Soil-Water-Plant Relationship

Suggested Objectives

1. List the basic physical properties of soils and describe the roles they play
   in irrigation water management.
2. Explain how water moves through soil.
3. Describe how plants respond to and use soil-water throughout their
   growing season.
4. Describe the processes needed to determine crop evapo-transpiration
   and irrigation water requirements.

Suggested Outline

Introduction

I. Introduction

II. Body
A. Soil Physical Properties

1. Texture
2. Structure
3. Porosity
4. Compaction

B. Water Movement Through Soil
C. Soil - Water

1. Plant Availbale Water
2. Infiltration
3. Percolation
4. Types of Soil Water

a. Gravity
b. Capillary
c. Hydroscopic or absorbed

5. Plant rooting depth and moisture extraction patterns

D. Methods for Determining Evapotranspiration (Crop Consumptive Use)
E. Crop Response to Fertilization

III. Summary

Note: Note all copies of documents that were contained in the original Irrigation Training Toolbox are available electronically.
 
If you are unable to find a hard copy of a document in your state, you may be able to borrow a copy from the Water Management Engineer at your regional National technology Support Center.

• Publication “The Surface Irrigation Manual”, Chapter 1, Cal-Poly
• Publication “How Water Moves Through Soil”, University of Arizona/NRCS (2/98)

 

• Lesson Plan 1 “Soil-Water Relationship”, NRCS
• Lesson Plan 2 “Water Intake”, NRCS
• Lesson Plan 3 “Plant-Water-Soil Relationships”, NRCS
• Lesson Plan 4 “Drainage Primer”, NRCS
• Lesson Plan 5 “Water Movement Through Soils”, NRCS
  

 

• Video Video 001 “Plant - Soil -Water Relationships”, Certified Irrigation Designers Step 2 Study Guide, Volume 2, Cal-Poly
• Video Video 002 “How Water Moves Through Soil”, University of Arizona/NRCS

• Soil Quality Test Kit Guide

  Physical Properties

• What is Soil Quality?
• Soil Quality  - Introduction
• Indicators for Soil Quality Evaluation
• Aggregate Stability
• Bulk Density
  
  
• pH
• Organic Matter
• Soil Biodiversity
• Soil Respiration
• Soil Quality Physical Indicators: Selecting Dynamic Soil Prorperties to Assess Soil Function
• Aggregate Stability
  
  
• Available Water Capacity
• Bulk Density
• Infiltration
• Slaking
• Soil Crusts
• Soil Structure and Macropores

Biological Properties

• Earthworms
• Respiration

 

• Colorado Glossary of Water Terminology.
• Florida Soil Plant Water Relationships
• Utah Water Salinity and Crop Yield