Infiltration and moisture retention of five major soil groups of Kerala

Abstract

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the soil water retention and infiltration rates, respectively, for five major soil groups of Kerala, namely, laterite, black, red loam, riverine alluvium and coastal alluvium. Black soils were found to retain more water whereas coastal alluvium retained the minimum at different soil water tensions. So, was true of their available water status_ (nfilttation rates were higher in the case of coastal alluvium red loam and laterite soils. Black soils exhibited rather low values of infiltration rates.