented mes can not be broken by hand
but is easily broken with a hammer.
3. Indurated © : Very strongly connected brittle does not soften under
prolonged weting and so extremely hard that breakage a sharp blow
with a harmmel is required.
Cutans
The term cultans refers to a genetic term for all apparent coatings or skins in
the soil . Coating are devided into two classes >
i) gleyaus or flood coatings ii) Argillaus or true clay skin

Difference between argillams and gleyaus

1. Mainly fine clay 1. Clay, silt, organic matter etc.
2. Browen to grcyish brown 2. Grey to dark grey colour
colour
3. Under microscope oriented 3. Under microscope not
alongthe ped faces oriented along the ped faces.
4. Difficult to ditingush by eye 4. It can be distengush by eye

In the field, cultan can be explain by 4 set of notation

i) Quantity ii) Thickness iii) Nature iv) Location
 i) Qunantity : It can be devided into 3 classes
a) Patchy (p) b) Broken (b) (c) Continuaues (c)

Patchy (p) : Small scattered patches of cutans on ped faces or as liming in

pores channels etc.
Broken (b) : Cutan which cover much but not all of ped faces or line most
but not all of pores.

Catinuaus (c ) : Cultan that cover entirchy orcompletely line the poses

channels etc.
Thickness
i) Thin : (1) ii) Moderately thick (2) iii) Thick
i) Thin : (1) : Fine sand grains are readily apparent or can be seen in the
cutan and their outlines are indisfinct
ii) Mod thick (2) : Fine sand grains are enveloped in the cutans and their
outlines are in district.
iii) Thick (3) : Surface of the cutans is smoth showing no outlines of the fine
sand grain strong bridges between larger grains.

Nature : Cutans most probally contains the following material. In the field
nature of the cutan can be determined by colour of the cultons.

i) Pure clay (rarc)

ii) Clay minerals with iron oxide and hy droxide
iii) Clay minerals with organic matter
iv) Sesquioxide
v) Manganese oxide and hydroxide
vi) Soluble salts (CO3, SO4, cl etc.)
vii) Silica.
Location : 1) wertical ped faces (v)
2) Horizantal ped faces (h)
3) Koot channels (P)
4) Crock (cr)
Example
Patchy thin, Brown cutan proloalely of clay mineral (with iron oxide
and hydroxide) mainly along vertical ped face
Pib/V
Broken, thick, dark grey cutan along vertical sometimes horizonlal prefaces.
B s dg/vh
Continuaes, mod thick gray along vertical horizontal and soil channel,
C2g/vhpr

Pressureface and slickensides : Prersurc is formed due to swelling and

shrinking of the soil, pressure foceindicates shinning face but slickenside
give goved surface.

Difference

Pressure face Slickensides

1. It has got smooth ped surfaces 1. It has got groved ped surface
2. Pressure + no movement of the 2. Pressure + movement of the
peds peds
3. Wedge shaped stracture 3. Wedhe shape structure
4. Ped surface are smaller 4. Ped surface in larger.

Roots

In the we can determine the presence of roots by 3 sets of notation

i) Nicmler ii) size iii) Location

Number : a) Few (f)

b) Comman (c )
c) Many (m)

Vf f m Co
<1m.m 1-2m.m 2.5 m.m >5m.m

Few 1 <10/dm2< 10/dm2 1 1

Commen 2 10-100/dm2 10-100 1-10 1-50

Many 3 >100 > 100 >10 >5

It should explain wheather it is present in vertical faces, pores, cracks,

horizon boundaly, animal tracts.
In haphazard condition prosess of roots can be explaned by the following
term.
i) Very few
ii) Few
iii) Common
iv) Frequent
v) Very frequent
vi) Abendart

Soil pores
It can be defined as minute notes within the soil
Soil pore can be clarified into two clases
i) Megaspore ii) Microspore

Megaspore can be defined by a set of class

i) Abcendavce class ii) Diameter class iii) Continity class iv) Orientation
class v) Morpholosical vi) Location

Abcendance class : It refers to the necmlear of pores.

