Question

The water holding capacity is the highest in

• A. sandy soil
• B. clayey soil
• C. loamy soil
• D. mixture of sand and loam

Answer 1

The correct option is B

clayey soil

The correct option is option B.

Explanation of the correct option:

Water holding capacity:

1. The soils that hold water in sufficient amounts do not lose nutrients through leaching.
2. The soil with less water holding capacity reaches the saturation point much earlier than soil with high water holding capacity.
3. After the soil reaches its saturation point, all the excess water, nutrients, and pesticides in the soil solution leach downwards into the soil profile.

Clayey soil:

1. Clayey soil is composed of very fine mineral particles with high water holding capacity.
2. Due to its good water holding capacity, clayey soil is used for growing crops in fields.
3. Clayey soil contains organic matter and important nutrients essential for growing crops such as wheat, paddy, and gram.
4. The large surface area of the particles in clayey soil allows them to hold a large amount of water.

Explanation of the incorrect options:

Option A:

1. Sandy soil consists of tiny particles formed after weathering of rocks such as granite, limestone, and quartz.
2. The presence of large particles with huge spaces in sandy soil makes it difficult to hold water.

Option C:

1. Loamy soil is composed of silt, clay, and humus, organic matter.
2. This soil is best suited for growing soil in gardens as sand, and clay in the soil, provide all essential nutrients required for plant growth.

Option D:

The mixture of sand and loamy soil supports the growth of plants but is not used for growing crops.

Final Answer: the water holding capacity is the highest in clayey soil.