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The Available-Water Capacity of Barbados Soils

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

J. C. Hudson
J. C. Hudson
Affiliation:
Agronomy Research Unit of the Barbados Sugar Producers' Association, Edgehill, Barbados
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Summary

Large soil monoliths, extracted undisturbed in 44-gallon oil drums, have been used to assess the available-water capacity, and the relation between the growth of sugarcane and soil water deficit for agricultural soils in Barbados. Constancy of field capacity was studied and the effect of cultivation on the storage of available soil water. Deep montmorillonite clays and oceanic soils had storage capacities greater than 20 cm. of water in an 80 cm. profile, whereas sandy or stony montmorillonite clays and most soils developed from kaolinite clays had capacities less than 11 cm. Cultivation significantly increased the water holding capacity of soils but this was rarely as great as for fabricated composts and the water was never so freely available. The data have been used in decisions about cultivation and irrigation, and as the basis for an ecological grouping of sugar estates according to their probable water balance.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , July 1969 , pp. 167 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

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References

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