Diameter class : It refers to the size of the pores
Continuity : Weather continuaes spareis available for liquid and gas to
move
Orientation : Elongation of the pores to certain direction
Morphology clases : It refer to the shape of the individual pores.
Location : It refers to the position of the pores.
Abundance class : In the field abundance class can be devided into three rule
class.
1. Few (f) 1-50/dm2 (1-3/sq inch)
2. Common (c ) : 50-200/dm2 (4-14/sq inch)
3. many (m) > 200/dm2 (>14/sq inch)

Diameter clases
a) Micro < 0.075m.m in diameter
b) Vfine 1 0.075-1m.m diameter
c) fine 2 1-2 1m.m diameter
d) medicem 3 2-51m.m diameter
e) Coarse 4 > 5 1m.m diameter
* 40-gauge wire is equal to 0.075 mm, 18-gauge wire as thin pencil leads to
1m.m in diameter.
Continceity class : Continuity of individual pores may be observed most
easily by exeamenation of
1) Wertical ped surface
2) Natural Pedfaces
3) Broken surface
Continuity can be clasificd into two type
a) Continuous (c ) b) discontinunes (d )
a) Individual pores extended through the horen ©
b) Individual pores extended only part way through the horigen (d)
Osientation class : (It applies only in tulular pores)
i) Vertical (v)
ii) Horizantal (h)
iii) Oblique (O)
iv) Random (R)
i) Vertical : Most of the pores are oriented vertically or more nearly
vertical
ii) Oblique : Most of the pores are oriented at the angle of 45% to the
vertical or nearly diagonally than horizontal and vertical
iii) Random – Pores are oriented in all direction and it is imposililp to
saythat vertical, horigaled a oblique. Predomenants.
Morphological class
1. Very cular (Ves)
2. Irregular (Ir)
3. Tuleular (tule)
Vesicular : Pores are appxhy spherical or elliplical in shape. This type is
commonly endozed by the matrix of the unaggregated soils or of peds and it
is not continuaes.
Irrigular : Pores are irregular in shape and are borended by curved or angular
surfacen. Lrregular include packing voides, difficult to deseribe unters they
are large than 1 m.m in deametcs.

Tuleular : Pores are more or les ecylendrical in shope that is roughly circular
in cross section and greatly elangated along the third axis
Tulcular Can be devided into two rul class
i) Simple : Predomenanlly, single cenbranched tales
ii) Dentritic – The pores are branch like ******** roots
Location
i) Inped ii) Exped
Location of the pores is described in cach horigon. The pore may be entircly
withing the peds called inped materials that interfingers between peds called
exped.

Example :
Many fine confinuous vertical fuleularpores m3C vtul
Common medium and few fine discatimos vertical tulular C4 & f3, dvtwe
Common medium and few coarse discontinuous, vericular per C 5 of f5 dves
Few coarsed medium, discontinuous irregular f 5 & 4 dir.

Soil Seaction

Soil section expresses the degree of acidity and alkalinity of soil. The
intensity of aciditt of alkalinity in expressed by pH
Acid range Alkali range

1. Extrcenly acid pH <4.5 1. Slidhy alkaline pH 7.4-7.8

2. V. Strongly acid pH 4.5- 2. Mod, alkaline pH 7.9-8.4

5.0
3. Strongly acid pH 5.0-5.5 3. Strongly alkaline pH 8.5-9.0
4. Pledium acid pH 5.6-6.0 4. Very strongly alkaline pH
>9.0
5. Slightly acid pH 6.1-6.5
6. Neutral acid pH 6.6-7.3

Effervescence : It refers to the action of Hcl with frce carbonate of the soil
resulting bubbles and hisses. The presence of frce carbonates can be tested in
the field by the use of dil Hcl (InHcl) The emission of the air bubble should
not be confused with reacting Co3, the more CO3 present the violet is
reaction.

On the bases of violence of reaction efferveseance can be devided into

following type.
i) Non calcarious (eo)
ii) Slightly calcariaes (e) The reaction is not visilde to the eye
but can be hard by the sample closed to the e*******.
 iii) Calcarious (es) The reaction with soil can be seen
iv) Strongly calcarious (ev) Effervescurce in violaht

Special formation in the soil profile

i) Concretion /nodule
ii) Paus
iii) Efflores cance
iv) Krotovinas.
i) Concretions/ module - It can be described by a soil of notation .
i) Abundance ii) Size iii) Hardness iv) shape v) colous vi) Nature
i) Abundance
1) Very few less than 5% bg vA
2) Few 5-15%
3) Frequent 15-40%
4) Very frequent 40-80%
5) Dominant >80%
Size a) Small >1cm
Large >1cm
ii) Hardeness
a) Soft : Breakable between forefinecr and thumb soil
b) Hard : Not brockable.
iv) Shape
i) Spherical 2( angular 3) Ieeregular (knotaly)
v) Colour : Used simple term lide black, red white etc.
vi) Nature : The presumed nature of the material that makes up the
correction should be given example, iron stone, Fe-Mn, CalO3
giblb*** etc.
Example : Few, small, soft, irregular, purple Fe.Mn. correction.
60% of gravell fraction composed of frequent angular quaty fragments,
remainder of few, small hard, found and spheical red fe-stone concretion
Efflorescence : Dffloresecnce refer to the core of sol*** salts mainly Nocl in
the forms of Crust coating and pockels in dry season. It is common coastal
area core of salt generally do not established in the field mainly Nacl Kcl
Na2 SO4, MgSO4, No2 CO3 etc.

