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Agriculture · Q875

Soil Science

Graduate and Post Graduate · Agriculture · question 875

Q875

The water holding capacity (WHC) of humus on a mass basis is . . . . . . . . times that of the silicate clays

A.
2 - 3
B.
4 - 5
Answer
C.
9 - 10
D.
6 - 15

Answer: Option B

Solution

Answer: Option B
Solution:
The water holding capacity (WHC) of humus on a mass basis is 4 - 5 times that of the silicate clays. The water holding capacity of a soil is calculated by summing the capacity of each layer in the root zone.
Humus can hold the equivalent of 80 - 90% of its weight in moisture, thus it increases the soil’s capacity to withstand drought.