water holding capacity

The addition of organic matter to the soil usually increases the water holding capacity of the soil. ... Soil
water is held by adhesive and cohesive forces within the soil and an increase in pore space will lead to an
increase in water holding capacity of the soil.

importance of WHC

The water holding capacity of arable acreage is how much water is available for crop growth, so it is the
goal of the farmer/agronomist to keep the field at this optimum water level in order to the most water
available to the crops as possible. Low precipitation or lack of watering provides too little water to the
crops resulting in poor yield or loss of the crops all together