Pedotransfer functions for predicting the hydraulic properties of Indian soils

Partha Pratim Adhikary; Debashis Chakraborty; Naveen Kalra; C. B. Sachdev; A. K. Patra; Sanjeev Kumar; R. K. Tomar; Parvesh Chandna; Dhwani Raghav; Khushboo Agrawal; Mukesh Sehgal

doi:10.1071/SR07042

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Pedotransfer functions for predicting the hydraulic properties of Indian soils

Partha Pratim Adhikary ^A , Debashis Chakraborty ^A ^G , Naveen Kalra ^A , C. B. Sachdev ^B , A. K. Patra ^C , Sanjeev Kumar ^D , R. K. Tomar ^A , Parvesh Chandna ^E , Dhwani Raghav ^A , Khushboo Agrawal ^A and Mukesh Sehgal ^F

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Division of Agricultural Physics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.

^B NBSS&LUP, Regional Centre Delhi, Pusa Campus, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.

^C Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.

^D Division of Environmental Sciences, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.

^E CIMMYT-India/RWC, CG Block, NASC Complex, DP Shastri Marg, New Delhi 110 012, India.

^F NCIPM, Pusa Campus, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.

^G Corresponding author. Email: debashis@iari.res.in

Australian Journal of Soil Research 46(5) 476-484 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR07042
Submitted: 4 April 2007 Accepted: 2 June 2008 Published: 5 August 2008

Abstract

Most of the data pertaining to Indian soils are limited to the major soil separates, sand, silt, and clay. We examined the possibilities of using these parameters to describe the hydraulic characteristics of the soils of India. The final or steady-state infiltration rate, which is mainly profile-controlled, showed a power function relationship with the maximum and the average clay content in the soil profile. The saturated hydraulic conductivity also showed a similar relationship with the silt + clay content. The soil water content at a given suction could be satisfactorily predicted using the percentage of major soil separates, sand, silt, and clay. The coefficients in the soil water function ψ(θ) were linearly related to the sand content. Non-linear regression equations were developed to predict these coefficients using the percentages of sand and clay in soils. The equations proved to be quite satisfactory for a wide range of textures and provided reasonably accurate estimates of the soil water characteristic curve from a minimum of readily available data.

Additional keywords: pedotransfer functions, infiltration rate, saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil water content, soil water potential, soil texture, prediction.

Acknowledgement

Authors are thankful to Dr S. P. Cuttle at IGER, UK, for his valuable comments and necessary English editing on the manuscript.

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Pedotransfer functions for predicting the hydraulic properties of Indian soils

Abstract

Acknowledgement

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