PUMICE ADDITION EFFECT ON AVAILABLE WATER CAPACITIES OF SOILS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine if addition of pumice material with two different ratios into various soil textural classes increases the available water capacity of the soils. For this purpose, ground pumice particles (<2 mm diameter) were added into loamy sand, sandy loam, loam, clay loam, and clay soil textural classes with a ratio of 1/4 and 1/2 on weight basis. Experiment was arranged in a completely randomized block design with five replications. Results indicated that pumice addition with a ratio of 1/4 increased available water capacity of loamy sand and clay soils but decreased that of sandy loam, clay loam, and loamy clay soil textural classes compared to control samples. After pumice addition with a ratio of 1/4, available water capacity increased from 2.17 to 8.23% for soil textural class of loamy sand and from 1.81 to 3.74% for the soil textural class of clay. When pumice particles were added with a ratio of 1/2 into the same soils, available water content of loamy sand, sandy loam, loamy clay, and clay soil textural classes was significantly increased but those of clay loam was decreased.