Effects of Aggregate Sizes on Soil Properties in A Fine-Textured Soil

I. International Agricultural Science Congress, Van, Türkiye, 9 - 12 Mayıs 2018, ss.546

Abstract: Soil quality and sustainability are significantly affected by soil

aggregation. This research was carried out to determine the effects of particle

size distribution of aggregate size fractions on soil properties in a finetextured

soil. A clay textured soil sample was dry sieved in a set of sieves

with 2; 1; 0.5 and 0.25 mm sieve openings to prepare <2 mm; <1 mm; <0.5

mm and <0.25 mm fractions. Physical and chemical analyzes were

performed on these fractions. Among the physical properties, particle size

distribution, moisture characteristics, drying curve, consistency limits and

dispersion ratio were determined. From the chemical properties, soil

reaction, organic matter content, lime content and cation exchange capacity

were determined. Aggregate size distributions were found to be similar in the

first three fractions with regarding to sand content (2-0.05 mm) and higher

than the other fractions in the <0.25 mm fraction. The fine and very fine sand

content increased with increases in size fractions. It has been determined that

this condition affects bulk density and consistency limits. The bulk density

increased with increasing aggregate size except for the fraction of <0.25 mm.

Increased values were recorded in the fractions of <2, <1 and <0.5 mm

respectively for plastic and liquid limits. Aggregate fractions showed

significant differences in moisture content (p <0.01) in the drying process

from saturation to dry state. The same was also noted for soil moisture

characteristics. The aggregate fractions were found to be significantly

different (p <0.01) in terms of soil reaction and organic matter