Paus : There are two types of pan in the field

i) Indurated ii) Non indurated
i) Indurated : It is rare in Bangladesh but accalionalhy it can be found
in the hilly areas where lateritce ran eamented by fe is observed
2) Non indurated : It is rothing but ploughpan, These are widespread in
Bangladesh particulasly where transplant aman in grown.
Structure of the ran
i) Massive – It has not recovisilele structure,
ii) Vesicular – Pan has a sponge like structure having large pores that
can be filled up with softer material sounded.
4) Pisolitic : Pan is largely made up of largcly rounted concretion
cemented together
5) Platy : Cemented unit are plate like form
Krotovinas : It refers to irregular tulular, streaks within one horigon
consisting of material transported from another horizon. They are causel by
the filling of tunnels made by the filling of **** as sounded or clliptical spot
of various *** common animal **** for k****** are d***************
etc.
Soil horizon
Soil horizon may be defined as a layer of soil profile, approximately parallal
to the soil surface with charechterstecs produced by the soil forming
proceses. Horizons are designated by the appropsiate symbol of the ABC
system. It is done for better understanding of the probolule relationships
between horizons in a single profile.
Horizons refers to the genetic of a soil profile but a layer is not a horizon
which is formed on fresh geological formations like new alluvial faus sand
drifts etc. In such cases no need of horizon desiqnated they should be
distinegusted by 1,2,3 etc.
Soil profile may be defined as the collection of all the genetrc horigons. The
natural organic layers on the surface and the parcnt material or other layers
beneth the solumn that influence the the genesis and behavious of the soil .
Solumn may be defined simphy as the genetic soil developed by the soil
forming processes. In natural soil solumn includes A and B or upper part of
the soil profile above the parent material
i) In desesibing soil profile we must locate the boardesn between the
horigons
ii) To measure their depth and
iii) To study the profile as a whole before describing and naming the
individual horizons.

Bocendury between the soil horizon are described in tersms of i) districness

or width (ovel which the transition occuro) 2) Topogrophy.
1. Width /distinctness
 a) abrupt (a) < 2mm (<1”)
b) Clear ( c) 2-5 m.m (1-2”)
b) Gradual (g) 5-12m.m (2-5”)
c) diffuse (d) >12m.m (>75”)
2. Topography
a) Smooth (s)
b) Wavy (w)
c) Irreqular (i)
d) Broken (b)
Smooth : Boundary nearly a plane surface
Wavy : Pocksets are deeper than their depth
Irrigular : Pockets are deeper than their width
Broken : Horizon bocmdaries are discontinuous.
Excample : Abrupt wave (aw) Diffuse smooth boundary (ds) clear wavy
boccndary (cw) diffuse broken boundary (db)

Master Horizons
O1 Loose leaf undecomposed organic debris
O2 Partly deconpozed organic debris
A1 Decomposed organic debris A dask colour organic horgon
with conten of ope
A2 Alght colour horizon of clluviation
A3 Transitional to B but more like A than B
B1 Transitional to B but more like B that A
B2 It is a layer of maximum accumulation of silicate clay.
Minerals or of Fe and Al with OM ormaximum
development of prismatic /blacky structure or both.
B3 Transitional to e but more like b than c
C Alayer of uncassolidated ********** made by the soil
forming ******
R A layer of consolidated hard rock underlying by the layer
of clay or send.

Horizons : Surface accumulation of organic material overlying a minesal

soil. Lower limits are 30% organic matter if the mineral matter contains
more than 50% clay or 20% organic matter if the mineral fraction has no
clay.
O1= In this horizon O1 most vegetative matter is undecomposed and
recognizllts.

O2= If most of the vegetative matter is partly decomposed and the original
form of the plant is not recognizal.

A = A horizon is a mater horizon consisting of

1) Oner or more suoface mineral horzan of maximum organic matter
accumulation.
2) Surface or Sub-surface horizon that are highter in colour this is a-----
horizon and which have lost clay minerals Fe and Al with resultant
concatration of more resistant mineral or 3) Horizons belonging to both of
these calagories.

A2 = This is a surface or sub-surface horzon which lost clay minerals , Fc or

AL with sesultant covcantration of quartz and other resistant minerals. It is a
horzan of clluviation. It is usually higher is colour than the undeslying
horzon.
A3 – It is transitional between A and B and is domnated by properties of
overlying A1 or A2 but having some mm or properties or underlying B horzon
AB – It is a thin horzon having on upper part properties of A and B a lo wer
part with properties of B.

Ref. Agricultural Compendium For Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics,
The Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries,1989, pp-49.